THE Fox and Hounds in Eggesford has been named Best Family Friendly Hotel: Small Hotel in the 2010 HRS Hotel Excellence Awards.

The award recognised how the hotel has been transformed into a great place for families with children to stay and how its rural location has been used to create something different.

This involved investing in new facilities and devising new menus as well as changing the hotel's outlook towards families. As a result it is attracting more families and has increased revenues from the family market, generating repeat business.

Nick Culverhouse, co-owner of The Fox and Hounds, said: "We have put a lot of hard work into making the hotel family friendly, which has obviously paid off, but better than that we beat many well-known national hotels to the top prize."

The Fox and Hounds, which has recently been awarded an AA rosette for the quality of its restaurant food, has 17 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar, and function rooms for events.

It is developing a reputation in the region as a popular wedding venue and won the award for Best Wedding Venue Devon in the 2009 Westcountry Wedding Awards. It has also obtained a licence for open air wedding ceremonies in its grounds, which include half a mile of frontage on to the River Taw.

More details of The Fox and Hounds, which is open all day, every day, are available on 01769 580345 or at foxandhoundshotel.co.uk