Guesthouse review: Argyle House (Whitby, England)

Guesthouse review: Argyle House
18 Hudson Street, Whitby, England, YO21 3EP
Argyle House– map
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: **** (out of 5)

The three best words to describe this bed and breakfast are: lovely, quaint and friendly. Easy to find and situated on Whitby’s West Cliff, Argyle House is a superb place to stay when you are visiting this seaside town. We booked the last room at this great place, which is run by kind and knowledgeable couple Mel and Bill. We were lucky and had a seaview room, with comfy beds, and some dvds, in the attic of the house.

Mel was a great hostess and helped us when we had questions about the area – also being kind and lending us some umbrellas during a downpour. We did much touring so didn’t spend much time at the B & B. We came down for breakfast and besides a traditional English breakfast, cereal and vegetarian options on offer there was also fruit salad – a great and very much welcome addition for those of us who don’t eat fried food!

The other guests staying here were friendly and service was fast during breakfast. The house was quiet all the time although you could hear the seagulls outside – very nostalgic. I had a great time here and would not only recommend this guest house, but would indeed stay here again! Thank you Argyle House for helping us to have a wonderful visit to North Yorkshire!

Further information:
Argyle House (official site)

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Hotel/accommodation/pub preview: The Wombwell Arms (Wass, North Yorkshire)

Hotel/accommodation/pub preview: The Wombwell Arms
Wass, North Yorkshire, YO61 4BE
The Wombwell Arms/Wass – map
By: Alexa Williamson

The Wombwell Arms and Wass are a totally unexpected surprise en route to visit Byland Abbey. Technically, the abbey probably is in Wass, but depending on how you arrive there, you may come across the tiny village of Wass and this pub before you reach the Abbey, which is in a stunning area of hills and countryside.

According to their official site, the inn was originally built in 1620 as a granary, “probably using stone from nearby Byland Abbey” and later “became an ale house in about 1645”.

The Wombwell Arms attracted me as it is a characterful and a single building on a quiet rode. I visited, at dusk, after visiting the Abbey and loved the look of it from the outside – and also the little bits of the pub I could see on the inside. Fortunately, unlike a lot of British pubs it was not twee on the inside or “overly stuffy” with too many rugs or cushions. The pub is a great old space and has, as they proudly and rightly state on their website, that is has “stone flagged floors, beamed ceilings and a log fire”.

Whether you are eating or staying here, or stopping by for a drink, you are in for a wonderful and historic visit as not only are the proprietors and locals who live in the village nice, the latter have thankfully restored the entire building in a traditional manner. It feels airier than a lot of British pubs  – some of which are in nearby Helmsley and look great from the outside, but then you go inside and they are horribly stuff and have terrible 1970s carpets and upholstery.

In regards to accommodation, three bedrooms at the inn are modest, but have nice architectural features and are all en-suite. The Wombell Arms makes an excellent base for anything you would want to do in the area. It is a quiet retreat and you can easily go walking, cycle riding or visit Byland Abbey. I did not find any horsebackriding on my route to Wass or to visit the abbey, but that is also probably around.

The Wombwell Arms also caters for people with food allergies or special dietary requirements and the prices of their meals are also reasonable and the food looks fresh.

Definitely worth a visit as The Wombwell Arms and Wass are quiet, peaceful and still a wonderfully hidden secret.

Further information:
The Wombwell Arms (official site)
Byland Abbey (English Heritage – official site)

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Bed and breakfast/guest house/accommodation review: Fairhaven Country Guest House (Goathland, North Yorkshire, England)

Bed and breakfast/guest house/accommodation: Fairhaven Country Guest House
The Common, Goathland, Nr Whitby, North Yorkshire, Y022 5AN
01947 896361
Fairhaven Country Guest House – map
Review by: Alexa Williamson

For those looking to stay somewhere charming in a remote area of the English countryside, then it is worth “checking in” at this historic guesthouse.

Goathland is a stunning little village right near the famous coastal town of Whitby. It has a large common and is surrounded by the green rolling hills of the North Yorkshire Moors. It is also quiet and if you are not used to the roads, then, amusingly, you need to take care at night or your will drive off into the fields. That is how remote, tranquil and bucolic Goathland is. There are not many houses or anything there so you get great views and a peaceful pace with which to enjoy your stay and travels.

The tourist board kindly booked me in at the last minute. I was visiting Whitby but everything was full on a Friday night except this lovely guest house. I had always been intrigued by Goathland because it is so remote but had never been there. When I finally managed to get to Fairhaven after a journey on the wide-open winding roads, I was very happy with what was on offer. Fairhaven is a beautiful and characterful guest house. It is huge and just over 100 years old, having been built by a sea captain!

Liz and Keith Pritchard, the owners, plus their daughter Kelly who helps run and manage things, have lived there only a few years and are extremely positive and greet guests with kindness, warmth and excitement. It is obvious that the family love what they do and you are treated with care when you stay.

The house is also huge and has the elegant features of a classic English house from the past, that is large rooms, hardwood floors and big windows.

Fairhaven has lovely furnishings and all rooms either have ensuite bathroom/shower rooms or private facilities – and downstairs there is a huge lounge to enjoy. Yet, the prices are very reasonable for what you receive and the views from your bedroom of the sweeping hills are beautiful. Honestly, one could sit all day and look at the views.

