Feversham Arms Hotel

Rooms

Spread higgledy-piggledy across the original building and a cluster of newer additions (built sympathetically from local stone), the 33 rooms offer - almost - 33 different choices. The style is country-contemporary: earthy colours or smudgy and traditional furnishings with chunky carpets, wool throws and cushions, tongue-and-groove panelling and, rather unusually, a teddy bear nestling on each bed. Often there’s an unexpected twist, perhaps a brightly striped headboard, a cherry-red wall, a sexy slate bathroom or a wood-burning stove.

Most rooms have tubs and showers (a couple of the smallest Standard Doubles are shower only) and all have the same little extras: TVs, Temple Spa toiletries, bathrobes and slippers. In general, the more you pay the more ‘wow’ you get. The top-end Feature Suites are generous to a fault, with big bathrooms, elegant sitting rooms, bedrooms done out in soft colours and vintage-style floral wallpapers, and glass-fronted balconies overlooking the pool.

Our favourites were the Main House Suites, which also overlook the pool but have a cosier feel; Room 28 has low windows and a glass-panelled ceiling in the sitting area. Or opt for one of the Poolside Suites with their semi-private patios; the best is Room 22, which has a cottagey feel and is good for families as it has a separate mezzanine bedroom with two single beds. Another favourite is Room 19 tucked away on the top floor, whose exposed beams, sloping ceilings and neutral interior make it feel wonderfully intimate.

Although not as flash, the Standard Doubles and Main House Doubles are still roomy. They are set in the old building, so they benefit from original features - Room 17, for example, has a lovely window seat.

Features include:

• WiFi

Eating

With 2 AA rosettes to its name, the Feversham Arms could be eyeing a Michelin star. The cooking is stylish, the presentation artful but not irksome, and the choice of dishes carefully thought-out.

Plenty of local sourcing - such as North Sea fish and Yorkshire game - means the cuisine has clean but interesting flavours. We started dinner with a salad of rare-variety potatoes with sage mayonnaise; simple but tasty. Our main course of thyme-roasted cod was light and moist, while our pudding of Yorkshire rhubarb and ginger cream had me scraping the varnish off the plate.

The conservatory-style dining room is both buzzy and intimate, with a glass roof. Its neutral walls, multi-coloured chairs and crisp white-clothed tables set with tea lights create a warm, glowing atmosphere. It works equally well at breakfast when the bright colours kick-start the day. Again, the choice is thoughtful without going overboard: fresh fruit, yoghurt, fruit compote and make-your-own muesli as a buffet, plus cooked offerings such as Helmsley pork sausages and locally smoked kippers. There’s also a gastropub-style lunch menu available in the lounge or round the pool, and a rather fabulous afternoon tea.

This is foodie country, so if you want to eat out you’re spoiled for choice. A couple of miles away at Harome is The Star Inn (Michelin-starred) and sister venture The Pheasant. The White Swan at Pickering (12 miles away) is a cut-above-the-rest pub restaurant, while the Feversham’s neighbour, The Black Swan, offers more classic country cooking. For something more modest, try Gepettos, Helmsley’s long-established Italian, or tuck into steaks and pies at The Feathers in the market place.

Features include:

• Children's meals
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• The hotel’s spa offers a range of age-defying facials and massages, along with exotic treats such as mud wraps, hot stone therapy and salt glows. Hotel guests get free access to the sauna, steam room and outdoor hot tub
  
  
• A potter around Helmsley can take several hours: there are antique shops, delis, country outfitters and interesting bookshops to explore, plus any number of tea rooms and ice cream parlours
  
  
• The ruins of 12th-century Helmsley Castle, with its massive earthworks, soaring keep and Elizabethan mansion, tower over the town. There’s an audio tour, and the hands-on exhibition will keep younger ones amused
  
  
• Helmsley’s Walled Garden has been restored to its Victorian splendour by a team of volunteers. There are rare plants, a vegetable garden and orchard, and peaceful areas for sitting and breathing the fresh air
  
  
• The North York Moors cry out to be walked, whether you want to stride along the ridges or wander amongst the valleys. Printed routes are available from reception
  
  
• Ride on the North York Moors Steam Railway, which puffs its way through moorland valleys for 24 miles from Pickering to Whitby. It might look familiar as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films
  
  
• Romantically ruined abbeys worth visiting include early Gothic Byland, and Rievaulx, with its dramatic setting beneath wooded slopes
  
  
• Ryedale Folk Museum in pretty Hutton-le-Hole provides a walk-through glimpse into rural history. Its salvaged buildings are authentically furnished and include a shoemaker, a village shop, a manor house, a Victorian school and a potting shed
  
  
• Can’t be bothered to move? Take a dip in the hotel’s outdoor pool (heated to 30C year-round), sink into a sofa and snooze with the papers, or enjoy an old-fashioned board game in the lounge

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Hiking
• Shopping / markets

Kids

This isn’t an obvious family hotel – most guests are couples – but children are made welcome, with the pool being the main draw; be aware it’s not protected. The soft toy placed on every bed will appeal to smaller ones. Cots, extra beds and children’s menus are available, though families with younger children are encouraged to dine before 8pm.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Toddlers (1-4 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

Cots (no charge) can be put in any room, while all suites have sofa-beds or can fit extra beds. Two rooms include an additional bedroom (one on a mezzanine level) while one double room and suite interconnect.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 1 hour (Durham Tees Valley or Leeds-Bradford)
• Shop: 2 minutes (Helmsley Market Place)

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Feversham Arms Hotel is located in the centre of Helmsley, a small market town on the southern edge of the North York Moors. It’s 24 miles north of York and 50 miles from Leeds.

By Air:
The closest airports are Durham Tees Valley (38 miles / 62km away) and Leeds-Bradford (49 miles / 78km away). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving them.

From the Airport
Transfers can be arranged on request - see Rates - but to make the most of the area we’d recommend hiring a car (see below). The drive from either of the above airports takes around an hour.

By Car:
The Feversham Arms Hotel is a 4.5-hour drive from London, a 2-hour drive from Manchester, and a 3-hour drive from Birmingham. For car hiresee our car rental recommendations.

By Train
If you plan on staying put in Helmsley and don’t want to drive, you can take the train to York or Darlington and get a taxi or transfer from there. Both stations have services from London and other towns and cities across the UK.

Detailed directions will be provided when you book through i-escape.com.

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