Since opening in 2019, Grantley Hall has quietly made a name for itself as the most luxurious British hotel outside London.
The Yorkshire Dales, the chic spa town of Harrogate and the cathedral city of Ripon are all on the doorstep, making the hotel a perfect base for a lavish weekend in the country.
Originally built as a private home in the late 17th century before becoming a residential college, it was bought in 2015 by local woman Valeria Sykes who used her divorce settlement to restore the Grade II-listed building. Following a four-year renovation costing an estimated £70 million, the hotel is now run by the Sykes family and employs almost entirely local staff to bring plenty of Yorkshire charm to this five-star property.
Though there are just 47 rooms, there’s plenty to do if you want to check in and unwind, including 38 acres of immaculate wooded parkland to wander, an English Heritage-listed Japanese garden, a wine tasting room, bikes to borrow, and an astonishing five restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall.
The Vibe
Grantley Hall is magnificently maximalist, but without the attitude to match. After approaching via a long driveway running alongside the River Skell, guests are encouraged to feel at home. Your car will be parked for you, as bags are whisked away and you’re ushered to a sofa for a glass of homemade pineapple lemonade. With more staff than guests, there’s someone on hand to help with almost anything – and all are consistently friendly and happy to chat.
Corridors are lined with oil paintings and lead to countless spaces for relaxing over a cocktail. There’s a drawing room straight from Versailles decorated in soothing baby blues and greys with chandeliers and a grand piano, a lounge stuffed with jewel-coloured velvet sofas and extravagant flower displays, and a cosy bar with oak-panelling, antique books and a fireplace. It’s unfailingly grand, but if you choose a corner to curl up in with a book, no one will mind a bit.
The Rooms
The 47 rooms are spread between the original Georgian building and a modern sandstone extension. All are in calming shades of grey, cream and taupe, with televisions hidden behind paintings and spacious marble bathrooms stocked with Bulgari products. Rooms in the original building come with period fireplaces and window seats, while those in the newer wing are housed around a spectacular rooftop atrium with indoor garden. There are treats aplenty in all, including complimentary minibars filled with soft drinks, homemade biscuits (don’t miss the salted caramel shortbread), a free app to read newspapers and magazines and a decanter of sloe gin for an after-dinner tipple.
The Food + Drink
There’s no need to eat in the same place twice at Grantley Hall. The Michelin-starred Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall is the jewel in the hotel’s culinary crown and serves tasting menus based around seafood from the Yorkshire coast, vegetables from the restaurant’s own garden and meat from nearby farms. However, it’s worth remembering that the restaurant is only open between Wednesday and Sunday if you’re keen to dine here.
The dimly lit EightyEight is a glitzier affair with private booths, a mirrored bar and an inventive Asian fusion menu, while wood-panelled Norton Bar and Courtyard serves homely British dishes including fish and chips and Sunday roasts. Decadent afternoon tea is served in the Main Hall, while there are comforting classics and acoustic music sessions on offer in fairy-lit alfresco venue The Orchard in collaboration with Veuve Clicquot.
Oak-panelled Fletchers is the spot for all-day dining, including a hearty à la carte breakfast of dishes such as scotch butter pancakes with streaky bacon or porridge with wildflower honey and pistachios. Later, choose from a seasonal, locally sourced menu including Whitby crab, native lobster and Yorkshire pork. Dessert is a must-have to sample elderflower and ginger beer sorbet, Grand Cru chocolate and crème fraiche cake with brown butter sponge, and blueberry and clotted cream ice cream.
The Little Extras
Everything has been thought of. There are complimentary daily yoga sessions, rain coats to borrow in the wardrobe, a lovely gift shop in the grounds for picking up souvenirs, and buttons by every sunlounger to order a poolside glass of champagne. At check out, you’ll even be sent on your way with a gift bag of water and artisan chocolates for the journey.
It’s easy to spend days on end in the award-winning spa too. Styled like a Roman bathhouse with a vaulted ceiling and columns, there’s a huge 18-metre heated pool, an indoor-outdoor hydrotherapy pool, a Nordic spa garden with outdoor sauna and two ice baths, a snow room and a spa lounge serving cream teas as well as the usual salad bowls and smoothies. Plus, don’t miss the seriously hi-tech gym, with its 3D body scanner, cryotherapy chamber and underwater treadmill.
The To-Do List
Potter around the grounds to discover Grantley Hall’s own rose garden, waterfalls, bridges, outdoor sculptures and summer house complete with candles, a fire and faux-fur rugs. UNESCO-listed Fountains Abbey is nearby, with its stately ruined monastery, deer herds and water gardens, while the dramatic formations of Brimham Rocks created 100 million years ago are just ten minutes’ drive away. There’s also hiking, mountain biking and clay pigeon shooting on offer in the wildly beautiful Yorkshire Dales. For less active afternoons, opt for one of several pretty market towns. Ripon has a busy market square, riverside walks and a medieval cathedral, while pretty Knaresborough offers a ruined Norman castle, a jumble of cobbled streets, traditional pubs and a stunning railway viaduct. Serious shoppers might prefer Harrogate for stylish independent boutiques and a well-earned pit-stop at Bettys tea room for a famous Yorkshire Fat Rascal, a large fruit scone topped with almonds.
Image credits: Grantley Hall
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