Ox Pasture Hall, Scarborough
January feels the most perfect month to treat yourself to a getaway, especially to blow away those Christmas blues. So back in November, I was asked whether I'd be up for staying at the Ox Pasture Hall, a luxury Scarborough hotel in Yorkshire. A snoop at the pictures of the hotel online confirmed that I would like to go and visit. It felt like the perfect little getaway at the start of the year for us both to enjoy, who doesn't need some pampering at the weekend?
On our car journey up to the hotel, we decided to pop into York to grab a hot drink and stretch our legs a little. York is somewhere I have always wanted to see and I wasn't disappointed. Being only an hour away from the destination of the hotel, it is the perfect little pit stop and a lovely area to wander around especially as the night was drawing in. The little streets surrounding the York Cathedral were gorgeous, I could have honestly stayed for hours browsing and wondering in and out of the shops. We both said this is an area we'll revisit again later in the year, definitely around Christmas time. Imagine the Christmas market amongst these streets with some mulled wine in the palm of your hand, dreamy. This is on my list to do over the winter season so let's do it.
We also decided to take a walk up to the York Cathedral. I really enjoy exploring city cathedrals in all of their beauty so I knew I had to whilst I was in York. It was so pretty inside and just made me feel instantly calm.
We finally arrived at the hotel in the early evening, well dark enough that finding the hotel was a mission in itself (we successfully completed without a breakdown though so go us!). Surrounded by 17 acres of woodland and the beautiful Yorkshire moors situated the hotel. A former countryside Ox Pasture Hall has 32 bedrooms, including some luxury suites for you to enjoy, with help from some outbuildings and barns. Widely regarded as the best of all of the Yorkshire coast hotels as well as being rated as one of the top hotels in North Yorkshire there has to offer, there was a lot of expectations on my visit. As we walked into the hotel we were quickly greeted by the most wonderful staff members. There's nothing more than puts you at ease when you arrive at a hotel than the welcome you first receive. We were promptly asked when we would like to sit for dinner and shown to the suite we'd be staying in so we could relax before sitting down for dinner.
Our bedroom was situated really close to the reception desk, making it a perfect walking distance to carry your luggage. The room was absolutely gorgeous. The first thing that drew my mind was the size of the entrance/lounge room complete with a 2 person sofa too. A perfect room to relax with a book and listen to music through the music player provided. Also perfect for the blogger to sit and write their latest posts in complete comfort. In the bedroom was a 4 poster double bed, which was divine and provided us with such comfort we had the best sleep we had in ages. There was a lot of storage within the room too to hide away those luggage bags and stop them getting in the way. Our bathroom was a little on the tight space side but it did come with a lovely big bath, perfect to relax your body after walking around the grounds surrounding the hotel.
It was quickly time to pop downstairs for dinner and we decided we'd start with a glass of prosecco, provided so kindly by the Ox Pasture Hall team. We decided to take comfort by the log burner which is a perfect comforting feature to their small lounge space by the bar.
The courtyard restaurant was beautifully presented with the tables decked out to provide a professional and lasting dining experience for the guests to enjoy. On seeing the menu there was a whole host of different options available, with something available for the vegetarian guest too. I decided to try something I wouldn't usually have and test out my taste buds.
First, up for starters, I went for the Carrot and Honey soup whilst Jordan opted for the Salmon starter. As I don't eat salmon I couldn't test out Jordan's starter but I'll take his word that it was the perfect portion for a starter and really enjoyable. My soup, however, was d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s! The honey perfectly complimented the carrot soup giving it a sweeter taste, a perfect soup for the colder months!
Onto the mains where I put my taste buds to the test and decided to give the Seabass a go! Whilst Jordan opted for the Rump Steak dish, oh my I had serious food envy! Both of the dishes were presented in great portion sizes and where their presence was something they pride themselves upon within the restaurant. Both of the dishes tasted delicious, I couldn't believe how tasty Jordan's steak was and it was cooked perfectly, especially with the hand of the peppercorn sauce that was on the side.
I'm not going to lie I was getting seriously full after the main course so choosing a dessert that wouldn't overfill me to pop was on the cards. I had heard a lot about their Sticky Toffee Pudding so I advised that with the recommendation of other bloggers he should give it a go! I opted for the Bitter Chocolate Tart with Orange Sorbet.
Both of them tasted so good and ended our meal completely. We both couldn't compliment the meals at the Courtyard Restaurant enough and was definitely our highlight of the overall stay. We were both served well by the team and left to enjoy our dining experience in our own comfort.
After a few more drinks sat by the log fire and talking to a couple who had decided to bring their two dogs and their baby away for a spontaneous night away it was off to the land of nod. Oh didn't I mention that the Ox Pasture Hall Hotel also was dog-friendly?! That's a winner in its own right and I've definitely recommended my parents to come and visit with their dog.
In the morning we popped down to the Courtyard Restaurant again for a Full English Breakfast and a cup of tea, perfect to get us going for our day of exploring ahead. We decided before we left for a wander around Scarborough we would have a little adventure around the grounds of the hotel and see what it had to offer.
The grounds were breathtaking and I could see that this would be a perfect setting for a summer wedding. I would really like to revisit the grounds during the summer just to see it's vibrancy and space come to life!
With that we bid goodbye to the lovely staff and the wonderfulness of the Ox Pasture Hall, promising that we'd be making a return later in the year. We packed up the car and headed towards Scarborough. I haven't been into Scarborough for absolute years and was very excited to be returning.
In the winter months, Scarborough becomes quiet and quite gloomy. We decided it was still the perfect location to walk to the beach, get our hands on the 2p machines and have a fish and chips lunch. There isn't a trip to the beach without a fish and chip lunch! We decided to try out Winking Willy's, a popular restaurant on the seafront of Scarborough. I opted to have a burger whilst Jordan went for the classic fish and chips. It was a buzzing restaurant that had people walking in and out at a fast pace. We were served quickly and effectively by the lovely staff and it was the perfect way to end our trip to the seaside.
There's definitely a lot to offer within the surrounding areas of the hotel, Scarborough was only around 20 mins away in the car which is perfect if you want to have a day out near the seaside.
It was overall unforgettable that both Jordan and I thoroughly enjoyed. The sea air cleared out our lungs with fresh air, we came back refreshed and relaxed ready to give the rest of 2016 our absolute best. We'll definitely be revisiting the Ox Pasture Hall again later in the year, so book your night away before it's too late!
Disclaimer: This is a hotel review. A one night stay including breakfast and dinner was offered for me and a +1 in exchange for an honest review on my blog. As always, all opinions and photographs are my own. I definitely would recommend this place!