York's Hidden Gem - Aldwark Manor Hotel
- 60 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Tucked away in the heart of the Yorkshire countryside just 13 miles West of York, sits the hidden gem of Aldwark Manor Estate. Mentioned in the Domesday Book and with links to William the Conqueror, this 200-acre estate is steeped in history – not to mention its links to local folklore with its connection to the Witch of Aldwark.
This impressive Victorian Manor was commissioned by Lord Walsingham in 1865; during the Second World War it was used by the military, then later became a school. In the mid to late 1970s it was converted into a hotel. When the present owners bought the hotel in 2019 and began its 7-year multi-million-pound refurbishment they treated it not just as an investment but as a labour of love.
However, you’re not stepping back into the past should you stay here. This 4-star luxurious hotel with its 18-hole golf course, brand-new health spa, infinity indoor swimming pool and award-winning restaurants, is newly refurbished and stunning when it comes to style, luxury and facilities.
The motto of the hotel is Never Ordinary Always Aldwark and that couldn’t be more true. The red-bricked three-story manor house has been thoughtfully re-designed, retaining much of its original features. The beautiful ceilings are now enhanced by fabulous lighting which ranges in style from magnificent crystal chandeliers to Art Deco, retro and modern - up lit, so enhancing the beauty of the ceilings.
Each of the many rooms from conference rooms to large ballrooms, to the bars and restaurants are all distinctively – and often quirkily fashioned. For example, there’s a flower arch leading into the Elements Restaurant where you’ll find a delicious a la carte seasonal menu of the freshest local ingredients for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It also has a ‘living wall’ of green foliage, also an innovative retractable roof to make the most of alfresco dining in the summer. Oh yes, and in the centre of the restaurant is a tree – a large fairy-tale type tree surrounded by a circular bar.
In their 3AA Rosettes award-winning Chartwell fine dining restaurant they are currently serving a 7-course tasting menu, and what looks like a very large mirror is actually a two-way mirror allowing diners to see what’s happening in the kitchen.
In the Bunkers Sports Bar and Restaurant there are four large Sky Sports screens, pool table and table football and provides a relaxed and informal atmosphere for families wanting to watch televised sporting events. Our visit coincided with Rugby’s Six Nations Tournament, and you could enjoy a six nations sausage roll and a pint of Black Velvet if you wanted. Alternatively, you could enjoy a stone baked pizza in the outdoor pizza oven.
The Squadron Bar is elegantly designed in the style of The Greatest Showman – polished and gleaming and adorned with ostrich feathered canopies. And then there’s an Honesty Bar where you can try a glass of a particularly fine wine, rather than buying a whole bottle. The wine is dispensed by a machine – think coffee, except its wine. The machine then tops the bottle up with gas so it remains fresh.
And then there’s Clem’s Bar, named after Winston Churchill’s wife Clementine. Enter this intimate little room and your eyes are drawn at once to the large oil paintings of Queen Elizabeth II and Winston Churchill, painted in greys and whites rather than colour, the effect is striking.
In fact, the art around Aldwark Hotel really is a talking point; there are family portraits, framed documents pertinent to the house and family; humorous art depicting regal ladies sporting obviously painted on moustaches; dogs wearing flowery hats, and large framed playing cards of Kings, Queens and Aces.
The 18-hole par 70 golf course is a major attraction for many guests. In the refurbishing of the course, many holes had to be dug up and re-routed, and the course which borders the winding River Ure, has many interesting and challenging features for its golfers. Also, there are ten electric golf buggies with charging points. Well underway is a brand-new building that will house a golf swing facility using Flightscope. In Bunkers, there are 11 double and twin bedrooms that look out over the golf course, perfect for groups of golfers on a golfing break.
If that doesn’t give you enough of a work-out, there’s the state-of-the-art Technogym, kitted out with top of the range fitness equipment and air conditioning. Additionally, another purpose-built room provides space for fitness classes. One of the classes involves the new Cryotherapy weight loss treatment – Aldwark being the only hotel in a 20-mile radius to offer this treatment.
For guests who want some pampering there’s the new Salus Spa, named after Salus the Greek and Roman Goddess of Safety, Welfare, Health and Prosperity. A statue of her is currently under commission. And talking of statues, another talking point are the life- sized blue and white garden ornaments of a panther and a young giraffe named Sal out in the Spa Garden.
Here, you’ll also find a luxury hydrotherapy pool and an extensive relaxation area – and soon to be completed woodland sauna. Inside the Salus Spa is a15-metre heated, infinity swimming pool with specially moulded beds alongside.
The patio outside of the spa area is gradually taking shape as young trees and other plantings begins to grow and so provide seclusion. Keeping in the theme of well-being there are healthy snacks and protein shakes on offer in Sal’s Café attached to the spa. And did I mention there are fire pits on the patio too.
A new block of guest bedrooms is currently under construction and when these are finished around May 2026 time, will bring the total number of rooms at Aldwark to 77. These range from twin and double rooms in the Bunker to Classic and Deluxe bedrooms and suites – some having their own upstairs area, balcony and hot tub. All of the bedrooms and shower rooms are decorated beautifully throughout and have all the usual facilities you would expect from wall mounted television, wi-fi, desks and fabulous décor.
Every little detail has been thought about, such as produce for the restaurants are sourced locally, it’s Yorkshire Tea naturally, and the coffee is brewed in the same manner throughout, so quality and taste remain consistent regardless of where on the estate you are drinking it. Biscuits in the rooms are from Betty’s Tea Rooms in Harrogate – with Aldwark being the first hotel to trial them. They run quizzes and Murder Mystery Nights using Tall Tales Mysteries; they even run their own version of Park and Ride, with their minibus taking people to and from York if they don’t want to take their cars.
Staying at such a lovely hotel and with so much to do, chances are you won’t want to be anywhere else but enjoying the facilities, but you have to remember that you are just a few miles from York with all of its wonderful attractions. For many a trip to Yorkshire will be to visit the ever-popular World of James Herriot and the filming locations for the TV series All Creatures Great and Small. There are around 30 world class museums to explore in and around York; also many different types of tours from food tours to history tours; gardens and adventures in the great outdoors; landmark attractions to see such as York Minster; family activities such as the Jorvik Viking Centre; York’s Chocolate Story. And remembering that York is reputed to being the most haunted city in England there are nightly Ghost Walks going on.
But of course, you don’t have to stray too far from Aldwark Manor Hotel for a little ghostly folklore – remember the Witch of Aldwark? This ghostly figure so terrified the locals back in the 17th century, that it’s said her spirit was incarcerated down a well and a huge stone put over the well to keep her there. But when the local bridge was being rebuilt the stone got moved and is now within the grounds of Aldwark – look closely at it and you may see a face, whether it’s the face of the Witch of Aldwark – who can say?
For further details and to book a stay at Aldwark Manor Hotel, go to:
For more tourist information please go to: https://www.makeityork.com/ and https://visityork.org/
Comments