Mrs North and I will have been together* 15 years this Friday.

Being poorly organised, I’ve yet to buy her a gift**. I want to take her away for a night or two, and so will arrange to go away in January.

Got any recommendations for country house/boutique hotels (preferably in the north)?

Cheers!

*Not married.
**I’m pretty certain she’s completely forgotten anyway – she usually does.

Dunkeld Hilton?

http://www.hilton.co.uk/dunkeld

Plenty of biking available 🙂

How far north?

I stayed at Doxford Hall last year. It’s had a fortune spent on it in the last couple of years and this really shows. Very quiet area – about 10 miles north of Alnwick close to the Northumberland coast which I would imagine would be quite dramatic in January.

Scotland? In January? Are you mad?

😀

I’ll have a look….

Peel Castle

http://www.peelcastle.co.uk/

Mr C – North East is fine (we’re in Lancs). I’ll have a look at that too. Thanks!

given the “useless man” part of the post, i’d go with the New Inn, Cropton in Yorkshire.
Or to give it it’s full name the New Inn And Cropton Brewery because it has a brewery attached.
And it’s near Pickering the home of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway which has steam trains.

go on, a weekend away in a brewery with some steam trains thrown in – you know you she’ll want to

Houns – cheers. Isn’t that a Grand Designs one? Would it be “ambitious” going there..? 😉

BBSB – love it..!

Raithwaite Hall?

http://www.raithwaitehallwhitby.co.uk/

Opened last weekend, very nice place indeed.

Or Grinkle Park?

http://www.classiclodges.co.uk/Grinkle_Park_Hotel_Cleveland

Good access to the moors for cheeky bike rides

Creq – cheers. Will have a look..!

a bit closer to you, the Samling in Ambleside gets mentioned a lot, I’ve never had the money to stay there though.

The George in Hexham (Chollerford)

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g186351-d249184-Reviews-George_Hotel-Hexham_Northumberland_England.html

Cheers Julian – I’ll have a look.

Geoff – she’s called George. She’ll think I chose it for the name..!

We’ve stayed at the Rampsbeck Country House in Ullswater. Nice hotel on the lakeside and have some very special four poster rooms if you want to spoil your lady!

The Drunken Duck above Ambleside may be worth a look.

All on the list. Thanks..!

Here Try this splendid place. Mrs Soks was most impressed.

http://www.portmeirion-village.com/content.php?nID=23;lID=1
Not exactly the north, but I’m quite sure it’d be remembered.

On your doorstep (Lancashire)Northcote Manor

Run by local ‘celebrity chef’ Nigel Howarth.

grassington yorkshire dales just over an hour away loads to see and do

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again

http://www.thesamlinghotel.co.uk/

Mr C – North East is fine (we’re in Lancs). I’ll have a look at that too. Thanks!

You mean the south then

Haweswater Hotel

Miles from anywhere, quirky art deco interior, great biking and walking from the door, superb restaurant.