££££Prix : très cher • Britannique • Ripon
Dining at The Old Deanery is an immersive experience, and you move through the building as you dine. Arrive into the cosy welcome lounge for pre-dinner drinks; chat, get comfortable, and relax – there will be no classical piano and hushed tones in here! Move through to the bar where you can watch some of the chefs work before they invite you to take your first course. The main event takes place in the restaurant, but forget white tablecloths and stilted service; the food may be formal but the atmosphere is not. Finally, you can retire after dinner to a cosy chair and enjoy a coffee and petits fours.
Stay the night and enjoy views of either the lovely garden, or striking Cathedral. Then wake to a home-made breakfast board of granola, yoghurt, continental bites, and cooked goodness: A breakfast with a difference and the best way to sign off your stay.