Time to soak Up the view
Kick back and relax at The Coniston Hotel and Spa in North Yorkshire, writes Will Slater
We are in the bar at The Coniston Hotel Country Estate and Spa, just finding our bearings and contemplating what to have to drink when a cheerful old boy in tweed strikes up a conversation. We have no sooner exchanged greetings when he suggests we might like a glass of fizz to kick things off. On the house. The twinkly gent with impeccable manners and charm to spare is none other than 90-year-old owner Michael Bannister, who set up the venture more than 50 years ago and has seen it grow from a farm shop to the huge business it is today.
We chat for a few minutes as he explains how he used the Covid shutdown to overhaul rooms and redevelop the spa and as we talk the pride in what he has built in this part of North Yorkshire near Skipton is tangible. He then excuses himself and starts talking to another couple, ordering them drinks too from the bartender who later tells us Mr Bannister comes in most evenings to see how things are going and meet some of the guests.
It is a lovely start to the evening and we sit by the fire, order burgers (large, perfectly cooked and delicious) with a pint, or two, of locally-brewed
Timothy Taylor Landlord beer and glass, or two, of wine respectively. We are warming to the hotel which had hitherto been hiding its charms.
The fact is, some places are better to look out from than to look at. Perhaps it is because of the name but you can’t help but expect a country house vibe, but it’s a low slung functional building that greets you.
The location is spectacular though, and the 1400 acre estate on which it all sits is properly revealed when we get to our Dales room. It has floor to ceiling windows and access out to a terrace area with views over a lake and woodlands.
The room itself is modern and nice touches include a Nespresso coffee machine, posh crisps, chocolate bars, USB charging points, a small fridge, Dyson hair dryer and a 50in TV.
Breakfast is in The View restaurant, which has panoramic windows to better enjoy the vista. Of the two mornings we ate here, the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs were delicious and the cooked breakfast and avocado on toast were fine, but not spectacular. There is plenty of it, though, and with toast, yogurt, cereal and croissants, you can set yourself up for the day very nicely.
There are various walks within the grounds so we set off to on a route
round the lake. If it’s wet, wear wellies or walking boots as it can be very muddy. There are signs to things such as the estate’s pet cemetery and a view of the Bannister family’s lakeside country house.
We manage to take a wrong turn or two but make it back in time for our appointment at Nadarra Spa. Access is not automatic for hotel guests, so you have to book and pay for a session, though some of the hotel’s deals include a visit.
It’s quite a place and the 15m pool is wide enough to accommodate a good number of people. Eye-catching features include two outdoor infinity pools with bubble jets in which we lounge, being lightly poached in the rain. Many of our fellow loungers choose a cocktail or glass of bubbly for a side order of extra indulgence. For indulgence is the name of the game here.
There’s another bubble bath inside plus three saunas, Finnish, Himalayan and infrared, plus an aromatherapy steam room.you can chuck ice over yourself between trips to any of them courtesy of the ice fountain. After a couple of circuits, I find myself on a lounger in the fluffy
robe reading a book in totally relaxed mode, pausing between chapters to visit one or other of the saunas or pools.
For dinner on the second night we are booked into The View, which has an AA Rosette. As it’s dark, there isn’t much of the view to see and unfortunately, the feature fireplace, open on four sides in the middle of the room, which might have been an alternative focal point, remains unlit. The food is good, though. Highlights include my sirloin steak (£35), which did come the requested rare, the thyme breaded belly pork with black pudding and cider sauce (£25) and the cheese board from the nearby Courtyard Dairy (£12), which included fab Tunworth camembert and Young Buck Blue.
We tend to head north to the Highlands when we can, but this trip to North Yorkshire, at less than four hours from Edinburgh, shows that being open to visit somewhere else brings it rewards.
Fellow loungers choose a cocktail for a side order of extra indulgence
The Coniston Hotel Country Estate and Spa, Skipton, tel: 01756 748080, theconistonhotel.com, has seasonal offers including a winter break for two, including room, breakfast and two spa sessions from £199 until the end of February.