In the early weeks of every year we’re visited by someone who insists on seeing inside all our cottages.
They’re the inspector from VisitEngland. Their job is to take a good look at what’s on offer here at Upton Grange, and to ask us lots of questions.
The result of their visit is our star grading for the year. We’re thrilled that Owls Roost and The Hyde consistently receive 5-star gold. Our other self-catering cottages all achieve 4-star gold rating.
Those are the gradings we want and we’re proud of them.
VisitEngland star gradings are valued by self-catering guests
The VisitEngland star grades are a promise. They let you know what standard you can expect from the accommodation you’re considering.
Because every self-catering property in Britain is unique, it can be difficult to compare one place with another. They all vary in terms of location, age of the facilities, ease of access and their overall ambiance.
The star grades make it easier for you to choose between properties with quite different characteristics. Staying in a four-star cottage should be a similar overall experience, wherever it is.
VisitEngland star gradings are a better guide to quality
It’s great that people can now leave reviews online. They can also share about their holiday experiences on social media.
This means that when you’re looking to book a holiday you can get lots of opinions about a particular location. You should be able to see photos and stories not just from official sites, but from people who’ve actually stayed there.
These personal opinions are really valuable. They help us to spot what our guests particularly like, and also where there’s an opportunity to make something even better.
But personal opinions aren’t consistent. We all have a different point of view on what makes somewhere amazing. Some will rate a place based on the service they receive, even if the cooking facilities are fairly basic. For others, having a clean, well-equipped self-catering kitchen is an absolute essential.
This is why VisitEngland star gradings are valuable. They’re applied consistently across all types of self-catering property.
What the inspectors take a look at
It’s important that the VisitEngland inspectors take a close look at every property, every year.
They are trained professionals who pay close attention to seven different areas of what we do:
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- Cleanliness
- Public areas
- Kitchens
- Exterior
- Management efficiency
They don’t just look around our cottages for themselves. They also read the visitor guest books we have in each cottage, and look into online reviews.
All this information lets them form a clear picture of the quality we offer. The inspectors have seen a huge number of self-catering properties, so they know what they’re looking for.
VisitEngland star grading is a badge you can trust
Our VisitEngland grading demonstrates our commitment to quality. It shows that our self-catering cottages have been assessed by an independent national tourism authority.
We’re particularly proud that our self-catering cottages have achieved and maintained the same level of stars for multiple years. It tells us that we’re doing a good job, and we trust it gives you the same message.
We are particularly thrilled that in 2024 our newest cottage, The Hyde, won a prestigious ROSE award from VisitEngland. It’s one of just 100 awards given out across the whole of England.
