Middlethorpe Hall, Hotel and Spa, York

Today we said goodbye to the father of a good friend of mine who passed away a couple of weeks ago. The funeral was in York, about a 5-hour drive from home.

After the funeral the family had arranged a reception at this beautiful hotel. Middlethorpe was built in 1699 and is set in 20 acres of gardens and parkland. It was restored some years ago by the Historic House Hotels group. More recently, in 2008, it was donated to the National Trust. Unlike other National Trust houses, it is not open to the public unless they are a guest, so I was pleased to have time to explore the beautiful grounds. If you ever have the opportunity to visit York, it would be worth your while to go there for lunch or afternoon tea, or a visit to their spa.

http://www.middlethorpe.com