The hotel: just off the market square in oh-so-cute Helmsley,
on the edge of the North York Moors National Park, the Feversham Arms has
long been the village’s premier lodging.
Its core clientele has always been those interested in country pursuits:
shooting (there’s a secure gun room on site), walking and riding (there are
stables a five-minute stroll away). It has an all-weather tennis court, a
gym that belies the size of the hotel (not the usual broom cupboard with
weights) and a heated outdoor pool.
However, those who arrive expecting a bastion of country-house stuffiness
might be surprised by some of the touches: the fancy televisions, the
contemporary calligraphy on the new signage, the PlayStations and DVD
players in each room. Yes, the Feversham is under new management —
specifically Simon Rhatigan, whose CV includes Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux
Quat’Saisons and Tom’s Companies, the outfit that owns The Samling and
Seaham Hall.
So what are the rooms like? There are just 17, including
several spacious suites. All come with Bang & Olufsen tele- visions,
marvellous Egyptian-cotton sheets and assorted 21st-century accessories.
Decor is muted and modish — the hunting scenes are no more — but there is
nothing here to frighten the horses. The new owners are not trying to bring
The Hempel to Helmsley.
And the food? I wouldn’t say vegetarians aren’t catered for,
but they might feel a bit overrun by contented carnivores. The emphasis is
on local produce — expect wild duck, braised oxtail, belly of rare- breed
pork, tender slow-roasted lamb, game in season and (usually) a fish special.
The food is rich and filling, with a comprehensive, albeit not cheap, wine
list to accompany it. Good breakfasts, too — the bacon sandwich is parti-
cularly recommended. Another bonus: room service comes without those
swingeing “delivery charges” most hotels like to add, as if they’ve had to
send the meal by FedEx.
Suppose we want to leave the hotel ... Brilliant, because
walk out of the door and you are straight on the Cleveland Way — a
three-mile stroll takes you to the atmospheric ruins of Rie-vaulx Abbey,
once the greatest Cistercian centre in England.
Other nearby attractions include Mount Grace Priory, Nunnington Hall and
Castle Howard, of Brideshead Revisited and Barry Lyndon fame. And there are
plenty of other walks in the vicinity, including a romp among the
“bridestones” of Dalby Forest — sandstone outcrops carved into curious
shapes by nature.
What about the kids? There are PlayStations for the rooms on
request, with a good selection of games and a reasonable library of
children’s DVDs. But the best treat is down the road at Pickering, in the
shape of the North York Moors Railway.
Not only are the carriages frequently hauled through the wonderful scenery by
steam engines, but Goathland station was dressed up for a role as Hogsmeade
in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Get there early to bag one of the corridor-and-compartment coaches — my
children spent half the journey re-enacting various Potter train adventures
while I settled into The Lady Vanishes mode.
A family rover ticket, which enables you to hop off and on for walks, pub
lunches and so on, starts at £27. For timetable details, call 01751 472508,
or visit www.nymr.demon.co.uk.
Good for: out-of-season breaks — just now, the moors are
uncrowded and the locals affable. Things get a little more fraught come July
and August.
Bad for: vegans — and Muzak-phobes. The curse of perpetual
piped music in the Feversham’s restaurant means staff switch off and no
longer hear it. They need to change the disc more often — a couple of days
of Michael Nyman’s The Piano is more than enough.
The Feversham Arms, Helmsley; 01439 770766,
www.fevershamarmshotel.com. Doubles cost £130-£160 per night, including
breakfast; suites are £200. Note that you must have dinner in the hotel at
weekends: add £30pp.
Family rooms for two adults sharing with two children cost £219, B&B
