The Dabbling Duck in Great Massingham and No Twenty9 in Burnham Market are included in The Sunday Times list of 80 top hotels in Britain

Two hotels in West Norfolk have spoken of their pride in being included in The Sunday Times list of the best 80 places to stay in Britain.

The Dabbling Duck at Great Massingham and No Twenty9 at Burnham Market both earned a place on the prestigious list for the character and quality of their establishments.

Owner of No Twenty9, Tim Roberts, described it as a massive accolade. He said: "We are a little bit quirky and different for Norfolk. We have only been here for two-and-a-half years, so to be included in the top 80 list is a huge achievement and reflects the hard work of all the team here."

The Sunday Times review said of the hotel: "No Twenty9 doesn’t hold back on the glamour. Cross the threshold of this grade II listed Georgian townhouse and you land straight in the lounge bar with its vast chrome counter and an eye-catching vintage plane propeller snuggled between the bottles of spirits.

"Slouchy couches, battered leather armchairs and travel trunks for coffee tables feature, alongside a huge wood-burning stove and black-and-white photographs of Hollywood stars from the 1950s. It’s the kind of place with a stay-as-long-as-you-like ambience that’s encouraged by a drinks list that includes 101 rums."

Tim said it was particularly pleasing to achieve the recognition considering that the accommodation side of the business has only been up and running since June 2019. The rooms' themes pay tribute to icons such as Bob Marley, Marlon Brando and Paul Newman.

During lockdown, No Twenty9 helped with food deliveries locally and also opened up its room free for NHS staff who were unable to get home.

Sally Dobby, director at The Dabbling Duck, said they were over the moon to feature on the list. She told the Lynn News: "We are so pleased with this recognition. It's lovely for the team that has worked so hard over the summer, which was much more difficult than anticipated."

The Sunday Times said of The Dabbling Duck: "Named after the army of chordata waddling between Great Massingham’s ten ponds, The Dabbling Duck lies opposite St Mary’s Church at the southern edge of the green in one of Norfolk’s prettiest villages.

"There are five en-suite rooms in the pub, up steep stairs: all named after famous aircrew stationed at RAF Massingham during the war – and all but one overlooking the green. The 1940s vibe continues within, with iron bedsteads, vintage furniture, creaky floorboards and distracting piles of old books."

The pub is holding a pumpkin carving competition on Saturday, October 31. Said Sally: "It's something we want to do for the village and to support the community." Top prize is a Sunday lunch for six. More details are available on its Facebook page.