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The Bijou - Harrogate

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Chic Harrogate bolthole

Hoteliers Stephen and Gill Watson have created a beautiful boutique B&B in the heart of the historic spa city of Harrogate - a really refreshing change from the hordes of traditional guest-house options that surround it.

An easy five minutes’ walk from the town centre, this Victorian villa has ten stylish and individually-designed bedrooms, all with comfy beds, crisp linen, modern en-suite bathrooms and flat-screen tellies. Stephen’s hotel heritage (at Hotel du Vin, amongst others) has kept both room design and facilities top notch, while cleverly keeping the friendly feel of a home-from-home throughout.

Breakfasts at The Bijou are fantastic, with freshly-baked breads, homemade muesli and vegetarian options, while optional afternoon teas and a well-stocked honesty bar will keep you going in the meantime. All-in-all it’s a modern, relaxed, refreshing and infinitely more preferable take on a British institution.

Where is it?

The Bijou sits in the heart of historic Harrogate, the famous North Yorkshire spa town and one of the places to visit for Victorian Britons. The graceful regency buildings synonymous with the great spa towns of Cheltenham or Leamington are everywhere, although they have been overwhelmed slightly by great shopping facilities, restaurants and bars. But unless you’re an architectural obsessive, that shouldn’t necessarily be a deal-breaker, and can make for a vibrant and busy weekend.

In fact, many reminders of Harrogate’s past as a top spa resort do still draw the crowds, including the pump rooms and Harrogate’s famous Turkish Baths (www.harrogate.gov.uk/turkishbaths Tel: 01423 556746). Brilliantly restored, the Baths are an amazing place to enjoy top-of-the-range treatments and day spa packages.

If you do fancy getting out and about, the beautiful scenery of North Yorkshire is never far away – less than half an hour’s drive will drop you in the middle of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. Otherwise, the attractive market town of Knaresborough is only ten minutes’ drive from Harrogate town centre, where you can visit its famous gorge and Mother Shipton’s Cave (www.mothershiptonscave.com Tel: 01423 864600) – at over 400 years old, officially England’s oldest tourist attraction.

The gorgeous medieval city of York is only 20 miles from Harrogate, and a lovely place to spend a day. For all the best things to see and places to eat in the city, check out The Weekender's Guide to York.

Where can I eat?

Harrogate’s most famous foodie institution has to be Betty’s café and tea rooms (www.bettys.co.uk Tel: 01423 502746). This Yorkshire mecca offers the best range of cakes, pastries, loaves and teas in the country, and has also expanded its menu to include delicious lunch and early dinner options.

For something a little more substantial, you could try Orchid (www.orchidrestaurant.co.uk Tel: 01423 560425), an easy walk from The Bijou. One of the North West’s best Asian restaurants, Orchid offers the best in Pacific Rim food in stylish surroundings, with a great set menu for diners who can’t decide. Otherwise, you could venture out to pretty Pateley Bridge in the gorgeous Nidderdale Valley, about a twenty minute drive from Harrogate, to the famous Yorke Arms (www.yorke-arms.co.uk Tel: 01423 755243). This Michelin-starred restaurant is home to top chef Frances Atkins, whose team dishes up a beautifully simple British menu, using seasonal, local ingredients.

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A cosy and stylish boutique B&B in the heart of lovely Harrogate.