TWO luxury country hotels in Worcestershire have been shortlisted for an exclusive award for their food in a contest run by a luxury lifestyle magazine.

Eckington Manor, in the village of Eckington, near Pershore, and Brockencote Hall Hotel, Chaddesley Corbett, near Kidderminster, are both in the running for the Best Hotel for Food in the 2018 Luxury Lifestyle Magazine Readers’ Travel Awards.

They are up against hotels like The Savoy, London; The Midlands, Manchester; The Grand Hotel and Spa, York and the Cotswold House Hotel and Spa, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire.

The winners will be decided by a public vote and anyone wanting to take part can vote for their favourite by visiting https://www.luxurylifestylemag.co.uk/award_category/luxury-travel-awards-2018/

Eckington Manor is also in the category for Best Hotel for Romance in the same competition.

The hotel, restaurant and cookery school is owned by Judy Gardner, who set up and developed Garner’s pickles and chutneys in Pershore before selling the business to Baxters.

Award-winning chef Mark Stinchcombe, who won the BBC Masterchef: The Professionals competition in 2015, runs the kitchen with his wife Sue, a BBC Great British Menu contestant.

Ingredients for the dishes served come from the hotel’s farm, orchard, vegetable and herb gardens as well as Vale of Evesham suppliers.

Judy Gardner said: “To be shortlisted for not one, but two awards at the 2018 Luxury Lifestyle Magazine Readers’ Travel Awards, is incredible. We’re grateful to be recognised for our food and romantic setting.

“We work very hard at Eckington Manor to ensure all of our guests enjoy a truly wonderful experience with us. Our wedding packages and restaurant, is testament to that.”

Brockencote Hall Hotel, a Victorian mansion, is set in the peaceful surroundings of 70 acres of parkland in leafy north Worcestershire. It has a charming dovecote dating back to the 1600s and has three AA Rosettes for its food.

Head chef Tim Jenkins has worked at the hall for more than 10 years and worked his way up through the ranks as he honed his culinary skills.