Review: Yorkshire hotel & spa
Where to stay in Yorkshire
Saturday, 03, Jul 2010 10:55
Travelbite.co.uk's Simon Willmore indulges in isolation at the Feversham Arms Hotel and Verbena Spa in Helmsley, Yorkshire:
Location, location
Situated in the heart of picturesque Helmsley and subtly designed so that the frontage blends perfectly with the surrounding village, I actually drove straight past the hotel on my first attempt at locating it.
Seeing as this Yorkshire hotel has recently been voted the Hotel of the Year for England by The AA, I was expecting a huge, multi-acre complex, set away from the hustle and bustle of town life.
But in fact this hotel only has 33 rooms in total - real testament to the 'exclusivity' factor that plays such an important part of judging criteria as well as this particular hotel's charm.
In fact, the hotel is right in the middle, fully part of the village but also set away from the hubbub. Helmsley is only 30 minutes from York or Scarborough, but the Sutton Bank hill separates the village from most outside interference, including phone signal, which only adds to the feeling of getting away from it all.
A recently added attraction is the in-house art gallery - Liquid Amber - a new contemporary art gallery in Yorkshire where you can browse a carefully selected range of art in an informal atmosphere.
Wining and Dining
The new bar and lounge area, built in the original part of the hotel, back onto the main road through the village with the heated outdoor pool and recently added Verbena Spa centre behind.
The cosy lounge provided a perfect location for afternoon tea, large comfy sofas and scones with clotted cream included. The spacious airy breakfast room just behind serves a wonderful full English, which you can enjoy while you watch the water from the pool area cascade down over the edge into a pond.
Verbena Spa
The spa area boasts not only one off the best-equipped relaxation rooms I have ever seen, but a comprehensive list of treatments, from facials with Elemis-brand products to a full body massage.
No word of a lie: my masseuse actually relaxed me so much I fell asleep on the table.
The Verbena also has a full range of treatments, including aromatherapy, sauna and salt-inhalation room, which helps to boost immunity, circulation and skin quality.
Rooms and suites
The spa suites, built above the therapy area, are enormous separate-lounge-and-bedroom affairs, with all mod cons at state-of-the-art level, such as Bang & Olufsen TV sets as well as the new addition of an iPod dock.
The balcony, accessible from both the bedroom and the sitting room, is large and offers a great spot to soak up the Yorkshire sunshine while looking out over the pool. The décor is efficient yet individual, with bright colours adding to the sense of space.
The bathroom offered enough room for a bath and separate shower cubicle, and was equally tastefully decorated, with bright blue pastel emphasising the plentiful light from the skylight.
Final thoughts
As if the pool area isn't idyllic enough, if you stay in the hotel on a Monday evening, you will get to swim to the background music of bell-ringers' practice at the church over the road. A really rare experience at a very unique place.
Simon Willmore
The Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa is in the picturesque village of Helmsley in North Yorkshire YO62 5AG. See the hotel websitefor details.
Read more about Simon's experiences in North Yorkshire.
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