Best value hotel in the world? It's in Wales
It costs £74 a night and boasts 233 five-star ratings out of 235 reviews on TripAdvisor
5:01AM GMT 21 Jan 2015
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Tucked away on the north Wales coast, Lawton Court looks much like any other beachfront hotel.
And the rooms, at £74 per person per night, appear ordinarily priced for an establishment that is just a stone's throw from sand and sea.
But holidaymakers to the popular Llandudno seaside resort attest otherwise.
In fact, the feedback has been so overwhelmingly positive that the four-star hotel was yesterday named as one of the best in the world.
Guests posted hundreds of glowing reviews on TripAdvisor to convince the ratings website to award Lawton Court first place in its World Top 10 Bargain Hotels category.
It received second place in the World's Top 10 Small Hotels and came fourth in the world for service.
Reviewers said they would "unreservedly recommend" the hotel for its relaxed, friendly owners who went "above and beyond" expectations. Many said they were pleasantly surprised by the free parking and "honesty bar", where guests are invited to pour their own drinks if they write down their order and room number.
One guest said: "We had a wonderful time at this hotel, the place is spotless, breakfast amazing 10 out of 10. As for service I would say 12/10, we cannot wait to come back."
Another said: "The best hotel we have ever stayed in, from day one Scott made us feel at home with his friendly sense of humour. The food was amazing with a full English plus extra and the service brilliant. The rooms are lovely and clean with a sea view."
A room at Lawton Court, the 'best bargain hotel in the world'
Hannah Lawton-Jones, who runs the hotel with her husband Scott, a former chef, said: "We are over the moon and never imagined winning any awards. We just try to make our guests feel welcome by putting ourselves in their shoes.
"We're always looking for ways to improve, but mostly it's been using our common sense and really caring about our guests. For example, we have an 11-month-old and that means we understand that simple things in the rooms and restaurant can make life easier for parents."
The couple only opened the hotel in April last year, converting it from a home for adults with learning difficulties. In nine months it has been ratedfive stars out of five in 233 of the 235 reviews on TripAdvisor. The other two customers gave it four.
The breakfast at Lawton Court was highly praised by guests
Mrs Lawton-Jones, 28, said many guests told them they felt like they were staying "with friends rather than in a hotel", which was "the biggest compliment" they could receive.
"Everyone has a story to tell, and it's so nice to be a part of it," she said. She and her husband, 36, live and work at the hotel and employ four staff during the mornings.
Their success follows that of Mr Lawton-Jones' parents, Carol-Lynn and Ian Robbins, who run Lauriston Court hotel two doors down, which won best hotel in the world for service in 2013.
James Kay, of TripAdvisor, said: "Hospitality is clearly in the blood of the Robbins/Lawton-Jones family."
The Travellers' Choice awards take into account the quality and quantity of reviews and opinions, as well as ratings specific to each award category.
As was the "honesty bar", where customers pour their own drinks and leave a note
The only other British hotel to collect first prize in the 2015 awards wasMillgate bed and breakfast, in Masham, North Yorkshire, which was first in the World's Top 10 B&Bs ratings.
Sue Burrell, who owns Millgate B&B with husband Andrew, said: "The fact that this award stems from our guests' feedback makes it even more special, because the reviews we've received on TripAdvisor have really helped our business thrive."
British B&Bs took 10 of the top 25 places - more than any other destination. The Shola Coach House, in Portrush, Northern Ireland, Llwyn Helyg Country House, in Llanarthney, Wales, and Beach Cottage B&B, in Inverness, Scotland, all featured in the top 10.
The £500-a-night Haymarket Hotel in London was ranked as the Britain's best hotel, while the £1,144-a-night Gili Lankanfushi Maldives, on the North Male Atoll of the Maldives, took the title of the world's top hotel for 2015.
The Travellers' Choice Awards honour outstanding properties in several categories including top hotels, bargain, B&Bs and inns, family, luxury, romance, and small hotels.
