The best voice for the lift announcements will win a prize

The Carmelite has opened in the harbour area and management are keen to get away from the current recorded English voice announcing floors.

They have now launched a competition to find the most appealing Doric accent.

Managing director Richard Muir told the BBC Scotland news website: "We will sit down and find the voice we like the best."

The hotel, which officially opens on Wednesday, has set up a dedicated phone line for contestants to leave messages so they can be judged.

People just have to leave a message telling us why they believe their voice should be captured for eternity in our lift Richard Muir Carmelite managing director

Mr Muir said: "We bought the lift from a large national company and it came with a very traditional English-sounding pre recorded lift voice.

"It really did seem a wee bit out of place and that's where the idea came from. It's just to inject a bit of fun into it.

"The competition is giving the winning voice, male or female, and their partner a night in the hotel, with dinner and champagne.

'Softer twang'

"A Doric accent would be better than a generic Scottish accent."

He added: "Some of the very broad Aberdonian can be really quite hard to get your ear round.

The hotel is spending two weeks trying to find the right voice

"I am looking for a softer Aberdonian twang, I think that would be the best way to describe it.

"People just have to leave a message telling us why they believe their voice should be captured for eternity in our lift."

Management will spend the next fortnight gathering entries before deciding on a winner.

The hotel, in Stirling Street, has opened its doors after a �2.5m refurbishment.

The phone line for lift voice entrants is 01224 564065.