Five Country Hotels to Book Now
These hotels are the cosiest in the countryside
Gisborough Hall, Guisborough
This country house hideaway sits on the very edge of the North York Moors yet the pretty local cobbled market town can be reached along a quiet country lane.
Insider guide: This luxury home-from-home retreat boasts luxurious bedrooms, award-winning food, a rather indulgent liquor room and relaxing treatment rooms, and is the perfect base from which to explore this beautiful part of North Yorkshire. Choose from one of the 71 ensuite bedrooms, dine in the award-winning Chaloner’s restaurant or the De Brus Bar & Grill, and round off the evening with an after dinner drink from The Safe.
Whitby Lane, Guisborough, North Yorkshire TS14 6PT
01287 611500
gisborough-hall.com
Matfen Hall Hotel, Spa & Golf, Matfen
Set in more than 300 acres of parkland, this popular country house hotel has been reinvented as a stunning five-star destination.
Insider guide: Newly-refurbished, Matfen Hall offers five-star accommodation, excellent food, a luxurious spa and 27 holes of parkland golf. Each of the 65 elegant bedrooms has been carefully designed and decorated, and you can choose between more intimate bedrooms that encapsulate a warm home-from-home atmosphere and impressive stately-sized rooms that invite you to experience luxury like never before. A fusion of classic and contemporary can also be seen in the dining options across the estate, from fine dining in the Emerald Restaurant and relaxed dining in the Needham, to afternoon tea in The Orangery, or all-day dining and a tipple or two in the Cloisters.
Matfen NE20 0RH
01661 886500
matfenhall.com
Swinton Park, Masham
This luxurious country house hotel with stunning spa sits in the middle of deer-filled grounds, four-acre walled garden and woodland walks and lakes, all part of the Swinton Estate.
Insider guide: This former stately home retains a traditional approach to hospitality, and the interiors boast lots of personal touches: family oil paintings line the walls, flowers picked from the garden are crammed into vases and there’s always a fire burning in the drawing room where you can relax undisturbed with the day’s newspaper. The addition of the contemporary Country Club and Spa means alongside the thermal suite, indoor pool and natural outdoor pool and wellness area, there are treatments and classes to try. The Terrace restaurant serves a seasonal menu using produce from the the hotel’s walled garden, while in the hotel itself, enjoy a quiet drink in the Drawing Room before experiencing innovative fine dining in the hotel’s opulent Samuel’s restaurant.
Masham, Ripon HG4 4JH
01765 680900
swintonestate.com
Park Head Hotel, Bishop Auckland
This new hotel and restaurant is part of the hugely impressive Auckland Project which is transforming Bishop Auckland and its surrounding area.
Insider guide: There are 38 rooms here, including those in the main building and the dog-friendly Courtyard Rooms. The bright and cheerful Oak Room Restaurant serves timeless classics made using locally-sourced produce, much of which comes from the walled garden at nearby Auckland Castle. When staying here make sure to visit the Auckland Project’s many attractions including the castle and gardens, the Spanish Gallery, new Faith Museum and Mining Art Gallery (discounts are available for hotel guests), and the historic town of Bishop Auckland.
New Coundon, Bishop Auckland DL14 8QB
01388 661727
parkheadhotel.co.uk
The Anglers Arms
The Anglers Arms, now under new ownership, is enjoying something of a resurgence.
Insider guide: On the banks of the River Coquet, in the tranquil hamlet of Weldon Bridge this characterful, traditional inn already has an enviable reputation for great food, from cosy pub lunches through to a romantic fireside dinner. With their own private stretch of river and day tickets available, it’s a great base for keen anglers who can book into the inn’s family-friendly cottage, or one of the bedrooms which include a self-contained apartment on the upper floor with a large living room, double bedroom and luxury bathroom. Just a few miles from the bustling market town of Morpeth and within easy reach of the Cheviots for walking and the nearby beaches, it makes a great and convenient base for exploring the best of Northumberland.
Weldon Bridge, Longframlington NE65 8AX
01665 570271
anglersarms.com
