Yorebridge House

An outpost of cosmopolitan glamour, set in a former schoolmaster’s house in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales

Having decided to open their own hotel, globe-trotting couple David and Charlotte Reilly almost committed to properties in France and, later, Italy. But when a former Victorian headmaster’s house and adjacent school building called Yorebridge came on the market in the picturesque Wensleydale village of Bainbridge in 2006, any plans to buy abroad were abandoned. It’s easy to see why they fell for these elegant stone buildings. Framed by towering Scots pines and set beside a river, they overlook a spectacular Dales’ panorama of rolling fields, dry-stone walls and ancient barns.

But Yorebridge hasn't always been as well-groomed as it is today. Having previously served a long stint as the headquarters of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, there was much work to be done transforming the property from an office building into a contemporary hotel with 11 rooms and a buzzy restaurant. With Charlotte’s background as an interior designer coming into play, and plenty of period character to work with, the result is a truly cosseting country retreat that’s packed with atmosphere, style and good cheer.

Highs

• Glamorous bedrooms, all different, with designer beds, gorgeous fabrics and high-tech sound systems
• Perfect for a romantic break - the setting is sublime, and many rooms have outdoor hot tubs or freestanding baths
• Fantastic dinners kick off with canapés in the lounge; menus feature local specialities such as delicious Dales cheeses, Whitby crab and wonderfully tender meat
• Stunning views of the Dales countryside from the dining room and the upstairs rooms
• The hearty welcome: you’re as likely to find yourself propping up the bar with a local farmer fresh off a tractor as you are with city folk dolled up in their gladrags

Lows

• Bainbridge is one of the quieter Dales villages - for more entertainment, you have to drive
• Despite good intentions, constraints involved in renovating a listed building mean that some noise can drift through to the bedrooms from the bar
• This is a popular place and rightly so - book well in advance if you'd like a particular room