Weekend Away - The Alice Hawthorn
David Poynton enjoyed the charming country pub in the Historic North Yorkshire Village of Nun Monkton
After battling our way across the M62 and M1 on a Friday afternoon we arrived at the quaint village of Nun Monkton approximately 10 miles outside of York. The perfect setting for The Alice Hawthorn where we would be spending the next two nights.
We were greeted by Claire, one of the husband and wife team who run The Alice Hawthorn, who showed us to our gorgeous garden room. The recently built garden rooms have a barn theme, which certainly fits in well with the country style vibe. These rooms come with all the mod cons you could hope for when checking into a hotel these days. Air-conditioning – smart TV – walk-in rainfall shower and a large free-standing bathtub. We were extremely comfortable and relaxed in our room and looking out across the lawn the local rabbits looked quite relaxed too.
We decided to explore the local area and take a walk following one of the routes suggested in the walking guide that was available in our room. There were several walks available (varying in distance) and we opted for a short 3 mile walk, which was very enjoyable as we were also eager to return The Alice Hawthorn to enjoy what the bar had to offer. The bar and restaurant are full of character and has been refurbished to a high standard. Local Yorkshire products are embraced on both menus which all adds to the atmosphere, appealing to locals as well as traveling guests such as ourselves.
That evening we dined on a 3 course meal which we enjoyed with excellent attentive service and flawless food in both quality and presentation. We started the evening with popcorn prawns which were extremely fresh and coated with the lightest tempura batter, while my partner enjoyed the seabass ceviche, that was packed with flavour. We followed with our mains of guinea fowl and a perfectly cooked fillet steak, so soft and tender that the knife glided through with complete ease. To finish we enjoyed a generous cheese board along with a homemade Bakewell tart, before retiring to the bar area for a tipple of their homemade rhubarb schnapps.
On our second day we awoke refreshed and ready for the day ahead, but what better way to start the day than a full breakfast! We started with freshly squeezed orange juice and a refreshing apple and ginger shot before taking on the Yorkshire breakfast. The portion size was just right, the homemade black pudding was outstanding and a must try for black pudding lovers such as myself. The grilled cherry tomatoes on the vine made a pleasant change to what would normally arrive on a full breakfast. There were several other breakfast dishes to choose from including a smoked salmon dish, grilled halloumi and avocado, poached duck eggs with asparagus and buttermilk pancakes. The selection for breakfast was certainly impressive.
Given The Alice Hawthorn’s close proximity to York, we decided to travel in to soak up all of the history and culture of one of England’s most cherished cities. We walked the walls which is a great way to take the city in passing fantastic views of York Minister.
After a pleasant afternoon in York we headed back to the Alice Hawthorn where we relaxed some more before heading down for our meal. The evening delivered all the same experiences from the night before, great service and fantastic food which again left us feeling very satisfied. Before calling it a night one of The Alice Hawthorn’s friendly staff kindly guided us through their wine selection and picked out an excellent Italian red, Sangiovese, which rounded off the night perfectly.
The next morning, we had a holiday blues feeling as we had enjoyed our time at The Alice Hawthorn so much, and the time to leave was upon us. But not before another breakfast, this time opting for the buttermilk pancakes which were the vision and quality we all imagine when thinking about breakfast pancakes!
Before checking out Claire was kind enough to show us some more of the hotel rooms on offer in the main building. Again, the style flows with elegance in each room. The level of hard work and dedication that the team at The Alice Hawthorn put in, led by Claire and John, the husband and wife team is unmissable. And what they have built is truly special. The Alice Hawthorn serves well as a place to relax, enjoy great food, then walk it off in the village and surrounding areas in Nun Monkton. Or as a base to venture into York. In these times of the staycation The Alice Hawthorn is certainly one to consider.
The Alice Hawthorn, The Green, Nun Monkton, York YO26 8EW
t: 01423 330 303
e: enquiries@thealicehawthorn.com
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