Excellence
March 2007 - "Heart of the Lakes becomes the first Holiday Cottage Company to achieve Quality Award ISO 9001!"
Quality Management is integral to the way we run our business and we are proud to announce that we are the first and only agency in the UK to have achieved registration to the world class quality management system ISO 9001:2000 through the British Standards Institution, an internationally recognised standard that focuses on quality and service.
"The award assures our customers, cottage owners and visitors, of consistent and high levels of service throughout our organisation from holiday bookings to the daily management of our owners' investment properties. Anyone who has been through the process for ISO 9001 certification will know that it takes a lot of hard work, time and commitment to obtain. Our staff are all fully behind it and take a genuine sense of pride in knowing they are providing a superior level of service to all our customers." HOTL Operations Director.
Sue Lawley, who was the main presenter of the Safeway Excellence in England Awards 2002 said: "I am delighted to be involved with these Awards especially in a critical year for the rebuilding of English tourism. It's an honour to have HRH The Duke of York with us and a recognition of the importance of our tourism industry.
Sue & Michelle Jackson receiving
EXCELLENCE in ENGLAND
Award for Tourism 2002
LONDON 23rd April 2002
These awards reflect the very best of England's tourism industry. To win a Gold Award is a great accolade. As a judge, I can verify that the competition was strong and I congratulate all the finalists that have travelled from all over England to be here today."
Welcome Host
Our staff are all trained in customer service and have all attended Cumbria Tourist Board's 'Welcome Host' course.
Comments from our Guests...
"Your company seems very well organised, your website excellent and we got what we were promised."
"I would like to comment that I think your brochure is excellent, well laid out and presented......As a computer illiterate I also found your website easy to use and fast......(on the phone) your staff have been very friendly, approachable and knowledgeable about the properties."
"Looking forward to another good holiday with Heart of the Lakes. We would not book with anyone else. You are very good!" "I should like to thank both your staff who spoke to me; in particular the young lady who very kindly looked for suitable venues to accommodate my heart problem. Many thanks for your bright, cheerful co-operation."
"We have just returned from spending a week in Ambleside and once again it was fantastic, thank you so much for having such lovely properties available to stay in, also, nice ones that allow dogs. We will be using you again."
"We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and must compliment you on your excellent service. We will certainly be recommending your company to our friends."
"Congratulations on a brilliant, easy to use web site, by the way!"
What our guests say
Very comfortable house. Wonderful week of walking & mountain biking. We enjoyed the quietness of the house & the sun in the evening in the top bedroom & we appreciated the Wi-Fi.
Thanks for a lovely week. Did the magnificent loop up from Cat Bells (amazing scenery) & some other great walks. A day at the Climbing Wall was also very good.
We've had a fantastic week. The children enjoyed the space and the garden. We enjoyed the relaxed home from home.
Lovely apartment, stunning views.
The local pubs are very welcoming with excellent menus. The Rockery Suite had every facility we needed - our stay was idyllic. We can't wait to come back.
Very nice cottage - perfect location, perfect weather - hope to be back. Thank you.
Lovely holiday cottage. Best bird garden EVER.
Superb accommodation with every possible accessory.
We have lost count of the number of times we have stayed with you and hope there will be many more to come.
The cottage is lovely and warm, the beds comfortable and the shower good.
Our second holiday at Hillside Cottage & it's a great place to relax. The cottage is very comfy. Been out & about a lot too - spent one lovely day on the lake.
This place felt like home...best lake view of any place we have stayed at in the Lakes.
It is with heavy hearts we pack for our departure. From the moment we arrived we felt entirely 'at home'. This cottage is indeed a very special place within a delightful setting full of surprises. We have walked for miles in all directions lapping up the views.
Lovely warm house...great situation.
Thank-you very much. We had a wonderful stay and hope to return again. The location is outstanding: shops walks and parks :)
The accommodation feels like home from home, thank-you very much.
......hard to imagine it used to be a 17thC pub with cloaked gentlemen eating bread and drinking ale.
Couldn't think of a better place to celebrate my 50th birthday.
We enjoyed our stay at Gillybeck & definitely hope to return.
How can we thank you for such an absolutely heavenly couple of days? We just want to stay on and on. Cottage extremely comfortable and so prettily furnished.
Derwent is an excellent apartment and we have had a lovely stay
Hope to see you again soon..this has been a lovely holiday and we loved the cottage.