Rooms at the top

THE last time we stayed on the East Coast it was New Year, when we accepted the offer of a blow-up mattress in the living room of a friend’s holiday cottage.

Comfort doesn’t matter so much when quick afternoon drinks in the pub quickly turn into full day sessions. This time it was going to be different. This time we were heading for luxury.

Despite the bottom having fallen out of the economy, Yorkshire’s long established high-end hotels have recently been joined by a growing number of new establishments convinced that when times are bad people not only want to escape, but if the venue is right they will be willing to pay for it.

Unfortunately, no matter how much you spend on a weekend retreat, you can’t buy good weather and as we made our way over the moors and along the coastal road towards Sandsend the dark clouds began to gather.

The tiny fishing village might be less than five miles from Whitby but there’s something refreshingly untouched about the place where time seems to have almost stood still.

Sandsend has been a magnet for families wanting a traditional British holiday for years, but just up the road there are signs things may be changing. Raithwaite Hall is hoping to attract a new kind of visitor to the East Coast – one who wants spa treatments and fine dining as well as seaside strolls.

With just 45 bedrooms, the hotel may not be the biggest but it is a world away from the image of a traditional seaside guesthouse and it has history.

While the stately home’s original red brick has been clad in York stone and the interior given a new modern feel, it seems to have lost none of its character.

While Sandsend and Whitby are both only a walk away, the hotel offers guests a range of activities from fossil hunting to country pursuits, but set in its own rolling 80-acre estate and with an impressive spa complex, it’s also a retreat for those who want to do nothing more energetic than sit in a jacuzzi. We spent a couple of hours swapping between the pool, the sauna and the steam room.

We weren’t the only ones and it seems that Raithwaite Hall, where room prices start at £130, might just be onto something. It’s laid back and welcoming – there’s due to be dedicated accommodation for those who want to bring their dogs, and the restaurant is worth a look even if you’re not staying in the hotel itself.

While you might expect a hotel so close to the coast as this tospecialise in fish, Raithwaite’s signature dish is 45-day aged beef.

Just as we are settling in to the idea of doing very little, it is time to leave and head to the Cedar Court Grand in the heart of York, which last November became Yorkshire’s first five star hotel.

In a city with no shortage of four star establishments, opening a new high-end hotel with prices to match was always going to be a brave move.

Housed in the old North Eastern Railway Company’s headquarters, the 19th-century building has been given a £20m renovation, but the investment can’t always buy guests a view. Our room overlooked the neighbouring office block. Service is also patchy, particularly in the bar, but this at least is a problem relatively easily addressed.

Where the hotel does live up to its five star billing is in the spa and restaurant.

We dined on shellfish bisque and a seared breast of wood pigeon to start followed up with a fillet steak Rossini and a breast of guinea fowl. All of which were exquisite.

It may still need to hone a few rough edges but it’s hard not to admire the Cedar Court Grand.

The reality is, it is competing in a market with a number of established big guns. And as far as reputations go, they don’t come much bigger than the one of the Devonshire Arms, which has been selling luxury Yorkshire retreats after a major refit back in 1982.

The Dev, as its known by locals, is unashamedly old school. From the staff member dressed in tweed who welcomed us, there’s a strong whiff of North Yorkshire’s old countryside set.

Set on the sprawling Duke of Devonshire’s 30,000-acre estate, its location is hard to beat, but the Michelin starred menu in the Burlington restaurant is proof that this is a place with one eye firmly on the future. Increasingly it’s the promise of good food which persuades guests it’s worth parting with their money.

So is it best to book a stay in one of Yorkshire’s new breed of luxury accommodation, or should the old guard, tried and tested, be the way forward?

Raithwaite Hall and the Cedar Court Grand are sending out a warning shot for veteran establishments not to rest on their laurels. But for me, there can be no replacing the experience of going to somewhere that knows its game – and is still at the top of it.

Getting there

Raithwaite Hall,Sandsend Road, Whitby. Average cost of a double room per night with breakfast is £130 per night with bed and breakfast included. The presidential suite costs £400 per night with bed and breakfast included. More details are available at www.raithwaitehallwhitby.co.uk or by calling 01947 661661.

Cedar Court Grand Hotel and Spa,Station Rise,York. The cost of a Classic room per night is £150 to £200 during the week, and £200 to £250 at the weekend. More details are available at www.cedarcourtgrand.co.uk or by calling 01904 380038.

The Devonshire Arms Country House Hotel and Spa, Bolton Abbey, Skipton. The cost of a double-bed Wharfedale room per night is £236 with breakfast included and free use of the hotel spa facilities. The Prestige taster menu is £85 per person, although a range of deals are available by booking dinner along with bed and breakfast. More details are available at www.thedevonshirearms.co.uk or by calling 01756 710441.