A Restorative Stay at the Luxurious Raithwaite Estate in Sandsend

Raithwaite Estate is a luxurious family and dog-friendly coastal hotel situated between the breathtaking shoreline of Sandsend and the rolling North York Moors just a stone’s throw away from Whitby, right in the heart of Yorkshire.

You can literally feel shoulders push back the moment you arrive.

Having been lucky enough to review Raithwaite several times before when the boys were small, it was the first time we’d returned in at least seven years, having lived in Windsor, Berkshire, far from the hotel so unable to visit sooner.

It was also, of course, the first time back as a family of five with little Miss Florence, our active little daughter and poser extraordinaire (!) in tow, allowing us to rediscover quite how much there is to see and do there for all ages.

(pram gifted by Graco)

It’s rare to get photos of all three kids so I’ll treasure these photos.

 

Raithwaite is a hotel yet it feels more like a resort with two beautiful abodes on-site (The Keep is just a short walk from the main hotel), with opulent yet practical suites and rooms on offer, fairytale-style winding garden within the grounds, exquisite organic dining and a tropically heated indoor swimming pool plus spa, making it unsuprisingly, a stand-out haven for families, friends and couples alike.

Just look at that dewy green maze.

The restaurants and rooms are perfectly designed to make use of the achingly beautiful views and let the light in brightening up every corner of Raithwaite.

With zero waste and sustainable credentials to boot, every single aspect of your experience at Raithwaite, be it an expansive, delicious breakfast catering to all tastes to the the organic wines and thoughtful no nonsense natural alternative drinks on offer, to the nourishing beauty and skincare collection selected in the spa (Temple Spa) has been carefully considered and delivered.

The staff are experienced and warm and it was clear they wanted to ensure our experience travelling with a young family ran as smoothly and stress-free as possible. Nothing was too much trouble for anyone we encountered. Florence’s no dairy diet was catered for with ease and they provided a cot and delicious snacks and drinks for us daily in our connecting suites.

Knowing we had a toddler, they thoughtfully placed us on the first floor close to the dining room, reception and leisure facilities.

Bliss.

 

But back to the food for a hot minute!

Fine dining with fresh, seasonal organic and often homegrown fare made for memorable meals for all with Xander, 10,  enquiring if Gordon Ramsey himself had made his chicken in breadcrumbs (organic nuggets) the first night we arrived and enjoyed room service!

The attention to detail of the dishes was nothing short of extraordinary. Take the toasted seeded oat milk porridge with tarte raspberry jam or the ingenious and original parsnip Skordalia (usually a Greek garlic dip) with crispy smoked carrot pitta I must endevour to try and recreate now we’re home (but know will never come close)…

Or the flavoursome homegrown kale with poached eggs plus various marriages from mushrooms to kippers and kale Peter and I ate most mornings, and that’s saying a lot as I’ve never been a cool kind of kale girl. Let me tell you, if it’s the organic Raithwaite variety, I’m a convert!

Smashed peas on toast instead of avo made a refreshing, tasty twist I’ve not seen on any menu anywhere before. The chefs there are boldly experimental but bang on when it comes to punchy flavours and filling food. The boys gave the light and fluffy pancakes a sticky thumbs up, too!

Below are some more of the mouthwatering meals we lapped up during our stay for you to salivate over, spanning the following:

Garlic bread, crudites for the kids, crispy carrot and onion pakora, sumptuous sausages, sweet potatoe curry, North Sea Cod loin with creamy leeks, Yorkshire Puds the size of our heads with a roast chicken feast to end all feasts, and a sweet and tangy curd tart with lavender heather honey ice cream and treacle Anglaise.

Safe to say we rolled out there!

It was truly top-notch, excellent food all round. That consistency in quality from breakfast to dinner and even room service dining is rarely found in one establishment. Wowsa.

We even met other guests who’d informed us they’d chosen Raithwaite firstly for the food on offer there!

 

For full disclosure and an N.B.:

We were kindly offered 2 complimentary nights stay at Raithwaite Estate with meals and a massage included as well as use of their facilities, and we were so impressed and relaxed (despite the kids!) that we extended our trip adding another night’s stay which the manager kindly insisted in offering us at a reduced price.

Irrespective of their overwhelming generosity, this post, as always, is an honest review and staying there longer is testament to quite how special Raithwaite Estate, is.

Florence’s smiley face stuffing petite pois in her mouth (her faves) agrees :)!

The weather was also on our side, showering us with sunshine instead of the usual February drizzle with most days peaking at 12 degrees allowing us to relish in the great outdoors whether that was Raithwaite’s own picturesque grounds or long strolls by the sea and adjacent river where we fed the ducks and ourselves, snacks, just a short walk from the hotel.

The natural white noise whisperer of the waves lulled Florence to sleep for longer naps than usual whenever we were there, freeing up our time to put the world to rights with our sons (whose usual arguing lessened thanks to the fresh sea air and ice cream bribes) and we ended up whiling away hours collecting shells and smooth black and camel coloured stones to remember our trip by.

Magical.

Speaking of which. We actually spotted horses trotting by the shore in a cinematic scene we won’t forget in a hurry, only to discover an actual unrelated film being shot within the waves the following day in the exact same spot.

When the weather eventually turned windy we would retreat back to the hotel for a glass of Whitby Gin or soothing glass of red, and oscillated between playing Chess and Draughts in The Keep (my husband Peter, and I taking it in turns to entertain energetic Florence) with swimming in the warm indoor pool overlooking the forest which envelops the hotel. Talk about tree therapy. We didn’t manage any photos of the pool as there were always people rightly enjoying it when we were there but it’s a must-visit, if you stay!

Another holiday highlight to add to the long list, was experiencing not just the sauna and steam room but being treated to a calming massage in the healing hands of Shirley. It was so restorative, I cried a little. It’s been a long time since this Mama has had any ‘Me Time’ and those precious 30 minutes reminded me that I must carve out more of that.

What an utterly reviving trip which transformed my bone-tired self into a fully functioning happy human again. The family loved every minute too.

(Cardigan and dress gifted from Joanie). Matching with Florence in double denim!

We can’t wait to return and are all truly grateful for the stay.

Thank you a million Raithwaite Estate.