When you think of a weekend break, do you think of a few days of bonding with your family, or do you crave romance with your partner? Two of the Space in Your Case team reviewed Ox Pasture Hall Hotel, over the same weekend. Helen and her family, and Penny and her husband. Would they get under each other’s feet?
Penny’s date night.
Helen took the family.
Which would win out in the mini break wars? Date night or Family time? Can one hotel excel at both?
Penny’s Date Night
A little of what you fancy does you the world of good.
As a parent time with the one you love is so important, sharing some yummy treats, without the kids around for once, makes that even more special. This rather enticing cream tea we shared at Ox Pasture Hall Hotel was served with sandwiches, cakes, tea and champagne. It was a wonderful hotel for making you feel truly spoilt and pampered.
The way to his heart is through his stomach
Expect amazing food, beautifully presented. Dinner was incredible and breakfast included the best poached eggs I have ever tasted. The restaurant is spacious yet intimate and cosy, giving all diners from couples to families, plenty of space and privacy.
Getting away from it all is the perfect way to reconnect
Ox Pasture Hall Hotel is truly in the middle of nowhere. We took a short walk as soon as we arrived. The foggy November mist descended and the smell of woodsmoke drifted from the fire in the bar where we would be eating afternoon tea, it really felt quite magical. A proper escape. The wifi only working in public areas of the hotel when we stayed was a real bonus, we really switched off.
Follow your heart’s desire
A romantic stroll without the need for maps or planning. Straight out the hotel door and into beautiful woodland with marked paths. No need to argue over maps or get in the car. Leaves more time to talk and put the world to rights.
When in Yorkshire
Expect down to earth, warm and welcoming service. The staff work a kind of magic here, and put you completely at ease. The standard of food, accommodation and service is excellent, but without the pretentiousness that can get in the way of truly relaxing in some hotels.
A home from home
The suite we stayed in was like a mini cottage, rather than a hotel room. We instantly relaxed and felt at home. The rooms felt generous and furnished with country style warmth, rather than boxy and corporate like a hotel chain.
I don’t think I have ever succeeded in switching off so much in 24 hours as I did here. The staff, the setting, the cottage like rooms and the wonderful food made us feel truly relaxed. It was lovely to see Helen and family and if anything it made us wish we had our kids with us too, it would be a wonderful place to return with them, they would have loved the woods and could have had the sofa bed in our suite – so much bigger than your average hotel room, with the convenience of excellent catering. There were several families at the hotel when we stayed, and dogs, including ours, but the layout of the hotel made it easy for everyone to co-exist really happily.
Over to Helen…
Helen’s Family Bonding
Space to chill
Life is so hectic when the kids are at school; we rush from one term to the next, hurtling through parties, Brownie meetings, and football training. It often feels like one long round of tasks, and it’s easy to lose the wonderful family moments amongst the general chaos that is family life. So the chance to relax as a family and reconnect is always a welcome treat, and Ox Pasture was the perfect place to switch off and bond. With plenty of big squishy sofas to lounge on together, it was brilliant for the kids to get some time with their Dad.
Food to please all tastes
Food was a huge highlight. When I first saw the menu I jumped for joy, then worried the children might not find anything to their liking. I couldn’t have been more wrong. As I tucked into Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Sweet Potato Dauphinoise, the children relished their cheese on toast, tomato salad, and perfectly grilled steak. As for the cake, let’s just say it didn’t last long!
Relaxing together
When you travel with family, you need space to stretch out, and to know that you’re not bothering other people. Our family suite was just perfect, with plenty of room to relax, but felt quiet, and we weren’t in anyone else’s space. It was wonderful to have sofas and chairs to sit on instead of all trying to perch on a bed – although we did all pile in together to yell at the judges on X Factor!
A brilliant location
No matter how great the hotel, kids need to get out and get a change of scenery. Scarborough was perfect for that, even in winter, and we had an exhilarating time watching the waves crash up on the promenade in the wind! Funny how a walk along a beach is always an adventure with kids, even in bad weather, and we hurled pebbles into the foam with glee. There’s plenty to do in Scarborough, and we paid a visit to Sea Life for an excellent talk on their seal rescue and rehab programme too.
Time to laugh at yourself
Parents take parenting very seriously a lot of the time, and I’m no exception. It often takes me a while to wind down, so a weekend away from the temptation of all the jobs that still need doing is exactly what my kids need, to see that I’m not always fixated on tidy rooms, homework and piano practice! I was worried that such a lovely hotel might not accommodate the occasional antics of a family, but they couldn’t have been lovelier, and even shared a giggle with my daughter when she set me up for this very silly Instagram moment. Well, Mums need to relax too sometimes!
At no point did I feel like being a family was out of place at Ox Pasture Hall. I knew there were couples enjoying time without children, but there was enough space to accommodate us all, and I felt like we could all be ourselves – it was just relaxed and down to earth, but with all the touches of luxury you could wish for.
Need to Know
Best rates available direct with the hotel
Ox Pasture Hall Hotel, North Yorkshire Moors National Park, only 2 miles from Scarborough.
Read more about a family break on Helen’s Blog Actually Mummy
Read more about a Dog Friendly Hotel Stay on Penny’s blog A Residence
Glad both of you had such a great stay. We had a night there as a couple a few weeks ago and agree, it was so relaxing – the perfect place to wind down. But we would have had just as good a time with children too – it’s a hotel which suits everyone with no pretensions.
That’s exactly the way to describe it Trish – kind of a bit of luxury, but with absolutely none of the feeling of being out of place that you sometimes get in a very smart hotel.