One of Bermuda?s smaller hotels has been voted seventh best world-wide, in a luxury top 100 list that includes the likes of the Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons and Le Royal Meridien hotels.

Holidaymakers and hotel guests have rated Pompano Beach Club in Southampton practically faultless, sending it to its high placing amongst a prestigious hotel list as chosen by travellers in 2005.

US-based travel information and advice website TripAdvisor attracts 18 million visitors each month and carries more than three million reviews and opinions from holidaymakers.

It is guests? views that make up the annual Travellers? Choice Awards ratings list and which have put the Pompano Beach Club seventh on the world-wide list and first for the Caribbean.

?We had no idea about this award but the great thing is it?s a reflection from our guests on how we are performing,? said general manager Larry Lamb.

?It?s like an online guide book or survey-type thing. We had a few negatives but 99 percent of the feedback was good. It is a reflection of our staff more than anything. It?s all about how they take care of guests.

?It is wonderful to win and it is great to be on a list and playing alongside the ?big boys? and get this pat on the back. But we are only as good as our last guest?s experience.?

The hotel is currently closed for the winter, but will be reopening on February 27 when many of the front line staff, who have done so much to win the accolade, will be informed of the success.

The hotel, which is on Pompano Beach Road, is currently having construction work carried out to create a new oceanfront restaurant, a new spa and game room complex and 16 extra oceanfront guestrooms.

And the Cedar Room restaurant has been re-modelled, along with the Coral Reef Caf?, pool bar and deck.

Mr. Lamb said there had been some delays in the construction work at the end of 2005 due to a shortage of cement, but things are now running smoothly although some work is likely to continue for a short while after the opening of the hotel at the end of the month.

TripAdvisor?s Josh Silverstein said the annual awards are unique as the winners are selected by ?millions of travellers from around the world who provide their real and unbiased reviews and opinions about hotels on our site and others every day.?

The top ranked luxury hotel on the list was the Ritz-Carlton in Hong Kong.

Reflecting on the Pompano?s high placing, Mr. Lamb added: ?It is a pat on the back for ourselves and for Bermuda.?

No other Bermuda hotel appeared in the TripAdvisor top 100 listing.