Staff and management at the Penventon Park Hotel in Redruth are celebrating after being awarded four stars by the AA.

The assessment is the result of a massive, rolling refurbishment programme that has so far cost over £1.5m. Forty of the 65 bedrooms have now been significantly upgraded with modern, high quality fixtures and fittings. Work on the remaining bedrooms will begin in the autumn. The hotel’s public areas have also been transformed.

As part of the ongoing improvement project, the restaurant has also achieved two rosettes. Former Rick Stein instructor Keith Brooksbank heads the culinary team as executive chef, with Andrew West-Letford replacing him as head chef.

The Penventon was first established as a hotel by the Pascoe family in 1968 and is still under the same ownership. A Georgian manor house, it is surrounded by eight acres of parkland and is regularly used as a location for the hugely popular Rosamunde Pilcher German television adaptations.

Situated in the heart of the local community, the business employs 126 people, growing its own talent through apprenticeships and a management training scheme; runs lunch and business clubs and is "a significant mainstay" of the Redruth economy.

“Everyone has worked really hard towards four-star status and I’d like to thank our whole team for their efforts,” said director Aaron Pascoe. “The Penventon Park Hotel has evolved into a sophisticated venue, where guests can escape the ordinary, whether for an hour or a week, and enjoy some decadent luxury. The refurbishment is ongoing and our goal is to continue to delight our guests and achieve even more prestigious accolades.”

Robert Martin, hotel and restaurant inspector for the AA, said: “Having visited Penventon Park Hotel over the past several years as part of my work with AA Hotel Services it has been noted that there has been a considerable shift in quality and service this last year.

"A family run business which offered a very good product has now been moved onto a fully managed operation with a sound overall guest offering. An AA rating of four stars has been achieved and is well deserved. With his years of experience, general manager Rajesh Joshi has steered Penventon Park Hotel in the right direction, with an ever-improving level of service noted.”