Love Travelling Blog

Hotel Review

Falcon Manor is a beautiful country house hotel dating from 1841 that was constructed for Reverend Swale with money provided by his two grandmothers to befit his status in the local community.

Originally known as Ingfield Hall after the field in which it was built, this grand Tudor mansion has changed ownership several times.  It was purchased by the James’ Places Group in 2014 since when it has been tastefully refurbished whilst retaining its original features.

Location:

Arrival and check-in:

The impressive building stands in its own grounds on the edge of Settle town centre and has a large car park to the front of the hotel.

We arrived shortly after 3.00 p.m. and felt the country house charm as soon as we opened the original oak door and stepped inside the large entrance hall with its roaring fire, grand staircase and huge chandelier.

The reception desk is discretely tucked away in an alcove with two leather armchairs for guests to relax in whilst completing formalities.

We received a warm welcome from Jen who had us checked in very quickly.  She then escorted us upstairs, assisting with our luggage and showing us into to our room on the first floor.

The Room:

We’d been impressed with the grandeur of the hotel’s entrance hall and thought things couldn’t get any better until we set eyes on our room, the Turret Suite. It was everything that I would want a guest room to be.  With its high ceilings, not one, but two chandeliers, a super-king size bed and the tallest padded headboard I’ve ever seen almost reaching the ceiling. Slipping between the sheets dressed with the finest cotton bed linen and a goose down duvet, we were fast asleep in seconds.

The feature I adored most though was the wonderful free standing roll top bath positioned in the bay window.  I couldn’t wait to enjoy a long soak and with L’Occitane luxurious toiletries to pamper myself with, I was in seventh heaven.

There were beautiful views of the Yorkshire Dales countryside from the windows and I couldn’t think of a better place to spend a relaxing stay.  In addition to the free standing bath there was a well proportioned shower room with huge fluffy towels and even more L’Occitane toiletries.

We hadn’t come to do any work but should guests need to, the dressing table could easily be used as a desk as there were ample sockets to plug devices into.  A well stocked hospitality tray contained tea, coffee and my favourite Border’s biscuits. A large wall mounted TV was positioned at the foot of the bed and the mirror fronted wardrobe had plenty of hanging and storage space.

For a very old building it was lovely and warm and we slept snugly until our alarm woke us at 8.00 a.m.

All the rooms at The Falcon are tastefully decorated with Room One being a similar size to the Turret Suite and absolutely beautiful, having a gorgeous slipper bath in its bay window overlooking the gardens.

Dining:

Afternoon Tea is served in the cosy snug or outside on the terrace during the summer months. Accompanied by a selection of teas or coffee it comprises dainty finger sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream and a selection of irresistible small cakes.

A couple sitting in one corner of the room asked if I could take their photo which, naturally I was happy to do. Afterwards they told me that it was here, 50 years to the day, that they held their wedding reception and as they are still living close by they’d decided to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary with afternoon tea. They showed me a photo that had been taken of them on the grand staircase so I suggested that they replicated the scene and have one taken there too. Such a lovely couple and a delightful way to celebrate!

Dinner is served in the attractive oak beamed restaurant during the winter months and is also available in the Garden Room during the summer.

Seated at a cosy corner table, Jen was our server for the evening and she looked after us extremely well being attentive to our needs.  The Table D’Hote menu changes daily and is reasonably priced at £22.95 for two and £29.95 for three courses.  Wines are available by the glass or bottle and also offer good value.  Over glasses of Malbec and Merlot we studied the menu and our starters of lamb kofta and trio of smoked fish both tasted fresh and flavoursome.  Moving on to mains we were both in unison being unable to resist the char grilled rump stead served with a red wine jus and triple cooked chips. Again, these were both beautifully plated and tasted as good as they looked.

After a short rest we were ready to tackle desserts and although I had my eye on the cheese board, I decided on the lighter option of a lime and lemon mousse topped with raspberries. Across the table the chocolate and caramel brownie served with hazelnut ice cream disappeared before I had a chance to sample a spoonful and was also declared delicious.

Breakfast is also served in the bar /restaurant area with pastries, fresh fruit, juices and yoghurts available for self selection from the bar top.

I adore a cooked breakfast when I’m staying in hotels but after the previous evening’s large dinner we were more restrained on this occasion. My husband opted for smoked salmon and scrambled eggs whilst I plumped for eggs Benedict, both being cooked to perfection and an excellent start to the day.

We then rounded off our breakfast with slices of thick toast with lashings of butter and marmalade and after a second cup of coffee and a friendly chat with guests sitting at a neighbouring table, we moved into the cosy snug to take a read of some of the complimentary morning newspapers.

The Facilities:

The hotel has 14 classic rooms all beautifully designed with individual touches and a further three decadent suites ideal for honeymoon couples or other special occasions.  Please note that due to the age of the building there isn’t a lift so guests need to use the stairs to access the first floor rooms.

There’s a cosy snug with comfortable armchairs to relax in, enjoy a pre-dinner drink or partake of a delicious afternoon tea.

The bar has a convivial atmosphere serving a range of wines, spirits and beers including the hotel group’s own Bowland beers with their wonderful names such as Pheasant Plucker and Hen Harrier.

Weddings

With the grandeur of the building and the opportunity for wedding celebrations either indoors or out in the beautiful grounds, Falcon Manor has become a sought after wedding venue.  It was recently awarded the accolade of Hotel Wedding Venue regional winner at the Wedding Industry Awards.

