A HOTEL in Malmesbury has been honoured with a prestigious award.

The Old Bell Hotel in Abbey Row won a hotel of the year accolade at the Food Lifestyle Awards 2024.

Award-winners were revealed at a supper and ceremony at Nancarrow Farm near Truro in Cornwall at the end of September.

Established in 1220, The Old Bell Hotel claims to be England’s oldest hotel.

It is owned by Kim and Whit Hanks, who bought the hotel in March 2021.

Since Kim and Whit took ownership of the building - which has 34 bedrooms and suites - they have been on a mission to conserve and honour the site, which has ties to Whit’s ancestors as far back as the 1500s.

The Food Lifestyle Awards have celebrated the South West’s best chefs, restaurants, pubs, hotels and more for over a decade.

To mark a move into Food Lifestyle, this year, new categories were set up in the lifestyle field, including cool place to stay, exceptional spa experience and outstanding retail experience.

“We undertook this as a personal mission to preserve and be stewards of important British history which ended up surprising us with links to Whit's ancestors,” Kim said.

“It’s wonderful to be recognised for this effort.

“This award reflects the dedication of our amazing team and our commitment to making every guest’s experience truly special.”