Swinton Park Shortlist*
Masham, Yorkshire
Good Hotel Guide Review
Much altered since it was begun in 1695, the Cunliffe-Lister family’s neo-Gothic, castellated fantasy castle is ‘a very special place, grand and imposing’, in ‘simply glorious’ pleasure grounds and parkland. It returns to the Guide with a strong reader endorsement and the addition of ten new bedrooms in the coach house. From ‘knights’ rooms’ to signature suites, all are spacious, with an espresso machine, fine toiletries, access to Swinton Country Club. The opulent Georgian drawing room is hung with oil paintings and filled with antiques. There is estate-to-plate fare inside or out at the Terrace Restaurant, and fine dining in Samuel’s Restaurant. A stay here is a big experience: ‘Beware, it is addictive.’
Hotel details
Address
Masham
Yorkshire
HG4 4JH
England
Telephone
01765 680900
Bedrooms
42. 10 in Coach House, 1 fully adapted for disabled.
Open
all year, Samuel’s Restaurant closed at lunchtime.
Facilities
lift, library, sitting room, drawing room, morning room, lower hall, restaurants, bar, terrace, billiards room with cinema and den, meeting/conference facilities, in-room TV, spa, indoor pool (18m), outdoor pool (10m), civil wedding licence, EV charging, 200-acre parkland in 20,000-acre estate.
Background music
piano music in drawing room, spa and restaurant.
Children
all ages welcomed, extra bed £35 (but child-friendly packages available).
Dogs
allowed in most bedrooms, billiards room, morning room, lower hall (£30 per dog per night, towels, bed, chew, bowls).
Credit cards
MC, Visa.
Prices
room-only doubles from £275, breakfast from £22.50. À la carte (Terrace) £40, tasting menu (Samuel's) £85. 1-night bookings often refused Sat.
Good Hotel Guide articles about
Swinton Park
- The Independent: Britain’s best historic hotels
- The Independent: Ten of the best UK hotels with gardens
- MSN Travel: the top 10 wedding hotels in UK and Ireland
- MSN Travel: The 10 Best UK Hotels For A Family Holiday
- Conde Nast Traveler: Ten Castle Hotels Fit for Lords and Ladies
- Conde Nast Traveler: Historic Buildings that are Hotels