externally the Holiday Inn Bolton Centre, in Higher Bridge Street, looks like any ordinary modern-style hotel.

But when guests visit the Cloisters Suite inside they are stunned.

The room has kept all the glory of the former St Mary's Church which once stood on the site.

General manager Dieter Koch said the room is used for functions such as weddings and other celebrations.

"It's the perfect setting for weddings. It's a little gem, at the back of this modern hotel, which guests just don't expect to see," he said.

"It is a fantastic room and has lots of atmosphere."

Born in Karlsruhe in Western Germany near Baden-Baden, Dieter met his Bolton-born wife Nicola when they worked in France. They moved to England 10 years ago.

"We worked in Birmingham for a while and then in St Helens before coming to Bolton," he said.

Although the couple could have been sent anywhere they ended up in Bolton on the spot where Dieter's father-in-law, Tom Ashton, used to run his businesses before the site was turned into an hotel.

The hotel has been rebranded from the Queens Moat group to the Holiday Inn and last year received a four-star rating from the AA.

"Not many hotels have this kind of rating," Dieter said.

To enter the award, he had to show that the hotel had developed strong community links - it is patron of the Bolton Lads and Girls Club.

Business links and contacts have been strengthened by becoming a member of the M61 Meetings Group, which has also entered a tourism award. "We are also members of the Tourism Forum where we encourage people to visit the area," Dieter said.

"Most of the business is related to tourism but we point out all the amenities - we are near Manchester and there is lovely countryside around Bolton.

"The hotel has gone from strength to strength in the last year - we are doing very well when looking at the rest of the Holiday Inn hotels."

Conferences, weddings and other celebrations are the backbone of most hotel business and now the Holiday Inn is looking to expand into the Asian wedding market. "We have the space and the kitchen facilities to host Asian weddings and we hope we can do more in the coming year."

The hotel has had £1million spent on it over the past year and all 132 newly refurbished bedrooms and seven suites now have air-conditioning.

The hotel is situated at the end of the A666 with easy access from the M61 and M62.

It is a few minutes away from Bolton's lively nightlife, and within easy reach of Manchester city centre.

Also close by is Camelot Theme Park, The Reebok Stadium, the Trafford Centre, Old Trafford and the City of Manchester Stadium.

The hotel has 13 conference and banqueting rooms and four syndicate rooms, which are purpose built and can cater for up to 340 people at any one time.

Full audio and business services are provided and all conference rooms are fully air conditioned, sound proofed and professionally run for comfort and efficiency.

The Hardie's restaurant offers an à la carte menu and the hotel facilities also include Club Moativation with a pool, jacuzzi, sauna and gym.

l Hotel reservations: 0870 4009093, front desk: 0870 4420901.