Set in 300 acres of landscaped grounds Rudding Park is a 19th century Grade 1-listed building around three or four miles from the spa town of Harrogate.

Owned by the Mackaness family since 1972 the former country house has been developed into a multi-award winning hotel and spa and it’s easy to see why.

The minute you draw up at Rudding Park you know that your experience is going to be extra-special.

Smart suited room porters step out to your car and greet you, whisk your luggage away and park your car whilst you go through the formalities of check-in
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The entrance hall is warm and welcoming with comfortable seating excellently placed with beautiful floral displays that add to the relaxing ambience.

Personal service is utmost at Rudding Park. In the foyer our room steward introduced himself before showing us to our room. He chatted to us about the hotel and the facilities in a wonderfully casual but caring way making us feel special and so at home.

Nothing was too much trouble for him and without us even asking organised a lift to our dining destination at Fifty Two as rain was predicted the evening.

Rudding Park boasts 90 bedrooms and suites all housed in architecturally modern extensions that blend in with the surroundings. Our ground floor Spa Room was in a quiet part of the hotel .

The room had a spacious feel to it and the French doors opened into a private patio overlooking the spa a short walk across the garden and we were in the spa. It had everything to make our stay comfortable including a super-king size bed with a pillow menu, sinkable leather armchairs, a desk and a settee ideal to stretch out on for a cat nap
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After a hectic week we didn’t waste any time making our way to Rudding Park’s renown spa.

The spa is one of the very best I have visited over the last few decades. Set over three floors with an amazing design and facilities it has an ambience and sophistication all of its own.

My first port of call was to the salon for a facial with Sonia, an amazing beauty therapist who pampered me and put my skincare routine to rights.

Afterwards The Escape Zone's four relaxation rooms beckoned. Which would I chose? Visual with relaxing scenes on a video wall, Audio – listening to meditation tracks headset, Relax – with darkness, a stary ceiling and large beds for complete peace or Mind to exercise the mind with colouring therapy and reading whilst relaxing. Guess what the latter was my ultimate choice.

Whilst I was being pampered my partner had tackled several lengths of the 17 m. indoor pool, spent time in the Panoramic Sauna with views of the garden, time in the Oxygen Pod which he highly recommended followed by a short session in the Sunlight Therapy Room with its safe sunlight stimulators.

Meeting up on the sun deck of the roof top spa over a glass of Tattinger we discussed our experiences before trying out the Hydro Infinity Pool and the Experience Showers – not to be missed.

We had only scratched the surface of the spa facilities but one thing stuck in my mind – the amount of space, the setting and how well the space and facilities were choreographed.

Reluctantly tearing ourselves away from The Spa we walked across the garden to get ready for our dining experience but not before I had watched the TV news on the flat screen from the comfort of my bathtub.

Suited and booted as they say we just had time for a glass of bubbly in our ‘secret garden’ as I named it. Peacefully quiet, except for some bird song, the atmosphere was blissfully poetical.

But time and tide wait for no one now it was time to make our way to reception for our chauffeur driven drive to 52 passing pictures of famous faces who had stayed at Rudding over the years including Bill Clinton, George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev
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A short drive took us to Fifty Two - Rudding’s immersive dining experience and the idea of Rudding Chef Adam Degg.

It’s a bit confusing when you arrive outside Fifty Two as its housed in a shipping container but walk round the back and you will be pleasantly surprised. The restaurant is named after the number of raised beds in the kitchen garden next to it

Glass doors and windows house modern tables set in theatre style that overlook the open kitchen where Adam and his team will ‘perform’ and prepare each of the 14 courses on this unique taster menu.

Before coming to Rudding Park Adam worked for some of the most prestigious chefs in the business including Michelin Star chef Anthony Demetre from whom he admits he “ learned a lot”.

Adam then went on to work for Tom Kerridge at 3 of his restaurants before coming to Rudding Park Three Years ago.

“It is based on a vision I have always had – to cook in front of guests.”, admits Adam.

The Fifty Two experience is rather like a dinner party in format yet at the same time its pure culinary theatre – that’s fun.

Guests meet at 7.00pm for canapes and a walk round the kitchen garden before being seated. There is no menu and the dishes are planned the day before based on what’s available from the suppliers and more important from the kitchen garden.

“It’s a taster menu and the beauty is it gives people a chance to try different things.“ says Adam

After our walk round the kitchen garden we enjoyed a Rhubarb, Garden Apple and Sweet Cicely drink with a very tasty canape of Yorkshire Pecorino Cheese Custard served on a soft biscuit base before being ushered inside

Sitting facing Adam and his team and the sommelier the curtain was about to go up on our journey of culinary discovery.

The opening number of the show was Apple bilini, smoked cod roe decorated with a nasturtium

Stand-out dishes for me included Juniper Tartlet with Bridlington Crab, Elderflower, White Asparagus, Oscietra – Russian Sturgeon – a work of art in taste and presentation

Juniper Tart

Trout

Chalk Stream Trout was another winner with buttermilk sauce, dill, radish, kohlrabi – a vegetable that is part of the cabbage family .

Skrei cod, crab bisque, ‘tom yum’ fennel, kaffir lime was tasty and perfection for a fish lover like myself.

Cooked in front of us on a high flame grill and carved expertly was Salt-aged Thirkleby Duck, aged to perfection from Yorkshire’s finest R and J Butchers served with French toast, grilled salad ad pickled walnuts

Crab Bisque

Chef preparing the duck

But it was when the hot Fermented potato bread served with garden herbs and cultured butter arrived I was in my element – its also a favourite of Adam’s. The Riccotta Agnolotti with preserved truffle, lions mane mushroom and wild garlic was also a particular favourite of mine .

And so the feast continued with the deserts with Last Year’s Beetroot with milk ice cream, Gooseberry Fool with caramelised white chocolate and elderflower yoghurt with Adam’s piece de resistance The Honey custard tart with bee pollen from the garden and honeycomb. And yes I did have room for the Tulakalum Chocolate – 75% dark chocolate from Belize served with a fig leaf marshmallow followed by warm Madelines – like Gran used to bake straight from the oven.

But the experience is not only about tasting and eating. The drinks pairing is a work of art with so many new combinations of drinks and cocktails that are just totally amazing. There’s also chance to watch and pick up some kitchen tips from the chefs that may come in useful in your own kitchen – no spoilers here though!

Returning to the hotel we decided on a nightcap in the bar to reflect on what had been a wonderful spa and culinary experience before returning to our room and sitting in our secret garden with a glass of bubbly in the moonlight.

Next morning we were up early my partner decided on a pre-breakfast swim whilst I curled up with my morning paper on the ultimate multi-coloured sofa.

Breakfast in the Conservatory is another great experience. It’s a bright and airy place and when the sun shines its even more beautiful.

My partner, who hails from London originally always indulges himself with a full Yorkshire breakfast whilst I opted for perfectly poached eggs, toast and coffee followed by my usual breakfast sin – a blueberry muffin.

All too soon it was time to leave but I certainly will be back if only for a day Spa package with bestie girl friend.

Rudding Park Hotel and Spa, Rudding Lane, Follifoot, Harrogate HG3 1JH
Tel: 01423 871350. Website: Ruddingpark.co.uk

Fifty Two website: https://fiftytworuddingpark.co.uk/