Local holiday home owner, Vanessa Beattie-Jones, is celebrating after picking up an award for her property in Somerset.

Vanessa scooped silver in the Best in the South West of England category for her 18th century traditional stone cottage, The Hermitage.

The national travel awards programme by staycation specialist Sykes Holiday Cottages saw a significant number of entries from across the UK and Ireland – with The Hermitage beating off tough competition to take home the trophy.

Located in Nunney the property oozes character and features thick stone walls and a fireplace - allegedly made from parts of the ancient Nunney castle's perimeter wall.

Since The Hermitage first became available to holidaymakers back in 2011, Vanessa has reaped the rewards of a surge in staycations to Somerset, and the property is nearly fully-booked throughout the whole of 2023.

The Sykes Gems Awards first launched in 2017 and aim to celebrate the best people and properties in the UK's holiday let sector.

Properties were judged using owner entries and guest feedback, alongside details like photos, occupancy figures and property amenities.

The judging panel were impressed by the style and facilities on offer at The Hermitage, along with guest feedback on cleanliness, comfort and value for money.

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"My advice to holiday letting newcomers would be to get yourself a good team around you to support with the process. The team at Busy Bees in Frome help me keep my old property ticking over and are on hand day or night if a problem arises, while Sykes Holiday Cottages have been brilliant in guiding me through the entire process of letting."

For more information or to book a Gems award-winner, visit sykescottages.co.uk or call 01244 617683.

To view the full list of winners, visit: www.sykescottages.co.uk/blog/sykes-gems-winners-2023/

You can view The Hermitage here: https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/cottage/DorsetSomerset-Nunney/The-Hermitage-9248.html