The Best Hotels to Book Near Castle Howard, York

This riverside coaching inn has been welcoming visitors to Malton since the 17th century. Nowadays, the town is heralded as the food capital of Yorkshire, packed with artisan producers, inventive eateries and a range of culinary tours. Very much part of the scene, The Talbot’s restaurant serves locally sourced produce in its dapper dining room. The bedrooms combine antique pieces, warm velvets and vivacious pops of colour. From here, hop on the bus to Castle Howard.

An amalgamation of a Georgian townhouse sandwiched between two Tudor buildings, this dog-friendly pub with rooms will delight fans of higgledy-piggledy charm. Sip a craft beer in the private walled garden on a sunny day, whilst frosty nights call you to hunker down in a generous armchair near the big open fire. Helmsley itself is just 13mi (21km) north of Castle Howard and is awash with inviting spots, including a traditional sweet shop and microbrewery.

Pickering makes a fine base for a Yorkshire adventure, set between the Howardian Hills and the North York Moors. This country inn occupies a spot on one of its characterful streets. Both inside and out, it is full of easy charm. Choose a meal of beer-battered Whitby haddock and chips in the AA Rosette restaurant or sip a glass of real ale in the bar’s snug. The converted stables provide restful bedrooms, with stone flags warmed by underfloor heating.

Once a Georgian manor house, there are plenty of pleasing period touches throughout this Pickering-based hotel. It’s the amenable staff hospitality that really stands out, though. Well, that and its hearty traditional English breakfasts, which also come in vegetarian iterations. Castle Howard is just a 25-minute drive away, plus the hotel is in a handy location for catching the heritage rail line to the Yorkshire coast. Finish the day with a well-earned gin and tonic in the hotel’s lawned garden.

At the heart of Helmsley market square, you’ll find the Feathers Hotel, a genial base for exploring the best historic buildings, walking trails and family-run boutiques in Yorkshire. Not that it’s necessary to go far. Instead, sit alongside the regulars at the hotel’s ever-popular restaurant, pub or coffee house. The comfortable bedrooms include spacious options with sofa beds for families, plus their hospitality also extends to dogs.

This historic inn houses a pub – complete with wooden beams and a convivial atmosphere – as well as a restaurant serving bountiful, well-cooked classics. Floral wallpapers and tactile fabrics lend character to the bedrooms. For a real country escape vibe, stay in the cosy, secluded garden room, with its hot shower and self-composting toilet in the hut next door. To reach Castle Howard, it’s a 25-minute drive through a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Owners and brothers Rob and Ed Fawcett have a passion for unfussy quality and locally sourced produce. This is clear as soon as you step inside The Fairfax Arms. The beds are handmade near Whitby, the menu centres around locally reared meats and drink options include local ales and a proper brew of Yorkshire tea. The 15-minute drive to Castle Howard is over rolling hills and through broadleaved woodland.