£25 million investment transforms North Yorkshire country resort
Aldwark Manor from the air (Image: Chris Chambers)
A historic North Yorkshire country estate has been transformed following a multi-million pound investment.
Aldwark Manor Estate, between York and Harrogate, has been redeveloped into a luxury resort destination with a £25 million investment.
The redevelopment has included upgrades to the hotel, golf course, spa, and dining facilities.
It also features new guest experiences and leisure amenities following its acquisition by Depho Estates Ltd in 2019.
Richard Smith, general manager of Aldwark Manor, said: "When the estate was acquired in 2019, the potential was very clear.
Aldwark Manor Spa (Image: Kevin Gibson Photography/Kevin Gibson-Nicky Rogerson)
"You had the history, the Manor House, the golf course, the spa, the river and the setting, but the different parts weren't necessarily working together as one destination.
"Our owners’ vision has always been to bring those elements together and create something that feels distinctly Aldwark.
"Seven years on, we've delivered a huge amount of that vision.
"It has been a significant programme of investment, but importantly, it hasn't just been about refurbishing what was already here – we've created entirely new spaces and experiences across the estate."
A Superior Room at Aldwark Manor (Image: Pic supplied)
The transformation includes new buildings and spaces: Chartwell, the estate’s Michelin Guide-listed restaurant, which also incorporates Pinafore, a private dining room, and Clem’s, a wine tasting room.
Bunkers Sports Bar was also developed as a new facility, replacing the former golf clubhouse and adding 11 bedrooms above.
The Salus Wing, a three-storey addition set to be completed soon, will offer seven purpose-built treatment rooms, two meeting rooms, and 17 more bedrooms.
Other improvements include a full refurbishment of the Manor House, a redesigned golf course, and a reimagined spa.
The former swimming pool has been replaced with an infinity-style pool, and the new Salus Spa features a hydrotherapy pool, outdoor sauna, cryotherapy facilities, a gym, and fitness spaces.
Elements, the estate’s two-AA-Rosette restaurant, now features a retractable roof.
Other new features include a padel court, riverside meeting facilities, a converted horse-box cocktail bar, a 1964 Routemaster bus for private events, and the refurbished Gatekeeper’s Cottage.
The Elements restaurant at Aldwark Manor (Image: Pic supplied)
Mr Smith said: "Our owners have always seen Aldwark as a passion project.
"They wanted to bring the estate together as one destination without losing what makes it feel like Aldwark – its history, character, and the slightly unexpected things you find here.
"Never Ordinary, Always Aldwark is a good way of describing it.
General Manager Richard Smith (Image: Pic supplied)
"When I joined Aldwark in 2025, I could see the vision the owners had for the estate and wanted to be part of taking that forward commercially.
"The major transformation has happened, and now it’s about what comes next.
"There will always be another chapter at Aldwark."
The estate, believed to be named after the Old Saxon term "ald weorc" meaning "old fort," is thought to reference a Roman fortification at the River Ure crossing.
The current Manor House dates back to 1865 and was used during the Second World War, including by Wing Commander Guy Gibson during the planning of the Dambusters raid.