Riverside Bed & Breakfast - North Yorkshire (county)

We are traveling across northern England - mother and two adult daughters - and we enjoyed a wonderful one-night stay at the Royal Oak Inn. It is located on a quiet street in Appleby, in easy walking distance of a fascinating parish church, a welcoming tourist information center, and Appleby Castle (which - though closed to visitors - has an intriguing history all its own). Our "family room" was actually 6 rooms, including a fully equipped kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom, and two bedrooms, a remarkable amount of space for no more than we have paid for our other B&B accommodations. Everyone we encountered was warm and welcoming, and breakfast was delicious.

This is an old fashioned country inn with all the comfort of the big city. The room was spotless, the bed comfortable and the shower had more pressure than my spouse knew what to do with. (this NEVER happens) The pub/restaurant is the local gathering place so the atmosphere is authentic and friendly. (great meal, too) "Residents" have their own convenient entrance right off the parking lot. Reception is in the pub, and even though the landlord had a full house when we arrived, care was taken that we were comfortably settled in and that we had everything we needed. He even looked up the schedule of the traveling vicar to find out if services were to be held in the local church that Sunday. The property was described as being in Harrogate, a bit of a reach by six miles or so but well worth the drive. The community of Darley is unbelievably quaint and picturesque and the surrounding countryside is stunning, green and bucolic Major complaint: we didn't have several days to spend here!

My wife and I loved the Westmorland. It is centrally located between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lakes district on the M6, making it a great base for exploring. The hotel has a great atmosphere - very relaxed - and the views were great. Out our window we saw cattle, sheep, rabbits, and the clearest, most beautiful rainbow we have ever seen. The huge windows of the restaurant/breakfast room offer wonderful views of the countryside as well. The staff was friendly and helpful, the fire in the fireplace was warming, and the little bar in the lounge area was great for a nice nightcap. We extended our stay by one night and would definitely return.

This hotel is incredbly easy to find and accessible from the A1. I only stayed for one night as I was in the area for a function, and for a hotel that could just be a motel, the rooms are lovley and clean, and above and beyond what you might expect. The staff were friendly, there was everything I might need, and on top of that, there was a good hearty breakfast. I'd have no problems in staying here again should I be in the area!