Unstuffy places in North for Christmas break

[Mrs Woman]

Hi all

Can anyone recommend a good unstuffy place wit great food for my parents to stay over Christmas? It’s my turn with the in-laws this year so my folks are planning to have a cosy getaway somewhere. They’re looking for somewhere within a couple of hours drive from Notts, so Derbyshire, Lakes, Yorkshire, Shropshire, etc., is fine.

They’d initially thought of Linthwaite House in the Lakes but discounted it after I told them it would (a) probably be extortionate over Christmas and (b) we found that although it prides itself as ‘unstuffy’, there’s still a lot of people who put the full works on for dinner (I don’t mind putting on a little glitz but there was a guy in a full tux the weekend we were there!), and that it was still quite formal in places.

So, ideally, it would be a great welcoming, down-to-earth inn or hotel that does fab food that is open over Christmas. Any ideas?!

I’ve only managed to think of the Star at Harome and the Yorke Arms up to yet.

[Gary Marshall]

star would fit the bill don't know their opening hours, check their website for availability of rooms as they are usually full.

yorke arms v nice, and does xmas breaks as some friends did it a year or so ago.

blue lion at east witton has lots of rooms and is quite laid back, try the good pub guide for some more inspiration

[BertieWooster]

Even if there are rooms at The Star, it'll be very expensive. Course you could stay at the other place in the village (The Pheasant) which is very nice in a 70s sort of way, lovely people running it, and then eat at The Star (though not sure if the latter are doing xmas lunch).

IN Derbyshire there's the Riverside at Ashford, which is lovely, not many rooms though IIRC.

We once got a couple of rooms over boxing and the-day-after-boxing at The Endeavour in Staithes, which was stunning in every way.

White Swan at Pickering is worth recommending too. Pickeing generally has a few nice places in it.

[SaladFingers]

I only know a few places in the lakes,

The Brown Horse at Winster sits in a beautiful region in the South, near places like Bowness and Windermere and more immediately near a wonderful farm shop. In my experience serves delicious food and is unstuffy.

The Waverley Hotel in Windermere, with Jerichos restaurant. The food is awesome and the owners are lovley and friendly, the opposite of stuffy. There's no dress code as such, even though compared to surrounding places, it's rather up-market.

The Punchbowl Inn is excellent in every way, not stuffy in the slightest. The have a three night Christmas package including an 8 course Christmas Day lunch, which sounds good to me.

[Mrs Woman]

Thanks for all these suggestions! I've forwarded them on to mum and dad with your comments. I quite fancy going with them now