STAFF at a Torfaen hotel and spa are celebrating after receiving an award for culinary excellence from inspectors.

The Parkway Hotel and Spa, in Cwmbran Drive, Cwmbran, was awarded its second AA Rosette for its food offerings — after scooping the first star in 2013.

The accolades are awarded solely by AA hotel and restaurant inspectors and around 10 per cent of restaurants nationwide are of a standard worthy of one rosette and above.

Under the AA award guidelines, two rosettes credit “excellent restaurants that aim for and achieve higher standards and better consistency”.

The two-rosette rating also awards “greater precision” in cooking and “obvious attention” to the selection of "quality ingredients”.

Around 40 per cent of restaurants / hotels in the AA Restaurant Guide have two rosettes or above.

Reacting to the news, general manager at the Parkway Hotel, Kerry Jennings, credited the achievement to the hard work of chefs and head chef Clive Williams, who has worked at the Cwmbran hotel for five years.

She said: “We’re truly delighted to have been awarded 2 AA Rosettes for our A la Carte menu and especially proud of our team of dedicated chefs.

“We’re only a small family-owned hotel and to be awarded two stars is amazing.”

She added: “Clive Williams is the drive behind the improvements here and it’s his concept, direction and team that have got us this award.”

Situated in over seven-and-a-half acres of gardens, the privately owned Cwmbran hotel is also no stranger to awards, having a four star AA hotel rating.

It has also reached the runner up spot in Wales in Bloom in 2014 and 2015 and scooped a gold award in the same competition last year for its grounds.

For more information on the hotel, visit: www.parkwayhotelandspa.com.