A Reeth royal welcome

AS we walk into the beautiful Burgoyne Hotel, in Reeth, the lovely Lola is waiting to greet us – there’s absolutely no chance of feeling anything less than warmly welcomed when a young and very gorgeous labrador takes it upon herself to make every guest feel special.

Not far behind Lola are owners Mo and Julia Usman, who took over the eight-bedroom hotel little more than a year ago, but have made it their quest to enhance the Burgoyne’s reputation as what Julia describes as “a traditional country home that welcomes people in”.

And what a lovely welcome it is, as we are shown to our suite, The Ivelet, with its spacious bedroom and pretty sitting room, both with south-facing views over the village green and the dramatic Yorkshire dales of Grinton and Harkerside. There’s also a pristine white bathroom with luxury soaps and shampoos and fluffy towels. The suite takes its name from nearby Ivelet Bridge, reputedly haunted by a very scary dog – unlike the very unscary Lola.

Julia gives us a guided tour of our suite, then leaves us with a “if there’s anything more you need, just let us know”, but we have absolutely everything a guest could want, from tea and coffee with locally-baked biscuits, to snuggly bathrobes and slippers. There are widescreen televisions in both rooms and even WiFi access should we need it. But for now it’s just lovely to relax in comfy armchairs, take in the view and browse through the thoughtful and helpful guest information. Even Lola has had her literary input, with some nicely-worded advice for fellow, well-behaved pets staying at this doggy-friendly hotel.

One of the changes Julia was determined to make was to replace the plethora of ornaments with her favourite books and magazines, so it’s tempting for us to sit back and enjoy a jolly good read. But this is walking country and, although it’s a bit late in the afternoon to be setting off on a marathon ramble, there’s still time to take a tour of Reeth. Julia and Mo recommend the Swaledale Museum, with its fascinating insights into the area’s history and displays on local people, crafts and pastimes.

We also take in the Dales Craft Centre, five minutes walk from the Green, which includes an art gallery packed with animals made from iron.

For those who don’t want to walk far, there are pleasant riverside strolls and bus-linked jaunts. Swaledale – “a little country in itself” – according to the late author and artist Marie Hartley, is such a stunning area of the northern Dales. Many parts are still farmed by traditional methods, says Julia, herself from a Dales farming background.

The wind’s a bit chilly on our walk, so we head back to the Burgoyne. On more pleasant afternoons, we could be sitting out for tea on the front lawns, but today the log fire in the sitting room is a heart-warming sight, as we catch a glimpse of guests enjoying sandwiches, freshly-baked scones with jam and cream and cakes. We’ve decided to save ourselves for the evening meal, but it all looks very tempting.

DRESSED for dinner – most guests feel comfortable in smart, but relaxed dress – we return to one of the two sitting rooms for drinks and a natter with other guests. It’s like being part of a friendly extended family, with chatter crossing the room and tales of the day’s events and expeditions.

There are also cosy areas for those who prefer intimacy. There’s lots to look at, from lovely old paintings and stylish lamps to gigantic vases filled with lilies and other fresh flowers.

And so to the four-course menu. Where to begin... there’s so much choice and long-established head chef Paul Salonga’s creations all sound delicious. I decide to start with hot asparagus wrapped in smoked salmon with grilled hollandaise sauce. Everything is perfect, from the al dente asparagus to crispy salmon and creamy sauce, but I still catch myself eyeing up my husband’s choice of sliced mango with prawns and curried mayonnaise, which he gives his ultimate accolade of “I could make a meal of this”.

I forego the home-made cream of celeriac and coriander soup because I turn an interesting shade of purple after consuming anything remotely connected to celery, but I’m told by my husband that it’s “absolutely first-class”.

There’s a home-made sorbet as a substitute, but I need as much space as possible for the delight yet to come, breast of Gressingham duck with apple mash and orange liqueur sauce, which is just fabulous. I can’t remember having duck so melt-in-the mouth. My husband’s fish pie – home-made of course – in brandy sauce with mashed potato and cheese is a similar success as are the fresh vegetables, including crispy roast potatoes that are just too good to resist.

We declare ourselves far too full to eat another morsel until Mo comes along with the sweet menu and tempts us to commit more calorific sins. I choose vanilla pannacotta with fruits and red berry coulis and my husband opts for a dark and white chocolate tart with St Clements ice cream. Both are amazing and well worth the diet we will be starting sometime in the future.

After retiring to the sitting room for coffee and mints we feel ready to collapse into our superking-sized bed for a blissful night’s sleep.

I blame the fresh air for our tiredness, my husband says it could just be something to do with the wonderful meal we have consumed.

The next morning, the sun’s streaming in and breakfast is beckoning. I can’t believe we could be hungry again but, suffice to say, we manage a pretty good job of putting away a full English (him) and eggs Benedict (me), all made with produce from locally-sourced suppliers.

There are also fresh fruits, cereals and juices plus lashings of tea and coffee. It’s a feast in itself and one that non-residents can book.

Before departing there’s still time for a chat with Mo and Julia, who tell us that the Burgoyne, or Hill House as it was first known, was built in 1783 for the Johnson family. It took its current name from former owner Mrs Burgoyne Johnson, whose family crests are carved into the stone fireplace in one of the sitting rooms.

During the Second World War, it was commandeered and became home to the “Reccies”, the Reconnaissance Regiment, at Reeth Battle School headquarters. A plaque now commemorates the regiment’s “occupation” on the railings of the hotel.

After the war, it became a country house hotel and has a history of success, including being named in 2001 as the Good Hotel Guide’s Yorkshire Hotel of the year.

Today, Julia’s special touches – the flowers, linens and candles, her choice of Farrow & Ball paintwork and new hall carpets in muted colours – all add to the friendly and soothing ambience. Guests using the hotel for all types of reasons, from weddings to shooting parties, bird watching to walking and cycling, can be sure of fantastic food, excellent service and the warmest of welcomes.

Mo and Julia say: “We see ourselves as the trustees of the Burgoyne. It belongs to the community, near and far, as much as it belongs to us. We like the fact that it’s not like other hotels, it has a quality and standard of its own, and people feel that they can relax in a homefrom- home.”

And as Lola adds a cheerful wag to wish us a safe journey home, we can’t help but feel that we will be back soon.

• The Burgoyne Hotel, Reeth. Tel 01748- 884292 or visit theburgoyne.co.uk. Open to non-residents, but booking essential