Recently awarded two AA Rosettes, the Conservatory Restaurant at The Devonshire Fell hotel, in the Yorkshire Dales, is now among the top dining venues in the north of England. Peta King is invited to sample its new menu.

ENGAGING Frenchman Stephane Leyreloup is unfazed by the aristocratic connections. Talking nineteen to the dozen, he namedrops with an insouciance that can only be continental.

“Yes, we’re expecting the Duchess to descend on us very soon,” he says.

“She wants to redesign some of the rooms.”

But he confides that he never knows what to expect when the owner of the hotel comes for another, very hands-on visit.

“Once it was all green and cream.

Then black and white.” A gallic shrug… “who knows…”

Indeed, the Duchess’s influence is everywhere at the Fell. But, be warned, first impressions can deceive.

From the outside, the Fell is an imposing, in truth, rather dour-looking, Edwardian mansion. It was built as a club for gentlemen mill owners.

But, inside it is a testament to sleek, contemporary style with an eclectic use of colour that would not be out of place in city centre boutique hotel. They’ve pushed the boundaries with the brightest palette of solid colours and modern fabrics, and the combination of traditional architecture and the simply stunning views certainly has the wow factor.

You could say they’ve chucked out the chintz with a vengeance.

The traditional entrance, where the porch is lined with all sizes of wellies to borrow for a spot of splodging, and umbrellas (this is the Dales, after all) leads straight into the sort of high-tech bar you would expect to see in a party city. Again, a contemporary twist has been given to the Edwardian staircase, with glass sculptures on each half landing and some early 20th Century Shell advertising posters on the walls.

Twelve startlingly different rooms – each named after a local village – have been personally designed and furnished by the Duchess.

Ours – Malham – high up in the eaves, has a soothing blue and white theme and views from the fairytale window to the village of Burnsall and its bridge over the river Wharfe – one of the most photographed in the country.

Others have views of the fells behind the house and there are two generously-sized family suites, each with a separate sofa-bedroom with its own bathroom.

The Fell has two restaurants. The Bistro – an informal area with comfy sofas, great for relaxed family dining – and the more formal, but certainly not fussy, Conservatory – a light, airy space with smart, bright decor very much akin to a city centre brasserie, but with unbeatable views across the valley.

Under the stewardship of Daniel Birk, at 26 one of the youngest head chefs of this calibre in Yorkshire, the Conservatory has recently been awarded two AA Rosettes.

Daniel, whose CV includes Rudding Park, Harrogate, and Clivedon House, in Berkshire, was runner-up in the Gordon Ramsay Scholarship in 2008.

At the Fell he takes advantage of all the top quality local ingredients on the hotel’s doorstep.

Starters range from Harrogate pigs’ cheek, a Parmesan and asparagus risotto or seared quail breast; mains Goosnargh duck, pigeon from the moors or ribeye steak from the Bolton Abbey estate.

Puddings, Valrhona chocolate fondant, rhubarb and mascarpone jelly or a sticky toffee baked Alaska and, of course, a selection of Yorkshire cheeses.

Wines at the Fell come from the renowned cellar at its sister hotel, The Devonshire Arms, at nearby Bolton Abbey. With more than 2,500 fine wines – some of them reaching four-figure prices – the cellar has a deserved reputation, but it also has more than 200 reasonably- priced house wines.

Breakfasts at the Fell include the full works, with Grassington sausages, local black pudding and free-range eggs, smoked salmon and scambled eggs, or – a first for me – porridge with a tot of whisky.

Now that would really set you up for that hike across the moors.

The Devonshire Fell is situated on the edge of the Duke of Devonshire’s 30,000-acre Bolton Abbey estate, one of the most beautiful and unexploited parts of the country.

From lovely villages to breathtaking limestone gorges, the scenery is enough to keep most visitors occupied. But there are also ruined abbeys, castles and stately homes to be explored and, on the doorstep, the shopping meccas of Harrogate, with its antique shops and boutiques, and Leeds, home to the big name designer stores ranging from Harvey Nichols to Vivienne Westwood.

Guests at the Fell have free use of the Spa at The Devonshire Arms with its swimming pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna.

There’s also an all-weather tennis court and mountain bikes to borrow.

And, you never know, you may perhaps bump into the Duchess doing a bit of decorating.

■ The Devonshire Fell, Burnsall, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 6BT. Tel: 01756-729000.For more details and current offers, see devonshirefell.co.uk