Can anyone recommend a good hotel near York?

[Chris71]

It was 10 years ago next month that Mrs Chris71 and I first met. To celebrate, we are depositing the little bundle of fury that eventually sprang forth from that union with his grandparents and heading off for our first weekend alone in over a year.

We're on a pretty tight budget by the standards of a major anniversary - say £150 ish per night for the room - and we're trying to find somewhere comfy and cosy within about half an hour of York. Peace and character are the main requirements, but otherwise open to suggestion. It could be a B&B, pub, hotel, even a spa. Only other thing is it must have a decent restaurant on-site or within walking distance.

So, PH, any ideas?

[whoami]

The Talbot Hotel in Malton is very good.

Nice restaurant on-site too.

[Chris71]

whoami said:

The Talbot Hotel in Malton is very good.

Nice restaurant on-site too.

Looks like a good call. Like that area up near Castle Howard too - shame we're going to be in the family bus if we visit.

[The Leaper]

Have a look at Middlethorpe Hall, just south of York. I used it many times. Excellent place.

http://www.middlethorpe.com/

R.

[GCH]

Hotel du Vin - nice place, walking distance to the centre and has a nice restaurant.

[Norfolkit]

The Sidings Hotel, just north of York, the bedrooms are converted railway carriages and it has a great restaurant.

www.thesidingshotel.co.uk

[soxboy]

Another vote for Hotel du Vin, we had our 'babymoon' there and it was great. Have a look on their website for offers. It's just enough outside York City centre to not get congested and has its own car park.

Another suggestion is Aldwark Manor, about 5-6 miles west of York. Again, pretty good offers online. I think it has a spa, comes with decent restaurant.

[Chris71]

This is proving trickier than I expected.

I stay in the Hotel du Vin in Birmingham occasionally for work and I really like it, but the OH wants to get a bit further out of York. And while I thought The Talbot Arms was a great call she didn't seem that taken with it...

It doesn't have to be anywhere particularly grand. A bit of character and decent food (on-site or close by) are the only real prerequisites. Maybe a gastropub somewhere? I like the area off towards the Moors, but anywhere within half an hour or so of York is good.

ETA some of these places look good: http://www.britainsfinest.co.uk/restaurants/search...

Edited by Chris71 on Monday 8th February 15:20

[whoami]

What about Harrogate?

Both Rudding Park (just outside Harrogate) and Studley Hotel, which has the fabulous Orchid Restaurant on-site, are very good.

[dabooga79]

I would recommend the Black Swan at Oldstead. http://blackswanoldstead.co.uk/

It's a fantastic place to spend an evening with great food. My recommendation would be to go all out & try the tasting menu with wines, expensive but for something such as an anniversary well worth it. I won't spoil it but there is some great food theatrics involved

[Zod]

dabooga79 said:

I would recommend the Black Swan at Oldstead. http://blackswanoldstead.co.uk/

It's a fantastic place to spend an evening with great food. My recommendation would be to go all out & try the tasting menu with wines, expensive but for something such as an anniversary well worth it. I won't spoil it but there is some great food theatrics involved

The Black Swan is great, but a bit over the OP's stated budget. If budget is less important, I'd also add the Star Inn and, a bit cheaper, the Pheasant, both at Harome. The White Swan at Pickering is not bad at a cheaper level.

[soxboy]

For half an hour out of York I would look at Rudding Park, and also Feversham Arms in Helmsley.

For something smaller there's the Star at Harome, I would also recommend the General Tarleton at Ferrensby which has rooms.

[Zod]

soxboy said:

For half an hour out of York I would look at Rudding Park, and also Feversham Arms in Helmsley.

For something smaller there's the Star at Harome, I would also recommend the General Tarleton at Ferrensby which has rooms.

Stayed at the Feversham once and wasn't impressed.

[whoami]

Zod said:

soxboy said:

For half an hour out of York I would look at Rudding Park, and also Feversham Arms in Helmsley.

