THE OWNERS of a small Yorkshire Dales B&B have spoken of their shock after ratings by guests led to them being voted the best in the world.

Despite having just three rooms, the family-run Millgate B&B in Masham, North Yorkshire, has generated hundreds of glowing reviews and ratings on TripAdvisor and this morning (Wednesday, January 21) was announced the number one B&B in the world in the 2015 Travellers' Choice awards.

The £38 a night bed and breakfast is based in Masham's former jail and poor house and is run by Sue Burrell and her husband, Andrew.

Mrs Burrell said the news was a complete shock to them.

“Last year we were ranked number nine in the world, but when TripAdvisor rang, he told us “this year you have a special award”. I though he meant for top scone or something,” she said.

“But then he said we were number one in the world. I had a little cry; it was just like a shock reaction. We just weren’t expecting it.”

She said she found it even more of a shock when she considered their formidable competition.

“Our guests must have been doing nothing but writing reviews; we have just two en-suites and one bedroom with a separate bathroom,” she said.

“When you look at the competition – some have infinity pools; we have lumpy walls and old stairs.”

She said the news was announced by TripAdvisor at 5am this morning and by 5.09am the phone rang with a booking, followed by another at 5.20am. By mid-afternoon she had answered the phone to more than 100 bookings and opened three bottles of champagne for a string of media photo calls.

“We could probably retire now, if we had time,” she joked.

The awards were based on millions of reviews left over the past year by holidaymakers on the travel website TripAdvisor. The Yorkshire Dales B&B has received more than 350 excellent reviews on the site, with one reviewer describing it as the "best B&B we have ever been to".

North Yorkshire also boasted another seven winners in TripAdvisor’s accommodation awards, putting the county among the top three best performing counties alongside London and Lancashire.

The couple decided to set up a B&B in Masham after buying a house in the town to share with their son and daughter, who then moved elsewhere.

The couple admit to redecorating their rooms constantly to stop return guests “getting bored”.

Mrs Burrell, who has worked for Learn Direct in Bedale and Harrogate and at the Wensleydale Centre in Askrigg, said she has always enjoyed working with the public and looking after people. She even draws on her experience working as a mental health nurse at Northallerton Prison, using her skills to read people’s body language and gauge how they are feeling.

“You’re able to get up close to people when they’re in your home and try and make them happy.”

Other accommodation in North Yorkshire to receive a rating include:

* Swinton Park, also near Masham, was named 19th in the UK's top hotels.

* Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate was named third best hotel in the UK and in Europe’s top 25.

* The Glen-Lyn Bed & Breakfast in Robin Hood's Bay was named 21st in Europe and 11th in the UK.

* Moor View Bed and Breakfast in Clapham named 16th in the UK.

* Fairhaven Country Guest House in Goathland on the North York Moors is 9th amongst the UK's bargain hotels, also claiming 23rd position in the UK Small hotels list.

* Easthill Farm House, in Thornton-Le-Dale, near Pickering is the UK’s 22nd best Bargain hotel.

* Yorebridge House in Bainbridge comes 18th in the UK for romance and 21st for luxury.