A Suffolk hotel which dates back to the era of the Domesday Book has been named as one of the quirkiest inns in the country.
The Tuddenham Mill, managed by Agellus Hotels, has been recognised in the Good Hotel Guide in its search of the best properties on offer throughout the UK and Ireland.
The guide recognised the Suffolk hotel’s 18th century mill as one of the key features that saw it included as one of the nation’s most peculiar places to stay.
Other unconventional hotels to make the list include a converted railway station in Sussex and a revamped 19th century chapel in Northumberland and a Georgian windmill in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Tuddenham Mill dates back to the 11th century and was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as William the Conqueror sought to survey the country.
The water mill was restored in 1972 when the building was converted into a restaurant, which gained a reputation over the years for its quality food and drink offer.
Agellus Hotels took over the property at Tuddenham, near Mildenhall, in 2008 and set to work on redeveloping it into a premium hotel, with many guests staying the hobbit-style huts in the meadow - some of which even have access to the millstream.
Lee Bye, chef patron of Tuddenham Mill, praised the team at the hotel after its reopening from the coronavirus lockdown was capped by its inclusion in the Good Hotel Guide.
Mr Bye also said the rise of ‘staycations’ - where people holiday closer to home - has resulted in more people arriving and appreciating Tuddenham and the surrounding area.
He said: “Over the years of the company owning the hotel we’ve learned a lot. People’s tastes are changing all the time.
“We add our own personality to the hotel. We’ve really respected the heritage and history of the building and wanted the mill to be the centrepiece of the hotel.
“We are respecting the fact that we are a mill - not just a hotel. It’s really breathtaking when you come here.
“With the times at the moment, we are locked and loaded for a Covid-safe environment.
“It has been a long time since guests celebrated what’s on their doorsteps. It’s really good for the UK that we are celebrating these hotels.
“This is a real team effort and this is a great accolade to have.”
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