Aldwark Manor Estate has reopened in the Yorkshire countryside after a £15million renovation, adding 49 newly designed bedrooms, multiple restaurants and a new 18-hole golf course that opened earlier this summer. The hotel first opened in 1978 and sits roughly 30 minutes north-west of York.
The new course winds around the River Ure across 200 acres of countryside surrounding the hotel, playing to a par of 70. Mail Sport's Ed Carruthers and Alex McCarthy visited Aldwark Manor to review the hotel and course.
Beyond golf, guests can eat at the hotel's Elements restaurant, walk the grounds and use the spa, which has a pool, gym and relaxation rooms.
A test from the first tee
The course opens with a 166-yard par 3 and runs to a par 4 18th, stretching to 5,922 yards in total. Carruthers and McCarthy described it as a thoroughly enjoyable challenge rather than a cruel one, with a mix of holes that call for every club in the bag.
Buggies are available from the pro-shop inside the clubhouse, next to the Bunkers Sports Bar, where players can also buy balls, tees and Aldwark Manor branded apparel. After the first hole, golfers cross a steel suspension bridge over the river to reach the rest of the course, which has five par 3s, three par 5s and 10 par 4s.
Raised greens, downhill shots and doglegs feature throughout, including the par 4 16th, where the fairway curls at almost a 90-degree angle. The reviewers said accurate approach shots were rewarded, while wayward ones ended up in penal rough lining the narrow fairways. They found some greens played soft and spongy and were difficult to read, which they put down to recent wet weather.
The signature 14th hole
Carruthers named the 14th as the course's signature hole and his favourite, requiring golfers to carry the ball roughly 80 yards over the river onto the fairway on the far side. He said overcooking the shot risked losing the ball in the trees, and that players then faced about 200 more yards into a raised green at the end of a narrow fairway.
After the round, players can eat and drink at the Bunkers Bar, which serves British pub food and home-cooked pizzas. The reviewers said the food was excellent and that the clubhouse patio was a relaxing spot to watch others tee off on the first hole.
History and luxury inside the manor
The manor house itself was built in the late 1800s. During the Second World War it served as home to the Canadian Air Force, and wing commander Guy Gibson reportedly spent time at the estate plotting the Dam Busters raid.
The hotel's tagline is "Never ordinary, always Aldwark." Carruthers stayed in the Aurelian suite, inspired by the Roman emperor Aurelian and decorated with gold. Guests in deluxe and signature rooms can use the hotel's honesty bar.
In the Elements restaurant, a tree grows through the middle of the room with golden leaves sprouting from its branches. The reviewers said the food, sourced from local producers, was excellent across breakfast, lunch and dinner. A new fine dining restaurant is planned for the rear of the manor as part of a wider £22million investment in the estate.
Spa and future plans
The hotel's spa is also due for a full refurbishment, expected to be completed in 2025. It currently offers massage packages, a pool, a jacuzzi and a gym with a fitness studio.
Carruthers and McCarthy called Aldwark Manor a first-class luxury hotel and golf club, citing the combination of the hotel, course and spa facilities.