Charlotte gives her thoughts on a stay at Raithwaite Hall in Whitby, North Yorkshire:

My Mum and I are partial to a girly break away now and then, usually in the UK, and, although I wouldn’t call us fussy, we have a few boxes that need to be ticked when picking accommodation!

The most important of these include the hotel offering a wide range of facilities, but ideally a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, a sauna and a gym (even if we don’t end up using the gym it’s nice to have good intentions!), having decent dining options as we don’t always like having to leave our retreat to head somewhere else for dinner or breakfast, boasting comfortable rooms that are spacious and offer a few touches of luxury, and finally being located in a pleasant setting.

Raithwaite Hall in Whitby ticks every one of these boxes, plus many, many more.

The hotel is actually located just outside Whitby in Sandsend, which on a summer’s day is an idyllic beach-side village. Almost directly opposite the entrance to the road that winds up to the hotel, there’s a small wooden café which serves amazing crab sandwiches and gorgeous rum n’ raisin ice cream!

If you didn’t know any better, you’d think this was a beach in Florida!

As for the hotel itself, it’s a fairly recent addition to the North Yorkshire hotel scene but, although modern in look and feel, it’s been built sympathetically into the existing landscape.

The exterior of the hotel, with the spa on show at the bottom

In fact, the setting of the hotel is one of its highlights; the gardens need to be seen to be believed (we enjoyed having a stroll after breakfast to work off a few of those calories) and there are walking routes from the hotel itself all the way through to Whitby.

Stunning garden view

Raithwaite Hall offers five star service right from the moment you arrive, from the friendly welcome at reception to the warm yet not imposing manner in which you’re shown to your room.

The rooms we’ve stayed in before are set in the main hall, although there are other accommodation options available, e.g. in the Lake House.

We’ve stayed on two occasions now at Raithwaite Hall and both times have enjoyed large, spacious rooms, with huge comfortable beds and modern, classy bathrooms. It’s a very quiet, cosy environment to spend time in.

A highlight for us at Raithwaite Hall is undoubtedly the spa. The swimming pool is fantastic and not too cold (we can be a bit wimpy when it comes to pool temperatures!), the Jacuzzi is spacious and warm, and the sauna isn’t too overwhelmingly boiling hot.

There are also really comfortable loungers set around one end of the pool where we like to relax with a book. They also provide complimentary magazines to read, which is a nice touch.

We don’t normally bother with spa treatments during our girly weekends, but the spa does seem to offer a variety of treatments if that’s your sort of thing.

Raithwaite Hall also, somewhat bizarrely, offers a Dog Spa, one of the only “luxury” Dog Spas in the country! If pampering your pooch is more important to you than self-indulgence, this could be the perfect option for you!

Each time we’ve stayed, our package has included dinner in the main restaurant. The food on offer shows off everything that is good about local produce in Yorkshire, whilst the service is attentive without being overbearing. I always judge a restaurant by its bread and butter (I know, I know!) and I have very fond memories of the warm rolls that are carried out at Raithwaite Hall before you order your meal.

As for breakfast, last time we went I ate so much I wasn’t sure if I’d ever feel hungry again. I actually managed some fish and chips later that day in Whitby but that’s beside the point!

Breakfast revolves around a main buffet table and highlights include the cooked breakfast options (especially the creamy scrambled eggs and crispy bacon), the pastries, and the breads. Breakfast is a relaxed affair even though it’s served in the main restaurant, which takes on a more demure look through clever mood lighting in the evening.

Raithwaite Hall is one of the best hotels I’ve stayed in in the UK and since it’s only a two hour drive from us, I will definitely be returning at some point in the future!