THE Crowne Plaza Marlow has taken a top accolade with one of its employees named as one of the Employees of the Year.

The four-star hotel not only took the Hotel of the Year award, but Learning & Development Hotel of the Year in the BDL Hotels Annual Awards to recognise the achievements across its 17 hotels in the UK.

The hotel was host to the second awards evening on February 3, and was also nominated for Quality Hotel of the Year and presented with its Investors in People Award.

Loreta Simkiene, head barperson at the hotel's Agua Bar, and whose husband Audrias is bar manager at the hotel, was also shortlisted for BDL Employee of the Year. They have both worked at the Crowne Plaza in Fieldhouse Lane, for the last 15 months.

Alan Thomas, general manager of the Crowne Plaza Marlow, said: "I am chuffed to bits that the hotel has been recognised and it is testament to the hard work of a great team of people.

"We had some stiff competition so winning is a real honour and one which we hope to repeat next year."