STAFF at one of South Lakeland's top hotels are celebrating after winning an international accolade.

They were praised by managers of the Castle Green Hotel in Kendal following the hotel's induction into the 2015 TripAdvisor Hall of Fame.

The award, determined by customer ratings, was presented after the hotel - part of the international Best Western family - consistently scored top ratings in customer feedback.

The honour puts the hotel in the top 10 per cent of Best Western hotels worldwide.

Castle Green general manager Ben Mayou said the Hall of Fame honour was a reward to its 130 staff for 'their continuous commitment to offering great service and providing an exceptional customer experience'.

In each of the last five years the hotel has earned a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor following high customer ratings posted on the travel website.

Posts frequently praise the staff for being 'warm and welcoming' or 'friendly, helpful and courteous'.

Mr Mayou said: "We are delighted to have been recognised by TripAdvisor and their customers in this amazing way.

"Our aim is to always deliver an exceptional guest experience and we can’t do this without our committed hotel team. This award is evidence of their hard work and passionate pursuit of great customer service. We are thrilled."

In recent months, the Castle Green's owners have invested £250,000 in a major refurbishment of its bar and restaurant.

Earlier this year, the hotel won the Fan Favourite Hotel and Large Best Western Hotel Experience of the Year awards at the company’s annual awards ceremony.