
The historic English country estate which is now a hotel with private spa and grand bedrooms
Here's everything you need to know - from room rates to dining options at the hotel's restaurant.
2
Where is the hotel?
Just two miles from York city centre, Middlethorpe Hall is a William III country house set in 20 acres of rolling parkland.
It is found just an 11 minute drive from York Train Station, so easily accessible.
What is the hotel like?
If your mates were landed gentry, this would be their country pile.
The 29-bedroom National Trust hotel on York's outskirts has the wow factor plus a warm, homely vibe.
Think grand wooden staircase, squashy sofas and delightful staff who waved us off with water and biscuits for our trip home.
What are the rooms like?
No sterile identikit decor here. Expect four posters, quirky antiques and old paintings, but still with the mod cons.
If you opt to stay in the main house, you'll be met with a glorious view of the gardens.
The range of rooms available includes Courtyard Suites, Courtyard Bedrooms, Cottage and Garden Suites, Main House Bedrooms and Main House Suites.
Rooms for two available at £289 per night on a bed and breakfast basis with use of the spa.
What is there to eat or drink there?
Dine in. The afternoon is fit for royalty- inventive open sandwiches, delicate cakes and an apple and black pudding sausage roll.
Dinner was three fine courses, including dick with plum and a fig parfait, in the wood-panelled dining room with roaring fire.
My companion, who has both gluten and dairy allergies, was also offered plenty of indulgent choices. No wonder it has two AA Rosettes.
What else is there to do at the hotel?
The hotel boasts a miniature spa complex on site, with a pool, sauna, steam room and other spa treatments available, as well as the walled garden to relax in whilst you take in the countryside.
You are also well-placed for York's sights and shops, with the racecourse also just a few minutes away.
It is a picturesque place to take a walk on a sunny day.
The hotel also offers connections to multiple tours in and around York, including The bespoke private walking tours in York and the Downton Abbey film locations in Yorkshire tour. For more information, click here.
Is the hotel family friendly?
Yes, the hotel welcomes families with children aged 6 and over for a stay at the hotel, and aged 8 and over in the spa during specified swimming times.
Dogs are also welcome in select rooms.
Is the hotel accessible?
Yes, Middlethorpe aims to be as inclusive as possible, and where not possible due to extenuating circumstances, they will endeavour to offer a suitable alternative.
Looking for a place to stay? For more hotel inspiration click here.
2

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Travel expert shares sneaky hack to avoid expensive mini bar costs - but asks not to be judged
A travel expert has shared her sneaky hack to help others avoid expensive mini bar costs. Carmen Roberts, a TV host and travel business owner, posted the trick on her Instagram account, @carmenroberts_travels. Many tourists reach for a refreshing drink from the hotel room mini fridge – some without realising it may come with a high price tag. Most people will pay the bill at the end of their stay, but Carmen has revealed a way to avoid being hit with inflated pricing. She penned: 'Confession: I drank the $12 mini bar soft drink and replaced it before checkout. Don't judge.' The travel expert simply heads to a local shop and buys the same drink, but at a fraction of the cost. 'Mini Bar Madness - $12 for a soft drink? No thanks,' Carmen added. 'I'll grab the same one at a local supermarket for $1.' She shared other tricks for saving money while away on holiday, including bringing a refillable bottle to avoid paying top prices when out and about. 'Bottled Water at Tourist Attractions - Always bring a refillable bottle,' Carmen wrote. 'Many airports, stations, and cities have free filtered water. Those €4 impulse bottles add up fast.' In response to the minibar hack, one baffled Instagram user gushed, 'This is so clever!' Carmen responded and admitted that she has had issues in the past when she couldn't find the same drink or snack. She said: 'I should say this has backfired in the past when I couldn't find the exact same bag of nuts or soda etc to replace!!' It comes as another travel expert, Dimple Chudasama-Adams, revealed a checklist of essential tasks every holidaymaker must do before settling into their hotel room. The seasoned traveller, from Birmingham, UK, regularly shares 'secret' tips and travel advice with her 5,400 following on Instagram. In a recent video, posted to her account @escape_the_ordinary_by_dimple, Dimple unveiled her 'travel pro checklist' of five crucial jobs to do in hotel rooms or rented accommodation to ensure safety, comfort and and optimum hygiene. The first is checking for bed bugs, which is crucial on arrival as it can help prevent an infestation in your own home once your trip has come to an end. Bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers and can easily attach themselves to luggage, clothing, and other items, so thoroughly inspecting the room before unpacking can help prevent their spread. Dimple advises holidaymakers to 'pull back sheets and inspect mattress corners' for dark spots that could indicate the presence of bed bugs.


Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Steve Backshall reveals what he saw as his 'life flashed before his eyes' during near-fatal rock climbing accident and admits he feared 'never seeing' wife Helen Glover again
Steve Backshall has recall ed the terrifying moment his 'life flashed before his eyes' during a near-fatal rock climbing accident. The explorer and presenter, 52, broke his back in 2008 after slipping 25 foot down a cliff face while climbing in the rain with his travel writer friend Tarquin Cooper in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. He also nearly drowned in a kayaking accident years later which left him terrified he would never see his wife and kids again. He shares a son Logan, six, and five-year-old twins, Willow and Kit with his Olympic rower wife Helen Glover. Speaking to the High Performance podcast The Sun reports that he said of the rock-climbing accident: 'In that second-and-a-half (of the fall) I had time to see the leaves passing by me on the trees, to flash back through my life - to so many of the things that had happened to me. 'Time appears to slow down. Our brains are zipping back through our life history to try and find something that might save us in that instant - some little moment that could give us the clarity to act, and in my case stop my fall. 'That was a second-and-a-half. And in a second-and-a-half I did see my life flash before me.' And he described that during the kayaking incident he was terrified that the life he had planned with his wife 'wouldn't happen'. Steve said at the time of the rock-climbing accident: 'I've broken two vertebrae but I could have been paralysed - or worse. 'The rock was wet so I stopped to rest but the next thing I was heading very quickly towards the ground. 'All I can remember is landing with a sickening thud. I can't begin to describe how painful it was, but I'm lucky.' His friend Cooper, who witnessed the horrific accident, said: 'It was awful. I saw him cartwheel down before hitting the ground with a thump. 'I couldn't carry him so he put his arm round me and we walked to the car - 45 minutes away.' Steve recently admitted that having three young children while in his 50s is physically draining. He told The Mail on Sunday: 'I do wish I had the energy I had when I was in my 20s and 30s, to have the ability to sprint around playing football and rugby all day long with my kids, and for me to still be popping and buzzing with energy. 'But obviously I haven't and it's tough to keep going when you're 52 and you've got three kids under six. 'But I've got knowledge and experience and a whole array of things I can teach them about, help them with. 'Also I've got no choice! 'These are the cards that I was dealt, and I've got to make it work.' He described his wife as a 'mega-mum' and is proud that she was the first British female rower to go to an Olympic games after having children. Backshall, who presents a new podcast, That's Just Wild, said of his career: 'I think they are very excited by it and very proud – but also, the fact I go away a lot, they don't like at all. 'They really struggle with it. It's been hard ever since they could understand what I was doing. 'They would take me doing an office job and seeing me every day over me having this incredibly exciting job but always being away for long periods of time. Especially at the age they're at. 'Right now for this one little precious period of time in their lives all they want is to be with Mummy and Daddy.' Backshall, who took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2014, admits that he's an old fashioned father, saying: 'I do think that discipline and rules and structure are important for kids. 'The things we've been doing for generations are timeless for a reason.'


The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Birmingham Airport runway reopens after hours of delays from emergency landing
Birmingham Airport has reopened its runway after a small aircraft made an emergency landing, leading to hours of delays and cancellations. Three people from the aircraft were treated at the scene with one suffering minor injuries from the incident, which occurred at around 1.40pm on Wednesday, West Midlands Police said. Other emergency services including police, fire and ambulance all attended the scene at the airport's runway. Footage and images shared on social media appeared to show a small white plane, understood to be a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air, lying flat on the airport tarmac. Birmingham Airport first said at around 2.40pm that its runway was temporarily closed following the incident, before later suggesting flights would remain grounded until at least 8pm. In an update posted on X shortly before 8pm on Wednesday evening, the airport said: 'Following the aircraft incident today, the runway has reopened and operations have resumed.' It apologised for the disruption caused by the incident and said passengers must check flight details and follow advice issued by their airlines. 'Our teams have worked as quickly as possible, in line with strict protocols, which must be followed to ensure a safe reopening of the runway following a prolonged closure,' the airport added. Flights originally scheduled to depart as far back as 2.10pm were still running at the airport after the runway re-opened, but other flights faced delays as late as 12.10am on Thursday, according to Birmingham Airport's website. The Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) said it had started an investigation into the incident, with 'a multi-disciplinary team including inspectors with expertise in aircraft operations, engineering and recorded data' deployed to the airport. A Beechcraft B200 Super King Air was also involved in a plane crash at London Southend Airport in July, which killed four people on board. Many people in Europe trying to fly back to Birmingham were still facing lengthy delays after its reopening. Diana Celella, an interior designer from Sutton Coldfield, was due to return from Lisbon on a Ryanair flight departing at 8.20pm after a week-long holiday in the Portuguese city with her husband Luigi, but saw online that the flight will now take off at 11.05pm. The 60-year-old, who also works as a lecturer at Arts University Bournemouth, told the PA news agency: 'My husband and I have had a lovely holiday, so it's a real shame to end it with this delay. That said, if we do manage to take off tonight, we'll count ourselves lucky under the circumstances. 'The atmosphere among fellow passengers is mostly resigned — everyone we've spoken to recognises that it's out of Ryanair's control. 'However, there's been a lack of clear communication. We've had no updates from Ryanair since 6.20pm, and there have been no announcements at Lisbon Airport, which is frustrating. 'Fingers crossed we fly tonight.' Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander earlier said disruption at the airport was 'minimal' but she understood 'how frustrating' the situation was for passengers. Earlier on Wednesday, West Midlands Police said in a post on X: 'We are at Birmingham Airport this afternoon after a small aircraft was involved in an emergency landing at around 1.40pm. 'Officers are among the emergency crews at the scene and one person has been reported to have minor injuries. 'The Civil Aviation Authority has been informed and the airport has suspended operations as an investigation is carried out.' West Midlands Ambulance Service said in a statement: 'We were called at 1.45pm to an incident involving a light aircraft at Birmingham Airport. 'Hazardous Area Response Team (Hart) paramedics and three paramedic officers were sent to the scene. 'Upon arrival we found three patients from the aircraft, all of whom were assessed and discharged at the scene.' Woodgate Aviation said one of its Beechcraft fixed-wing aircraft was involved in the incident. The company said in a statement: 'The turbo-prop aircraft was on a flight to Belfast International Airport when it developed landing gear problems. The aircraft returned to Birmingham and made an emergency landing and the main under-carriage collapsed on touchdown. 'Two crew members and a passenger were on board but were uninjured. 'The aircraft remains on the runway and Woodgate Aviation will be co-operating fully with air accident investigators and airport services. 'We would like to pay tribute to the professionalism of our colleagues and the emergency services at the airport for their prompt action.'