The Garden Room is the perfect setting for an indoor celebration and as this room opens out onto the terrace, ceremonies can take place in the garden’s gazebo on warm days. More details of weddings can be found on their website here.

Walking Holidays

Whilst we were staying at the hotel, several guests were enjoying a walking holiday through the Yorkshire Dales. If you enjoy following a long distance walking route Brigantes English Walks offer a luggage collection service between accommodation saving walkers from carrying heavy backpacks. Falcon Manor is part of the scheme enabling hikers to enjoy a night of luxury and before leaving to pop one of the hotel’s delicious packed lunches into their day sacks for their onward ramble.

Wi-Fi worked strongly throughout the building without needing to be re-connected and although located in the heart of the countryside we had a good phone signal.  Dogs are welcome in several of the rooms and I spotted a treat jar in the lobby especially for well behaved furry friends.

Out and About:

The Yorkshire Dales National Park is wonderful walking country with the hotel being the perfect base for climbing one or more of The Three Peaks.  Below are my suggestions for more leisurely things to see and do in the area.

Settle

Start with a short walk into the charming small market town of Settle which is surrounded by towering fells.  Enjoy a coffee in Ye Olde Naked Man along the high street and if you happen to be in town on a Tuesday you can browse the weekly market.

Folly Museum of North Craven Life

Just off the market square stands the Folly Museum of North Craven Life.  The impressive building was constructed in 1670 for a wealthy local lawyer and over the years it has had many owners and uses.

The museum is open 11.00 – 4.00 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday with free admission.  The galleries are arranged on two floors and tell the story of local people and the dales landscape in which they lived.

Settle-Carlisle Railway – The town is situated on one end of the picturesque Settle-Carlisle railway which has been voted as one of the UK’s most scenic rail journeys with occasional steam excursions running on the line during the summer months.

The Settle Station Signal Box is now run as a small working museum and is dedicated to mechanical era railway signalling and welcomes visitors each Saturday between 10.00 – 4.00 p.m. (admission free).

Ribblehead Viaduct

Enjoy a walk around the famous Grade II listed impressive viaduct which carries the Settle to Carlisle railway across Batty Moss in the valley of the River Ribble.

Visitors leave their cars in the car park just to the south of the viaduct, off the B6255.  You can also visit by catching a train from Settle station to Ribblehead.

It’s an interesting little station with a small shop selling memorabilia and a visitor centre which includes exhibits about the history of the line and the fight to keep it open.  After your walk you can enjoy refreshments at the Station Inn, a traditional Dales pub overlooking the viaduct.  Six miles from there is the picturesque Dales village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale which is also pleasant for a stroll.

Giggleswick School 

Drive to the neighbouring village of Giggleswick a mile from Settle to visit the chapel at Giggleswick School.  The school was built in 1512 and received its Royal Charter from King Edward VI in 1553 and is now a co-educational boarding school.  Visitors are welcome to visit the school’s ornate chapel by pre-arrangement with the school.

The ornate chapel was designed as a Gothic structure with a dome decorated with mosaics depicting angels playing musical instruments.

No expense was spared fitting out the sumptuous interior with its marble floors, silver altar and pews made from imported Cypress wood.  If you are in the vicinity, I highly recommend taking a look around.

Courtyard Dairy

Head to the Courtyard Dairy, located north west of Settle along the A65.  This specialist cheese shop and cheese maturer champions small independent farmers and is a must for cheese lovers.

It has won many accolades including Cheesemonger of the Year in the World Cheese Awards as well as been included in The Times newspaper’s top 15 cheese shops in the country.  There’s a vast array of cheese on offer which is all hand made and then aged to perfection in the maturing rooms of the dairy.  Enjoy some tastings and then buy some cheese to take back home.

Clapham

This picturesque village is also close by and a delightful place for a wander.  A beck runs through the centre of the village which is crossed by a series of old stone bridges.

Stone cottages with slate roofs sit huddled together on each bank and are built from similar stone, with most of the properties dating from the 18th century.  The village is located at the foot of Ingleborough, one of Yorkshire’s Three Peaks and is a popular starting point for its ascent.

Ingleborough Cave

Whilst visiting Clapham, take an opportunity to visit Ingleborough Cave.  Tours of the cave run on the hour and last 60 minutes with adult admission costing £13 including the nature trail.

The cave follows a trail of 500m along well laid concrete paths which are floodlit for ease of access.  It’s necessary to stoop along two sections but being small has its advantages as I only had to bend down slightly.

Our tour guide stopped at various points in the dramatic show cave pointing out numerous features of stalagmite formations, and where stalagmites and stalactites have joined to form a pillar.

Overall:

Our stay at Falcon Manor was an absolute delight from arrival to departure with friendly staff, a gorgeous room and delicious food.  The hotel’s grandeur is stunning and we felt very pampered with its old world charm.

You might think it could be very formal and stuffy but it’s not like that at all as the Falcon have managed to create the perfect balance for a relaxing stay.

Details: Falcon Manor, Skipton Road, Settle, North Yorkshire, BD24 9BD.

If you have enjoyed reading this post, you may also like:

The Assheton Arms, Downham

The Yorkshire Dales villages of Kilnsey & Kettlewell

During our stay we were guests of Falcon Manor and as always, all views and opinions are entirely my own.