The holiday home in Cropton receives the coveted Visit England Rose Award

Laura’s Cottage at Whitethorn Farm in Cropton, near Pickering, was originally a barn before being converted into a fantastic self-catering holiday home which has hosted hundreds of families since welcoming its first guests in 2008.

It’s a labor of love for owner Ann Eddon, who is passionate about sharing her love of this beautiful part of the Yorkshire Dales, which attracts visitors from all over the world – with regular visitors from Germany, Norway, Australia and America. Ann always strives to make every visit a special experience for her guests.

The cottage is a single-story barn building that has been converted and decorated with beautiful fixtures and furnishings – high quality linens and furnishings make it a real home away from home for visitors, as well as little touches such as home-baked treats to welcome guests.

Ann’s famous homemade scones to welcome guests feature in rave reviews from guests, as does the warm but understated welcome visitors receive at Laura’s Cottage. The popular holiday home is a member of Farm Stay, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

The VisitEngland Rose Award for Service Excellence was presented at a special ceremony in Surrey this week to honor those in the tourism industry who give their guests the warmest welcome. Recipients include all types of accommodation, from B&Bs and guesthouses to self-catering and hotels, parks, campsites, glamping sites and hostels, and cover a range of ratings.

Nominations for the award are based on a wide range of feedback – including VisitEngland’s annual quality assessment, customer feedback directly to VisitEngland and online customer reviews. The final jury also pays attention to the small details that distinguish the winners.

Laura’s Cottage has already achieved VisitEngland’s Gold Award and Five Star status and Ann is delighted to be one of just 100 businesses across the country selected for the 2023 Rose Awards, which take place on Tuesday 5th September , were announced.

Ann said: “We are so grateful to receive the Rose Award from VisitEngland – we have guests who visit us regularly and have become friends, as well as those who come to us for the first time, and I always want to give them the same. “ Warm welcome and experience when you come to Laura’s Cottage.

“This is our family farm and of course our home, and we want it to be a second home for our visitors too – achieving this high standard makes us all very proud.”

Further information about visiting Laura’s Cottage and the Rose Awards can be found at www.visitbritain.org and here