ENTREPRENEURS Emma and Simon Oliver are celebrating after their holiday home in Kilve scooped gold in a national travel awards scheme.

Taking the top spot in the Sykes Gem Awards‘Best for Pet-Friendly Breaks’ category, the Somerset cottage – now known as Coleridge – was built from scratch by the husband and wife duo in 2010, after leaving their careers in counter terrorism and the military behind.

The pair moved to the Quantock Hills after falling in love with the area seven years ago, and took on the challenge of building a first-class pet-friendly retreat. Equipped with personal touches like a welcome tray from Emma and Simon’s dogs to their guests’ pets and luxury features such as a private hot tub and open fire, the Coleridge owners pride themselves in going the extra mile.

The property has become a popular bolthole for pet lovers who want to explore the Somerset coast with their four-legged family members and the cottage’s secure enclosed garden means owners can rest easy knowing pets are safe.

The Sykes Gem Awards celebrate excellence in holiday cottage accommodation and saw thousands of entries from across the UK, including 355 in the ‘Best for Pet-Friendly Breaks’ category alone.

Judged by a panel of leading travel industry experts, Coleridge was assessed on its style, suitability and facilities, as well as its occupancy rate and customer feedback on cleanliness, comfort, location and value for money.

Coleridge owner, Emma Oliver, said: “To say we are thrilled with our award win is an understatement. We work incredibly hard to ensure our guests and their dogs have the best possible stay with us, so to get recognition is brilliant. It also came at a very low point for us as we recently lost one of our dogs, Tickle, so it’s been a real boost.

“As a pet owner, we know first-hand how hard it is to find holiday accommodation that is truly luxurious and that will also take pets, so right from the start our intention was to build a cottage that both two and four-legged guests could enjoy. Last year, Coleridge did not have a single day empty which shows we’ve got a winning formula on our hands.”

Graham Donoghue, CEO of Sykes Cottages, added: “The Sykes Gem Awards have given us the chance to celebrate unique properties like Coleridge and their owners. The awards uncover the best of the best in our portfolio of properties."