For something smaller there's the Star at Harome, I would also recommend the General Tarleton at Ferrensby which has rooms.

Stayed at the Feversham once and wasn't impressed.

Neither was I.

However, it seems that budget has now been disregarded!

[Europa1]

soxboy said:

For half an hour out of York I would look at Rudding Park, and also Feversham Arms in Helmsley.

For something smaller there's the Star at Harome, I would also recommend the General Tarleton at Ferrensby which has rooms.

+1 for the Feversham Arms.

[dabooga79]

Zod said:

The Black Swan is great, but a bit over the OP's stated budget. If budget is less important, I'd also add the Star Inn and, a bit cheaper, the Pheasant, both at Harome. The White Swan at Pickering is not bad at a cheaper level.

The OP only stated the budget for a room, he didn't state what the budget was for the meal just that it had to have a decent restaurant on-site! If you consider you can get a room, breakfast and thirteen course taster menu with wine for under £400 I don't think that's bad, especially for a special occasion.

[Chris71]

dabooga79 said:

Zod said:

The Black Swan is great, but a bit over the OP's stated budget. If budget is less important, I'd also add the Star Inn and, a bit cheaper, the Pheasant, both at Harome. The White Swan at Pickering is not bad at a cheaper level.

The OP only stated the budget for a room, he didn't state what the budget was for the meal just that it had to have a decent restaurant on-site! If you consider you can get a room, breakfast and thirteen course taster menu with wine for under £400 I don't think that's bad, especially for a special occasion.

Funnily enough, The Black Swan caught my eye.

Budget is a bit of an issue, but not insurmountable. It strikes me as relatively good value for what it is. I just wonder if it might be a bit too avant garde, though. Mrs Chris71, being Yorkshire born and bred, muttered something to the effect of 'nowt with "foam" or "jus" on' when I asked about her preference for food.

The General Tarleton in Ferrensby looks quite tempting, but the Trip Advisor reviews are a little mixed. http://www.generaltarleton.co.uk/index.html

[soxboy]

Chris71 said:

Funnily enough, The Black Swan caught my eye.

Budget is a bit of an issue, but not insurmountable. It strikes me as relatively good value for what it is. I just wonder if it might be a bit too avant garde, though. Mrs Chris71, being Yorkshire born and bred, muttered something to the effect of 'nowt with "foam" or "jus" on' when I asked about her preference for food.

The General Tarleton in Ferrensby looks quite tempting, but the Trip Advisor reviews are a little mixed. http://www.generaltarleton.co.uk/index.html

I haven't been to the General Tarleton for a while but must admit not heard any bad reports about it.

[Converse2020]

How about Crab & Lobster at Asenby or some of the provenance inns group - (eg. Carpenters Arms at Felixkirk for example, or West Park Hotel in Harrogate).

Can also recommend the Black Swan at Oldstead - (both rooms and tasting menu) and HdV in York (better than HdV in Harrogate which needs a refurb now).

[Chris71]

soxboy said:

Chris71 said:

Funnily enough, The Black Swan caught my eye.

Budget is a bit of an issue, but not insurmountable. It strikes me as relatively good value for what it is. I just wonder if it might be a bit too avant garde, though. Mrs Chris71, being Yorkshire born and bred, muttered something to the effect of 'nowt with "foam" or "jus" on' when I asked about her preference for food.

The General Tarleton in Ferrensby looks quite tempting, but the Trip Advisor reviews are a little mixed. http://www.generaltarleton.co.uk/index.html

I haven't been to the General Tarleton for a while but must admit not heard any bad reports about it.

Mostly seemed to be people moaning about one of the waiters. I take internet rants with a pinch of salt, though. One of the people on there talked about it 'passing my usual dust test', at which point you know they're taking a bit too much pleasure in critiquing the hotel.

That's the closest and one of the most affordable of the ones we like, so seems like a good candidate. The Pheasant appeals too.