A stay at Feversham Arms
Feversham Arms hotel and Verbena spa in Helmsley has to be one of the nicest spa hotels in Yorkshire, with a central outdoor swimming pool, perfect for a spa break with or without the family.
As well as the heated pool, Feversham Arms has a Verbena Spa offering treatments and spa days in its spa areas which is equipped with a sauna, aromatherapy room, steam room, monsoon shower and foot spas. There’s also a hot tub jacuzzi next to the outdoor pool, so it feels like a real holiday destination, even if it is in North Yorkshire rather than, say Spain.
Arriving at Feversham Arms
Feversham Arms is located in the heart of the pretty North Yorkshire village of Helmsley, and with free on-site parking (you can also park on the street if the car park is full), there isn’t far to bring your luggage.
Feversham Arms is in the centre of the historic market town of Helmsley, North Yorkshire
The friendly welcome at reception was enough to make us feel at home even before we had made it to our room and it felt like a great place to spend a couple of nights, whatever the weather might throw at us.
The reception lobby at Feversham Arms
In the end in true British summertime tradition, we had both torrential rain and balmy sunshine and Feversham Arms was a great place to enjoy either. When the sun shone we could sunbathe by the outdoor pool and when it rained we read books and played games in either the bar downstairs or our impressive spa suite bedroom with its separate lounge and balcony.
The outdoor pool is a central feature at Feversham Arms hotel and spa
Bedrooms at Feversham Arms
There are 33 bedrooms at Feversham Arms, 21 of which are suites, including spa suites (like ours) and poolside suites where you literally stepped out of your room to the pool area. I preferred our spa suite (number 33) which had a substantial balcony overlooking the pool area which was ideal for morning coffee or sunset cocktails without having to move far from our room.
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Our spa suite bedroom at Feversham Arms had a separate bedroom and lounge divided by sliding doors
Our room was equipped with everything you could want from a hotel stay. It had two TVs, a desk, sofa, large bathroom with a walk-in shower and deep but fast-filling bath, coffee and tea-making equipment (but no fridge) and sliding doors to separate the bedroom and lounge if you wanted to. There was fast free wifi throughout the hotel and the bedroom furnishings were a delightful, restful shade – perfect for relaxing.
The spacious ensuite bathroom in our spa suite at Feversham Arms
The lounge in our spa suite at Feversham Arms
Unlike some hotel rooms where you just put your head down at night and never spend any time in it during the day, this one with its French windows onto the balcony felt like you could stay there all day and feel like you were really on holiday. Looking out over Feversham Arm’s swimming pool was a lovely relaxing day to spend an hour or two and there wasn’t far to go if you fancied a swim yourself.
The view of our balcony (top right) from the swimming pool
The view of the pool from our balcony
Feversham Arms spa
The spa at Feversham Arms is in two parts: there’s the outdoor pool and hot tub in the middle of the hotel, and there’s also the separate Verbena spa which is inside the hotel building and offers a range of health and beauty treatments.
The pool is open to all and there are lots of places around the pool area where you can sunbathe or enjoy a cocktail or two. The poolside suites literally open onto the poolside so you don’t have to walk far, but I preferred being slightly distanced from the action in our first-floor spa suites.
Around the swimming pool at Feversham Arms
The hot tub at Feversham Arms is next to the swimming pool
Exploring Helmsley
Having expected Feversham Arms to also be in isolation in the Yorkshire countryside (as many fellow PoB Hotels are) I was pleasantly surprised to find it in the middle of Helsmsley, where a 30 second walk through the churchyard opposite led to to its central market square, a popular meeting point for bikers and day-trippers at weekends.
As well as a wide variety of local shops, mainly delis and cafes, there are also the ruins of Helmsley Castle, which dates from Norman times. Those who prefer longer walks would enjoy the five miles or so to the 11th-century Rievaulx Abbey, the path to which goes from almost outside Feversham Arms, although you can of course also drive there if you’re short on time or energy.
An information guide to the historic town of Helmsley
If you like hotels with swimming pools then you’ll love these other reviews
https://www.aladyofleisure.com/spa-break-at-ragdale-hall
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https://www.aladyofleisure.com/mullion-cove-hotel-cornwall
Lunch at Feversham Arms
We arrived the hotel earlier than expected, which meant we could try out Sunday roast at Feversham Arms which had been highly recommended to me in advance of our Yorkshire break. It turned out to be one of the best roasts I’ve ever had, and was pronounced ‘ten out of ten’ by my dining companion.
The team under executive chef Adam Jackson had prepared the roast beef to perfection and all the trimmings including roast potatoes, green beans, cauliflower cheese and – of course – Yorkshire puddings – were top notch too.
Our roast beef was done to perfection and came with delicious gravy, cauliflower cheese, green beans, roast potatoes and of course, a traditional Yorkshire pudding
The smart and modern restaurant at Feversham Arms
Our waiter and sommelier was the snappily-dressed Alex, who combined Yorkshire charm with speedy efficiency and even produced an excellent off-menu Primitivo red wine which was instantly put on my ‘to buy when I get home’ list and all in all it was a great start to our stay.
The whole thing was very good value at £20 for the main course, or £25 for two courses and £35 for all three, if we’d had room (we didn’t).
Feversham Arms dinner
Dinner that evening was again excellent quality, from the tomato and burrata starter to the elegant lamb rump main course, although we weren’t quite sure that the chocolate, cherry and pistachio dessert warranted its £12 price tag. The indefatigable Alex – resplendent in a checked suit – made sure everything ran like clockwork and one of Feversham Arms strengths was that there were staff everywhere, so you felt very well looked after.
My lamb rump dinner at Feversham Arms
Breakfast at Feversham Arms
Impeccable service at breakfast meant we could sit back and enjoy the delivery of excellent coffee, home-made granola with fresh fruit and yoghurt, and smashed avocado with sourdough bread and poached eggs. Other options included a Full English, smoked haddock and Eggs Benedict so almost everything you could want from a hotel breakfast was covered, and the restaurant itself was light and airy with bright colours, quirky lighting and high ceilings making it a pleasant and relaxing dining space without being too formal as in some luxury hotels.
Exploring the North York Moors
If you didn’t want to lounge around the pool all day long then Feversham Arms is a great base to explore the North York Moors, and we had a great time exploring the coast from Whitby to Scarborough and admiring the beautiful and rugged Yorkshire landscape which was spectacular in the summer sunshine. Feversham Arms is possibly the 30th hotel in the excellent PoB Hotels group which I’ve reviewed (links to others below) and, despite not being as grand or historic as some of its other members, is worthy of its place in the group thanks to its excellent customer service, immaculate room and of course, that Sunday roast.
Hotel information and to book Feversham Arms and spa
Feversham Arms Hotel and Verbena Spa, High Street, Helmsley, Yorkshire YO62 5AG
Rooms start from £120 B&B in a standard double room, with the spa and poolside suites priced from £320 per room B&B and £410 DB&B. Use of the Verbena spa heat facilities, outdoor heated pool and jacuzzi are included in all room packages.
Book Feversham Arms at Booking.com
Visit Feversham Arms on Tripadvisor
Feversham Arms is a member of Pride of Britain Hotels group, a collection of 50 of the best hotels in the UK. Other Pride of Britain Hotels I’ve received include: Maison Talbooth hotel and spa: a lovely Essex stay; The Headland hotel: luxury at the heart of Newquay, Cornwall; Luton Hoo: a classic country house hotel (with Hollywood glamour)
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