A Little Malvern hotel has been selected as one of the nation's Top Ten Favourite Small Hotels by a national newspaper's travel writer.

Paddy Burt, of The Daily Telegraph, paid an 'incognito' visit to Holdfast Cottage Hotel earlier this year and described it as cosy and family friendly.

She praised its "lovingly arranged flowers and teddies" and "terrific" home cooking.

"We were very pleased," said Stephen Knowles, who runs the hotel with wife Jane.

"She phoned us up about four weeks ago to say that we'd been selected and at first I didn't believe it was her."

The article was written to encourage people to visit the country following the foot and mouth crisis and Mr Knowles said that the up-turn in inquiries and bookings had been amazing.

"We've had a lot of inquiries and sent out lots of brochures," he said. "On an average weekend I'd go down to the post with three or four brochures but recently its been 30 or 40.

"People have also been phoning up just to say well done."

Ms Burt had previously recommended Holdfast Cottage in an article four years ago and has also featured it in her travel books.