STAFF at a Burnley hotel are ‘inn’ the running to land a top hospitality prize.

The team at Holiday Inn Express, in Pendle Way, have been shortlisted for two categories at this year’s Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) star awards. Manager Kerian Barnes will travel to Greece next month to discover if her team has been successful.

The 102-bedroom hotel beat off competition from 600 other venues to be nominated for the IHG Academy Award and the Developing People Award.

Ms Barnes said: “The hotel has had a very successful year and this could not have been achieved without the team’s passion in embracing the training and development available, or without the links with the community projects, which enable them to practise their new skills.

“To be recognised as finalists by IHG in two award categories is amazing.”

The Developing People Award relates to the hotel’s ‘commitment to the development and career progression of the team’ and how the hotel invests in individuals in terms of training.

The winners will be decided at a gala dinner at the InterContinental Athenaeum Athens on November 4. Paul Callingham, managing director of the hotel’s operating company, Starboard Hotels, said: “It has been a fantastic year for the group and for all of our hotels.

“We recognise the importance every member of our team can have on creating a great guest experience and influence their decisions to return in the future.

“It’s not just about training but the leadership and commitment to our team’s development, which sets us apart from our competitors.

“We are delighted to achieve such a high acclaim and be recognised in Europe as finalists. To win would be the cherry on the cake.”

Meanwhile, the Holiday Inn Express has also reached the final of next month’s Lancashire Tourism Awards, hoping to retain the Large Hotel of the Year Award it won in 2013.