Seven venues in North Yorkshire, including one in York, have been named among the 100 Best Places to Stay in the UK.
The list has been compiled by The Times, and all those on it feature “excellence in design, facilities and value for money”.
In North Yorkshire, the places include some names that are more familiar than others – here’s where the judges picked.
The Angel at Hetton
The Angel is a 15th-century inn, north of Skipton. Not only did it make the list, it was named north and northeast England hotel of the year
What the judges say: “Overall, it’s hard to imagine a more winning combination of that holy trinity of hospitality: spectacular setting, sumptuous accommodation and special-occasion dining than this place.”
Saltmoore, Sandsend
This hotel near Whitby has 43 bedrooms and a further 29 in the beach house in the grounds. It is The Times‘ best beach hotel.
What the judges say: “When Montana Brown applied to be a contestant on Love Island in 2017, she couldn’t have known it would eventually lead to her becoming a hotelier in Whitby. But with her fiancé, Mark O’Connor, she’s transformed a run-of-the-mill seaside hotel outside the town into a super-sexy bolt hole with a spectacular, relatively empty beach a ten-minute walk away.”
Simonstone Hall, Wensleydale
The manor house offers spectacular views of the Yorkshire Dales.
What the judges say: “It’s almost a decade since, aged just 26, a local lad Jake Dinsdale bought this handsome manor house hotel on the shoulder of Wensleydale and set about snazzing it up. The result is a surprising blend of squire’s seat and groovy bolt hole: stag heads and saddlery adorn the walls, pulsing tunes greet you at breakfast, the showpiece lawned terrace has both peacocks and a hot tub.”
The Hare, Scawton
The Hare is a 12th century inn housing a 21st century restaurant, not far from Helmsley.
What the judges say: “In Scawton, a sleepy village in the North York Moors, the husband-and-wife team Paul and Liz Jackson have transformed this pretty pub into one of the national park’s top spots for fine dining.”
The Lime Tree Inn, Great Ouseburn
The Lime Tree Inn is a family-run country pub between York and Boroughbridge, featuring good food in relaxed and friendly surroundings.
What the judges say: “The chef and landlord Rob Mitchell, whose kitchen CV includes Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury yachts, serves up a nightly tasting menu alongside à la carte and Sunday lunch menus, and seven modern, thoughtfully designed bedrooms upstairs mean nobody needs to drive home.”
The Milner York
Opened last autumn, The Milner next to York Station leaps immediately onto the Best Places to Stay list.
What the judges say: “The finest features date to 1878. You’d struggle to find a staircase grander than the mirror-lined iron structure that bisects the hotel. And the high-ceilinged Garden Room, where an indulgent, chocolate-themed afternoon tea is served, offers epic views of York Minster.”
Middleton Lodge
The sprawling estate just north of Scotch Corner has plenty of accommodation – and its restaurant The Forge won a Michelin star last month.
What the judges say: “There’s a small but decadent forest spa with a heated outdoor pool, walks within its ancient 200 woodland acres and excellent dining, either in the brasserie-style coach house or at its Michelin green-star restaurant where lots of the ingredients are plucked from the estate’s two-acre kitchen garden.”