Hotel Review

Middleton Lodge Estate Is North Yorkshire’s Dreamy Country Escape

Discover Middleton Lodge Estate in North Yorkshire—an idyllic country house hotel with a Michelin-starred restaurant, serene forest spa, and stylish rustic rooms.

The Review

Why it works

Credit Cecelina Tornberg

Hotel Snapshot

When it comes to the UK’s best country house hotels, the North of England is too often overlooked in favor of The Cotswolds’ honey-hued swagger or Cornwall’s breathtaking coastline. But for those willing to venture a little farther, North Yorkshire’s Middleton Lodge Estate offers a compelling counterpoint. Sprawling across 200 acres of rambling parkland and rolling meadow, the estate has been thoughtfully transformed from owner James Allison’s childhood home into the destination hotel it is today. 

Design & Character

Credit Rebecca Hope

While the manor house at the heart of the estate primarily serves as a wedding venue, the hotel’s bedrooms stretch across the original dairy and coach house, along with sweet shepherd’s huts and cottages within the blossoming walled gardens. All have been carefully designed by creative director Rebecca Tappin: think exposed brickwork, low-slung beams and farmhouse-style furnishings in muted, earthy tones that nod to the surrounding landscape. Expect squashy armchairs to sprawl across, generous flat-screen TVs, and coffee stations stocked with homemade flapjacks (I immediately scoffed these upon checking in, and noted that they were generously topped up the next day). Of all the bedrooms, it’s the Dairy Suites that steal the show, and are worth splashing out for: these feature rose-ringed private terraces and outdoor hot tubs large enough to swim laps in.

Food & Drink

Being somewhat of a foodie destination, the hotel proudly embodies an ‘estate-to-plate’ ethos across both of its restaurants, with most produce either grown on site or supplied locally; it’s not uncommon to spy chefs wandering the walled gardens, plucking handfuls of fresh herbs. The Coach House, the beating heart of the estate, is an all-day affair, serving everything from weekend brunch to afternoon tea. Wake up to homemade granolas, locally-churned yogurts and fresh fruit, before breakfast slowly segues into lunch. The all-day menu almost overwhelms with choice, offering seasonally-led vegetarian dishes that are just as impressive and comforting as the meat and fish options. Creamy soups are mopped up with crumbly cheese scones, while beautifully executed vegetable-led plates (think roasted carrots served on a swoosh of labneh) are among the highlights. Of the many times I’ve eaten here - and I’ve visited at least four times over the last five years - I’ve never eaten anything that’s less than delicious. For something a little fancier, dine on exquisite Michelin-starred tasting menus at The Forge, the estate’s standout restaurant led by a hyper-seasonal approach.

Gallery

A closer look

Credit Rebecca Hope

Credit Rebecca Hope

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