Travellers heading between London and Sunderland have long stopped at this Georgian hostelry which skirts the North York moors. Today, the former coaching inn (part of the Provenance Inns group) is much liked; a ‘splendid’ hotel where ‘delicious food’ is only one of the draws. The welcome is warm, the atmosphere homely. The drama of the ‘wonderful, light-filled’ drawing room is as much about its ‘quirky’ original features (plasterwork starfish, elephants, vines) as its bold styling. Equally dramatic are the well-appointed, individually designed bedrooms, some with a four-poster, a stand alone bath, designer wallpaper. Efficient sound insulation is appreciated. Candlelit dinners are cooked ‘with flair’; a generous locally sourced breakfast includes ‘proper, thick toast’. The Carpenters Arms, Felixkirk (see main entry) is a sister hotel.