FOUR Hampshire hotels were named in the UK's top 100 at a recent awards voted for by industry professionals.

The luxurious Chewton Glen at New Milton was ranked number two in The Caterer’s Hoteliers’ Hotels Top 100 2017 and Lime Wood at Lyndhurst was in third.

Lainston House at Winchester was ranked 66th and The Pig in Brockenhurst 72nd.

In 2016 the Chewton Glenn occupied top spot but it's been overtaken this year by Raymond Blanc's Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, in Great Milton, Oxfordshire

However, the Chewton Glen retained its titles of ‘Spa Hotel of the Year’ and ‘Countryside Hotel of the Year’ – in the latter category its Forest rival Lime Wood was placed second.

Lime Wood is part of the Lime Wood Group and Homegrown Hotels, set up by Robin Hutson, which also owns The Pig group which had a strong showing in the top 100.

As well as Brockenhurst at 66, the group had three other venues in the list: The Pig on the Beach at Studland Bay was ranked ninth, The Pig at Combe, Gittisham, Devon, 40th and The Pig – near Bath 70th.

The Pig at Combe only opened a year ago and the Studland bay and Bat venues are only two years old.

Group founder Robin Hutson said: "I am absolutely delighted its pretty incredible to have so many in the list. Even Limewood has only been going eight years so to infiltrate this list where there are hotels that have been going for decades is quite an achievement."

Robin, whose business now employs almost 700, said that there are plans for two more Pigs, one in Sussex and another in Kent.