I recently took a trip up North, to a town I’d never visited before! Being offered a night away at the Ox Pasture Hall Hotel, a hidden gem country hotel in Scarborough Yorkshire. Chic, rustic hotels in such picturesque locations are right up my street and was not disappointed when arriving here
Ox Pasture Hall Hotel
The hotel is located in the countryside, offering a generous 17 acres of grounds to wander on a peaceful stay. Ox Pasture Hall Hotel is also a Wedding and Celebrations Venue with a gorgeous barn ceremony available. Not to mention a dog friendly hotel, which I am told it is very popular with regular and new travellers.
Located within the North Yorkshire Moors, just 2 miles from Scarborough, a gorgeous little seaside town which I’m sure you’ve already heard of. Surrounded by fields and hills, there’s no denying this hotel is in such an undisturbed location. It was clear to see staying at the Ox Pasture Hall Hotel at this time of year would be an absolute delight.
The Rooms
Each of the 32 rooms and suites are decorated to such a wonderfully high standard, pairing charming living and sleeping areas with modern bathroom suites, ranging from Classic Bedrooms to Luxury Suites.
Room prices per night start from £135 for a Classic Double to £325 for a Luxury Suite. Honestly for the quality, location and service I see this as such a great price!
Entering one of the largest suites, Wetherby, I was in awe of the size – an extremely spacious living area with TV, sofa, tea and coffee facilities, desk and large wardrobe. The living room leads off to the bedroom and bathroom. The bedroom with king-size bed, TV and storage space. The bathroom was the biggest wetroom I’ve been in! With a bath tub, not one but TWO sinks and a walk in rainfall shower. Stunning!
The Wetherby suite overlooks the side garden with seating under an Arbour, very peaceful and not at all overlooked.
My only criticisms for the rooms were that there was no Wifi available in the room, perhaps this was due to the room being so far from the main building/reception area. Also, I would have liked to see more local produce in the tea and coffee facilities.
The Food
The Courtyard Restaurant offers an elegant fine-dining experience with a jaw-dropping la carte menu. It is also mentioned in the Michelin guide and is the only restaurant in Scarborough with two Rosettes for culinary excellence.
For a more casual evening you can dine in the Bistro which serves hearty Gastro dishes in a rustic setting. Being a dog friendly hotel, you can also dine with your pet in this setting.
Ox Pasture Hall Hotel pride themselves in their high quality food using as much locally sourced produce and redefining British classics. The kitchen is run by head chef Craig, who has previously worked at a 2 Michelin Star Restaurant, and his second chef Gareth who has worked at 1 Michelin Star and 4 Rosettes restaurant! It’s safe to say with so much experience under their belts, I couldn’t wait to try the food!
A La Carte Menu
Amuse-bouche of baked fig with goats cheese mousse, prosciutto and Parmesan crisp
A plate of homemade breads served with churned butter and beef dripping. Oh my, the sourdough was outstanding, with a sweet glaze and chunky crust!
For starter, Pig’s Head. A very thin terrine-like layer of pork topped with piccalilli puree, gherkin, pickled shallot, salted apple, capers, parsley oil, ponzu and coriander.
For Mains, North Sea Pollock. Served with duck egg, burnt leek puree, heritage potatoes and leek, Parmesan crisp and leek oil
Second main of 100 day salt aged Beef served with alliums, miso and seaweed
Palate cleanser of lemon polenta with nasturtium sorbet and raspberry cream reduction
For desserts, The Summer Pudding. Fresh berries served with clotted cream, Verjus and topped with tiny pieces of liquid Nitrogen-frozen berry and cream pieces
Dark Chocolate. A frozen bitter sweet dark chocolate segment served with cherries, miso, lime and coriander and a chocolate gelato
The main reason I love a la carte menus is down to the presentation and portion size of the dishes. I prefer experiencing a handful of small dishes compared to 2-3 larger courses.
When I read the menu I was a little apprehensive of the flavour combinations but true to reviews and awards, there was no disappoinment. The flavours complimented eachother beautifully and the flow of courses worked so well together. Every course was cooked and presented to perfection, you can clearly see just how passionate the chefs are about the dishes they prepare. The waiting staff were out of this world, giving us a good description of the dishes as they arrived at the table.
After our meal the pastry chef came to introduce himself, bring a surprise. A dry ice demonstration making ‘no bake macaroons’, as he described it. Using a whipping cream canister with white chocolate mousse, injecting mousse with eucalyptus syrup and placed into the bowl to set. Then quickly removing and placing over a bed of sweet crumbs! It all happened so fast, I was unable to get a photo of the finished macaroon but I can tell you it was a great experience and the macaroon itself was so refreshing and light!
The Verdict
After a perfect stay I felt disappointed that I had to leave, I could have happily stayed an extra night. I’ve never had such a perfect stay at a hotel like I have at the Ox Pasture Hall Hotel. The staff do everything to make guests feel warm and welcome. They were so passionate and keen to talk to anyone about the hotel and surroundings.
The hotel would suit any couple, whether you fancy a relaxing weekend away or are keen to explore the outdoors. Not forgetting to bring your pampered pooch along for a luxury sleepover and plenty of country trail walks!
To the locals who may not fancy a night away, I’d recommend booking a table in The Courtyard Restaurant for dinner – the perfect romantic setting for any celebration!
A day in Scarborough
I didn’t have much time, being so far from home so I got up bright and early and took to the seaside! Having never been to Scarborough I was excited to discover what the town had to offer. I was pleasantly surprised upon arrival, a quaint little town perched on a hill. It reminded me so much of Weymouth, another seaside town and my hometown!
It was a beautiful and incredibly warm day for it! Scarborough town took me by surprise, it was smaller than I expected! Walking along the coast and up some lovely little trails I found a quaint little public garden (also a Pokemon Gym) – sorted for an hour!
Sadly the battery on my camera died so I couldn’t get any photos of the rest of the day. After chilling in the sun for a while I took a walk again. There are plenty of things to do in Scarborough. One to put at the top of your list would exploring Scarborough Castle a former Medieval Royal Fortress, it sits high above the town and overlooks the North Sea!
Another great day out for all the family is North Bay Railway, with plenty to do including a Sea Miniature Railway for the kids and Train Driver Experiences for the big kids! As well as Water chutes and a Sky Trail – a great experience for anyone who loves thrill-seeking and very similar to Go Ape!
I had the best weekend in Scarborough and really look forward to returning some day for more exploring!
Have you ever been to Scarborough? What do you think of the Ox Pasture Hall Hotel? Let me know in the comments below…