Breakfast is also tasty and you can choose fresh fruit as well as a full English breakfast. Plus there are many teas and other delights to be had. Definitely worth booking if you are looking for somewhere quiet, historical and friendly. When you’re here you don’t miss Whitby or anywhere else as it is so relaxing and unique. Fairhaven also has an excellent website with information about the guest house, plus the surrounding area.

Further information:
Fairhaven Country Guest House (official site)

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Bed and breakfast/guest house/accommodation review: Number Five Bed and Breakfast (Whitby, North Yorkshire, England)

Bed and breakfast/guest house/accommodation review: Number Five Bed and Breakfast
5 Havelock Place, Whitby, North Yorkshire
Y021 3ER, England
Number Five Bed and Breakfast – map
Telephone: 01947 606 361
Review by: Alexa Williamson

The Number Five Bed and Breakfast stands quietly on Havelock Place. It is neat, tidy and appealing from the outside – ie it has the quintessential look of a good-sized, characterful and classic Victorian house of Whitby – with large windows, a brick face and small garden in the front. Having been to Whitby at least a dozen times over the years, I have passed it numerous times and always wondered what it was like to stay there because it is charming from the outside and it is in a great location on a West Cliff street, right in between the Spa Pavillion (overlooking the sea) and Flowergate/centre of town.

Needing last-minute accommodation on my travels in Whitby, I called up the tourist board and they were able to book me a single room here, which cost £33 including breakfast. The room wasn’t en-suite, but that didn’t matter as I later discovered that it had an excellent bathroom 10 steps away.

Entering the property after a long day out in North Yorkshire, I was greeted by Mary, one of the two proprietors of the B & B, and made to feel welcome. And, after you enter the house, you happily learn that it as charming and neat and tidy inside as it is outside! Stepping into Number Five you feel like you are in a truly Victorian house with the high ceilings, various sized rooms, wood floors and numerous floors to the property. The view from the large windows are also great as you look out on to historic Whitby. The streets in front of you (at the front of the house) still look hundreds of years old and the alley at the back of the house is a classic Whitby lane.

Besides this being an interesting building, there are numerous collectibles and antiques in Number Five, which make it a curious and exciting place to explore – porcelain figures, various old plates, lots of VW vans and more. And, there are many magazines to read.

As for breakfast, the breakfast room in the bottom of the house is large, quaint and sunny as the collectibles continue downstairs. In the morning you can smell the excellent food being prepared and it makes you want to go and sit down to eat. Plus, Mary is an excellent cook, the portions are large (or small if you like) and you can either have a vegetarian meal or a full English breakfast – plus they also have many different types of cereals, teas and can prepare a special diet for you if you have allergies (they ask for advance notice so they can be organised).

Number Five is a relaxed, clean and characterful place to stay. The kind and friendly welcome from the proprietors, as well as there patience, is much appreciated and it is worth a stay when you are in Whitby. I had a great time from beginning to end and recommend it for the location, excellent taste/decor, hospitality, reasonable prices and peacefulness of the premises. And, there is also Wifi if you need it and they also supply you with a bathrobe (ie dressing gown) if you want one.

Hearing the seagulls in the morning and staying in a sunny room in a beautiful Whitby townhouse in winter or any season with nice people, life can’t get much better than that – as not only is the place a haven but  you also are, of course, in the middle of stunning Moors countryside and on the sea coast!

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Bed & breakfast/hotel review: The Daisy Centre (Glastonbury, Somerset, England)

Bed & breakfast/hotel review: The Daisy Centre
6 Church Lane, Glastonbury, Somerset, England BA6 9JQ
The Daisy Centres map (click here)
01458 834587
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: ***** (out of 5)

For those who would like to stay somewhere tranquil when exploring one of England’s most famous and interesting historic towns, then look no further than this beautiful, peaceful and tastefully done angelic (literally) healing retreat and bed & breakfast, right in the centre of Glastonbury.

The Daisy Centre is a beautiful place to stay and you will be happy not only staying there as a base to explore the exciting area of Glastonbury which has a lot of outdoor attractions within a short walking distance including Glastonbury Abbey, The Glastonbury Tor, The Chalice Well & Gardens and The White Spring, but also just being in such a pretty, sunny environment.

To begin with, the owners, Daisy and Paul Foss are kind, friendly and positive people who make everyone that stay there feel welcome. Within the property, there are 6 bedrooms, all in white with beautiful angels everywhere and there is also an angels healing room and a healing music room outside, plus a beautiful English country garden, and all is walled in so that when you are at the Daisy Centre you have the wonderful luxury of feeling that you are, as the site mentions, in a special retreat – a place of quiet, beauty and sunshine so that if you don’t feel like exploring you can have a quiet and peaceful time there.

The Centre has been decorated by Daisy and it has lots of beautiful angel pictures, wall hangings (fantastically done by Daisy), carvings and more throughout the house. Happily, it is also a spotlessly clean property and there are also interesting books that you can read if you want to relax at the Centre.

Highly recommended for any length of stay. Rooms are clean, tranquil and tend to be sunny. Also, located at the top of the High Street and very easy to get anywhere and also to find once you know where it is.

Further information:
The Daisy Centres (Official site)

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