A Suffolk hotel has been recognised as one of the best family-run businesses in the country.

East Anglian Daily Times: Tamara Unwin, Susanna Rendall and Robert Rendall, family directors at Stoke by Nayland Hotel, receive their award from Esther Wood (left) of sponsors Goodman Jones. Photo: Stoke by Nayland.Tamara Unwin, Susanna Rendall and Robert Rendall, family directors at Stoke by Nayland Hotel, receive their award from Esther Wood (left) of sponsors Goodman Jones. Photo: Stoke by Nayland. (Image: Archant)

Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf, Spa and Country Lodges was named 'Hotel and Leisure Family Business of the Year' at this year's Family Business Awards.

The resort on the Suffolk and Essex border is part of The Boxford Group - a family-owned business which began in 1938 as a 120 acre apple farm.

MORE: 'Stylish café, bar and restaurant' set for auctionBack in 1972, Bill and Devora Peake identified a shortage of golf courses and set about transforming their farmland.

The second generation of the family continued to invest in the business and today the multi-award winning resort includes an 80 bedroom hotel, five country lodges, restaurants and a spa and fitness club.

During the past few years the Peake family has also invested over £5 million in the installation of green energy sources which has resulted in the hotel and parts of the farm being almost totally self-sustainable.

Third generation family directors, Tamara Unwin, Susanna Rendall and Robert Rendall collected the award.

Ms Rendall said: "We are absolutely thrilled and honoured to have received this award. As a third generation family business we are really delighted to have been recognised in this way, and we are particularly grateful to our team of 600 staff, who are our greatest asset, for all their hard work and dedication over many years."

The Family Business of the Year Awards, organised by Family Business United, celebrate the contribution family businesses of all sizes play in the UK economy.

There are around five million family firms in the UK providing 12 million jobs.

Paul Andrews, Family Business United founder, added: "Stoke by Nayland are worthy winners demonstrating great governance, family values and a steely determination that has seen them flourish over the years too. It's a privilege to organise these awards and to find out more about the fantastic people behind the family firms that are the backbone of the UK economy.

"Stoke by Nayland is one such firm - a great family business and worthy recipients of the Hotel & Leisure Family Business of the Year Award 2019."