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Award Winning Hotel

MANAGEMENT and staff at Newton Stewart's Kirroughtree House Hotel were celebrating being named Scottish Hotel of the Year in the Good Hotel Guide Cesar Awards this week.

The prestigious accolade is one of only ten handed out across the length and breadth of Britain. And, according to director Douglas McMillan, the award is recognition of a decade of hard work put in by staff and in particular manager Jim Stirling.

Speaking to the Free Press, Mr McMillan said:

"We are absolutely delighted with this award; it is a great accolade to have from our guests who have obviously enjoyed their time with us.

"It was a surprise to get the award, but, hopefully, it is a positive report which will bring more visitors to stay.

"I am very pleased for the staff and in particular manager Jim Stirling who has been here for almost all of the ten years we have owned the hotel and also the head chef Rolf Mueller; everyone has worked very hard for it.

"The judges were very positive about this area".

Judges select a shortlist of British hotels for the award after studying reports from visitors to each hotel.

Having chosen the Kirroughtree House as one of the finalists, a panel of judges were sent incognito to sample the splendour of the hotel.

Following their stay they dubbed Kirroughtree House as "quite exceptional". The report concludes:

"High praise this year for this white Victorian country mansion. All-round quality, five-star stay, atmospheric old house with helpful staff well trained by manager Jim Stirling and a dramatic setting against the Galloway Forest".

Manager Jim Stirling travelled to London this week to accept the award on behalf of McMillan Hotels.

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