A stay at Middlethorpe Hall
It is impossible to walk around the grounds at Middlethorpe Hall and not take dozens of photos. While the front of the hotel is on a quiet country lane just next to York racecourse, the rear of the hotel looks out over a beautiful lawn containing a stunning 180-year old cedar tree, a ha-ha and a sunken fence according to the detailed hotel map (I’m not sure what the difference is) and further beyond, a separate park, lake and walled garden.
Every step seemed to yield another stunning view to be snapped and I could have spent hours just wandering around in the sunshine.
Middlethorpe Hall is a luxury hotel is set in 20 acres of parkland
My visit to Middlethorpe Hall on the outskirt of the historic city of York was my third visit in the Historic House Hotels group, a collection of three historic house hotels owned by the National Trust.
The others, Bodysgallen hotel near Llandudno in North Wales, and Hartwell House hotel, in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, had both been memorable stays and I was hoping that Middlethorpe Hall would be a similar experience of a classic English manor house hotel.
Book Middlethorpe Hall at Booking.com
Visit Middlethorpe Hall on Tripadvisor
The terrace at the rear of Middlethorpe Hall with its outdoor seating is a great place for morning coffee, afternoon tea or a pre-dinner cocktail
The ha-ha on the South Lawn thoughtfully has benches along its length so you can hide yourself away while enjoying the grounds
Thankfully I was not disappointed thanks to the beautiful setting, the interiors done in the style of traditional luxury, and above all the excellent welcome and hospitality shown by long-standing general manager Lionel Chatard (who moved to the UK from France for a few months and decades later, is still here and very much at home).
His love for Middlethorpe Hall is apparent and it was delightful having a tour round the historic house with him, from the downstairs lounges to the portrait-lined oak staircases, the upstairs drawing room and the various suites with four-poster beds and rolltop baths.
The upstairs lounge at Middlethorpe Hall can be used for private groups
The beautifully-carved oak staircase
The main lounge at Middlethorpe Hall
History of Middlethorpe Hall
Built at the end of the 17th century by country gentleman Thomas Barlow, Middlethorpe Hall spent the next several hundred years as a family home, a girl’s boarding school, converted into flats and even, in the 1970s, a nightclub called Brummels. In 1980 the by then run-down Middlethorpe was bought by Historic House Hotels and lovingly restored to its former glories.
If you like grand country house hotels then you’ll love these other hotels which I’ve also reviewed:
https://www.aladyofleisure.com/stay-at-cliveden-house-luxury-hotel
https://www.aladyofleisure.com/bovey-castle-luxury-hotel-review
https://aladyofleisure.com/luxury-wellbeing-chewton-glen-treehouses-spa-review
The building is now a luxury hotel with 29 rooms and suites in the main house and adjacent courtyard, as well as a spa building across the road with a swimming pool and treatment rooms.
The walled and kitchen gardens at Middlethorpe Hall are next to the sweeping South Lawn. There is also a croquet lawn and a helipad.
Middlethorpe Hall bedrooms
Our bedroom was in the courtyard, just a few paces from the main building, and our first-floor suite was like a cosy little country cottage, with a lounge full of traditional furniture and furnishings, plus a double bedroom, walk-in closet and the unexpected luxury of two bathrooms which made getting dressed for dinner far less of a scramble than usual.
Our Courtyard suite had a lounge, two bathrooms, a double bedroom and a walk-in closet
The towels in the bathrooms were some of the fluffiest I’ve ever encountered and were very smartly embroidered with group’s initials HHH.
The Courtyard rooms are just a few steps from the main building
Middlethorpe Hall restaurant
We left our cosy rooms to explore the grounds – and take dozens of pictures – and enjoyed wandering through the well-kept kitchen garden which had been laid out with walkways, seats and pleasant views before heading to the terrace for a pre-dinner cocktail. We so enjoyed soaking up the views that it was only when the waiters arrived bearing the menus for dinner that we realised the time and dashed back to make ourselves presentable.
Dinner was in one of three high-ceiling’d but fairly small oak-panelled dining rooms and will appeal to guests who prefer a more formal dining experience. The rooms themselves are fairly austere, with little colour to brighten up the brown of the walls and the furniture, but the staff were all attentive and friendly which made it feel more relaxing and less formal.
English pea velouté with cheese scones
The food at Middlethorpe Hall was very good and formally presented with each course arriving under steel domes. We began with an excellent English pea velouté with cheese scones and equally good salmon with dressed crab. My main of sea bream, prawn broccoli tasted as good as it looked and the aged fillet of Waterford farm beef was pronounced excellent.
The desserts were very pretty and super-sweet – strawberry tart with elderflower and white chocolate, and an apricot delice with Champagne and chamomile – and on the way out we had a lovely chat with our table neighbours who were long-time regulars (always good sign) and delighted to be back at Middlethorpe.
My starter of salmon with dressed crab, red curry and carrot
My main course of sea bream with prawn dumpling, wakame and broccoli was delicious
The gardens at Middlethorpe Hall
Next morning I was up and out early before breakfast to explore the grounds even further, finding the lake at the end of the estate, home to a family of ducks. The gardener had thoughtfully cut a path through the long grass so you can wander at will and I managed to get happily lost in the woodland trying to get back to the hotel. Unfortunately the grounds back straight onto the busy A64 which means there is a constant sound of traffic, but closer to the hotel the noise is more of a distant hum.
For nature lovers there is an informative leaflet from the National Trust detailing the gardens and trees of interest at Middlethorpe Hall with the main deodar cedar tree, planted 180 years ago, the fruit trees in the walled garden and birches, oaks and a variety of others all listed.
I had a lovely stroll around the grounds the next morning before breakfast
Back at the hotel the full English breakfast with Swaledale sausage was full of flavour and after breakfast we had a lovely tour round the rest of the hotel with the charming Lionel. He showed us everything from the Lady Mary Suite to the upstairs parlour, including possibly the smallest lift I’ve ever seen (it only fits one person) and enjoyed a good gossip about the various celebrities who have stayed at Middlethorpe Hall over the years, including many famous jockeys and trainers when Ascot was moved to York Racecourse – the Queen’s carriage passed the hotel on the way to the course each day.
Middlethorpe Hall spa
For such a small building on the outside, it’s like a Tardis on the inside, with a good-sized swimming pool and various treatments rooms on two floors.
The indoor swimming pool at Middlethorpe Hall spa
Middlethorpe Hall is doing a great job under his Lionel’s expert eye to maintain the relaxed atmosphere of a country house hotel and it was pleasure to finally complete my hat-trick of Historic House Hotels.
Hotel information and to book Middlethorpe Hall
Middlethorpe Hall hotel and spa, Bishopthorpe Rd, York YO23 2GB
Main building rooms start at £159 per night for a single, deluxe double/twin £299, four poster bedroom £429, The Lady Mary Suite £439 and The Duke of York Suite £539
Courtyard rooms start at £149 per night for a single, standard double/twin £219, superior double/twin £259 and Junior Suite £319
Book Middlethorpe Hall at Booking.com
Visit Middlethorpe Hall on Tripadvisor
Middlethorpe Hall is a member of PoB Hotels, a group of 50 of the some of the best luxury hotels in the UK, and Historic House Hotels, three hotels owned by the National Trust. To read my reviews of other HHH hotels, go to: Bodysgallen Hall hotel, North Wales: an impressive historic hotel with stunning views; Hartwell House, Buckinghamshire: a country house stay with the Downton Abbey touch
If you liked my review of Middlethorpe Hall York then why not Pin It?
