A LUXURY hotel which boasts breath-taking views of the Lyth Valley is proving a huge hit with visitors following a major refurbishment.

Lyth Valley Hotel, near Kendal, is Steve and Karen Edmondson’s second country inn in the Lake District.

The nine-bedroom inn has been revamped over an 18-month period, which has involved completely gutting the venue and transforming the offering.

The couple’s vision was to create a fresh and exciting place to eat, drink and stay – as well as become a venue for events including wedding and corporate occasions.

The bedrooms are named after woodland animals, giving visitors either the perfect place to hibernate or use as a base to explore.

The bar sells the finest ales - thanks to the Edmondson’s owning Winster Valley Brewery - as well the best wines from around the world.

Mr Edmondson, who also runs The Brown Horse Inn in nearby Winster, said: “This was a big project over an 18-month period which has involved significant investment. The final result is better than we could have ever imagined.

“We have reduced the number of rooms from 15 to nine, which are all en-suite with baths and showers and we have put in a balcony at the back where people can sit out and enjoy the views.

“The feedback from visitors so far has been extremely positive and we have very high hopes for the future of this venture.”

Kendal-based accountancy and business advisory firm Moore and Smalley advised the couple in a number of areas including support in the initial stages of the purchase and capital allowance claims.

Colin Johnson, partner at Moore and Smalley, said: “For the last four years we have worked with Steve at his first hotel, the Brown Horse, in a number of areas including monthly account management, VAT returns and the annual accounts.

“The Lyth Valley project has been about two years in the making. We advised Steve from the very beginning when he first had the idea of taking on the hotel, we worked with him on the projections to make sure the business would be viable.

“The finished hotel looks great and I’m sure it will be a huge success – it is exactly what the area needed.”