A SOMERSET holiday home owner is celebrating after picking up a prize for her 18th-century property.

Vanessa Beattie-Jones scooped silver in the Best in the South West of England category for her 18th-century traditional stone cottage, The Hermitage.

The national travel awards programme by staycation specialist Sykes Holiday Cottages saw a significant number of entries from across the UK and Ireland – with The Hermitage beating off tough competition to take home the trophy.

Located in the quintessentially English village, Nunney, with Stonehenge and Glastonbury on the doorstep, the property oozes character and features thick stone walls and a fireplace - allegedly made from parts of the ancient Nunney castle’s perimeter wall.

Since The Hermitage first became available to holidaymakers back in 2011, Vanessa has reaped the rewards of a surge in staycations to Somerset, and the property is nearly fully booked throughout the whole of 2023.

The Sykes Gems Awards first launched in 2017 and aim to celebrate the best people and properties in the UK’s holiday let sector - judged by a panel of industry experts including Sykes’ CEO Graham Donoghue and COO Bev Dumbleton, as well as The Sun’s Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski.

Properties were judged using owner entries and guest feedback, alongside details like photos, occupancy figures, and property amenities.

The judging panel was impressed by the style and facilities on offer at The Hermitage, along with guest feedback on cleanliness, comfort, and value for money.

The Hermitage owner, Vanessa Beattie-Jones, said: “I’ve put so much into making The Hermitage a success, and constantly get great feedback from our visitors, but an award like this really does mean a lot.

"I am thrilled to be a Sykes Gems winner and hope it draws attention to a relatively unknown and beautiful part of Somerset.

“My advice to holiday letting newcomers would be to get yourself a good team around you to support with the process.

“The team at Busy Bees in Frome help me keep my old property ticking over and are on hand day or night if a problem arises, while Sykes Holiday Cottages have been brilliant in guiding me through the entire process of letting.”

Graham Donoghue, CEO of Sykes Holiday Cottages, added: “We’re excited to have relaunched the Sykes Gems to recognise and reward some of the best holiday lets across the country.

“A lot of work goes into running a successful holiday let so it was a difficult decision amongst so many wonderful properties, but our final winners are those consistently going above and beyond to deliver unforgettable breaks for their guests.

“Staycations are as popular as ever in 2023, with many Brits having rediscovered their love of a holiday at home during the pandemic.

"Because of this, those with a second home in Somerset might be tempted to turn it into a holiday let – with our Gem Award winners offering plenty of inspiration for those who need it.”