Giant water fountains. Brass-adorned double doors. Rich wood-panelled walls. Massive chandeliers. It’s the first thing we think of when we envision true luxury. And that’s exactly what we were met with upon walking into Aldwark Manor.
Donning our finest Lord and Lady caps, we entered a whole new world for the weekend when we walked through those decadent doors – a world where, we were soon to find out, each and every guest was treated like absolute Royalty.
A breathtakingly luxurious space from the off, Aldwark Manor has undergone a massive transformation over the years, reinventing the popular hotel and wedding venue into one of Yorkshire’s finest manor estates – complete with an 18-hole golf course, a swanky spa, high-end on-site restaurant and a multitude of beautiful suites.
But that’s just the start of a string of wonderful things to come for Aldwark – with a huge new spa renovation pending, a fine-dining restaurant and a golf course revamp all in the pipeline.
After checking in at reception, we were swiftly escorted to our suite for the night – which sat on the manor’s first floor adjacent to Aldwark’s swish library bar (pretty apt for a writer, huh?). As usual in these reviews, we won’t lie. This suite had more square footage to it than our two-up-two-down house.
You could easily swing about ten cats in there, and then some – before, of course, enjoying the room’s actual highlights such as the stunning views of the manor’s grounds, the huge comfy (and very regal) beds, and cosy seating area parked next to the huge casement window.
As hotel connoisseurs, we’ve come to learn that the biggest key to ‘luxury’ is convenience – which was demonstrated well as we stepped out of our suite straight into the relaxing library bar, a space that operates as a self-serve honesty bar where you can unwind away from the rest of the manor.
I’ll admit, at this point, I was feeling pretty Jay Gatsby – so I helped myself to a little whiskey while soaking up the rich academia aesthetic, alongside a Bridgerton-esque soundtrack that surprisingly suited the space and the vibe pretty well.
Once we’d enjoyed a tipple in peace and checked off one of the hotel’s many amenities, we rejoined society down in the manor’s lavish Squadron Bar.
A place you could truly while away the hours while sipping on a cocktail, the Squadron Bar absolutely oozes opulence – from its grand, intricately carved bar to its plush velvet seating and its homey, roaring fireplace. At this point, I really needn’t see more. It was clearly the hallmark of luxury.
But fortunately for you, dear reader, I reluctantly peeled myself from my chair conveniently positioned by both the bar and the fire (a snug place where my glass was lovingly topped up frequently), to go suss out the manor’s many other amenities. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it, I suppose.
Before stepping into the Elements restaurant, my interest was already piqued – thanks to its Instagrammable floral archway providing a photo opp before you’ve even entered. But what captured my attention even more was just how much the vibe changed after walking through said arch. Like Alice tumbling into a foodie wonderland.
Adorned in rich greens and navys, the restaurant is lined with classic leather booths reminiscent of a sophisticated speakeasy, with tongue-in-cheek art arranged along the walls and tiny lamps illuminating the intimate tables.
Elevated by classic jazz and R&B (think Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong), the lively atmosphere is set by low mood lighting and the venue’s central island-style bar which is ‘overgrown’ with its very own autumnal tree, providing an eye-catching centrepiece to the space that lends well to casual cocktail dining.
But as lovely as that all was, I know you’re waiting to hear about what it was we ate.
Skipping the starters in favour of the desserts that we’d already spied on the menu before visiting the restaurant, we dove right in with two very well-presented mains: sirloin with peppercorn sauce for me, and swordfish with piri-piri butter for my partner.
Don’t get it twisted though – well-presented most definitely doesn’t mean a two-inch cut of meat with a few blobs of purée squeezed onto the plate. These plates were generous. And when I say generous – I was sweating trying to finish the food on my plate.
The chips were extra chunky, the onion rings on a new level of huge and the cut of sirloin was plentiful, to say the very least. And there was us, eyes bigger than our bellies expecting to fit in a pudding. Despite the struggle, fit in a pudding we did.
In true, predictable style, I opted for my usual chocolate fix with the vegan brownie with peanut butter ganache and banana gel, while my partner opted for his trusty favourite, the sticky toffee pudding. Don’t expect him to try something new when that’s on the menu.
Desserts were pretty special – a fantastic send-off after a highly fulfilling meal. Perfectly portioned – not too much, not too little – with plenty of rich flavours to savour in every bite. In layman’s terms – light enough to scran in minutes, tasty enough to still be happy about it.
And finally, the real test of any hotel we review? How cosy the room is when we inevitably retire to bed to watch tele after a massive meal.
I can confirm the bed was like sleeping on a cloud – with extra fluffy, bouncy pillows that your head sinks into, a down duvet that was equally as smushy and a huge TV placed on the wall facing the bed, perfect for winding down after a night in one of three of Aldwark Manor’s bars and restaurants.
One thing I deliberately left out of our review (until now, with the intention of giving it a special mention) was the service throughout the entire hotel.
From check-in to dining in the restaurant later that evening, one thing we noticed from how we were treated, to how other guests were treated was how dedicated each and every team member was to the visitor’s happiness.
Nothing was a bother, and each team member took the time and effort to converse with guests and make sure they had everything they needed, which made a massive difference to our experience during our stay.
A truly, luxurious stay if we ever did see one.
Read more: This Yorkshire Castle Has Its Own Vineyard Where You Can Sit & Drink Wine In The Sun
[Featured image: Aldwark Manor]
