The Place
Grassington, and Wharfedale in general, is a little-known Northern gem, especially for keen walkers. Tucked away off the main street is Joe Azzopardi and Elizabeth Webb’s small private stone and slate hotel, a peaceful sanctuary at the end of its own yard. What’s more, and unlike anywhere else in Grassington, you can park your car there.
An excellent four-course dinner is served in the pretty dining room each evening. Joe presides over the kitchen, making use of a great deal of fresh local produce, and is assisted by Elizabeth. Breakfast consists of an impressive array of home-made produce – yoghurt, muesli, granola and marmalade – together with local bacon and own-recipe sausages.
The bedrooms are modestly sized with fresh, clean decoration and their own shower rooms. Since Joe and Elizabeth took over here they have upgraded all of the bathrooms and brought the whole place up to date. Oak and pine furniture, bare beams and stone walls are combined with fresh flowers and neat new furnishings.
Beyond the house, insulated from the bustle of the town, is a quiet walled garden with a table and chairs where you can simply sit and enjoy the sunshine if the prospect of a walk along the river seems too testing.