We easily meet the 4-star rating with parts of the cottage getting 5-star scores. We were very happy with that (to reach 5-stars you need some facilities we just cannot provide such as a bath tub). However within the 4-star category the highest scoring properties can achieve a Gold Award, and for the first two years we dropped short by just one or two points. We do though keep improving aspects of the cottage and last year we were delighted to pass the Gold mark. We didn't take that for granted, the bar is high and can get higher. So we kept improving things and that has helped secure a second gold. Hopefully this simply reflects the care we take and the ethos we work by and that makes the stay for our guests that much more enjoyable and predictable.
You can find out more about the English Quality mark here: Quality in Tourism