Big countryside views, Scandinavian-inspired interiors and a private hot tub set the scene for a peaceful escape at Greenbank Lodges in North Yorkshire.
There are some stays where you arrive, drop your bags and immediately start thinking about what you are going to do next. Greenbank Lodges was the complete opposite.
Within minutes of walking into Hekla, our plans consisted of making a cup of tea, putting some music on and sitting in front of the windows looking out across the countryside.
Sometimes, that is more than enough.
First impressions
Greenbank Lodges is part of the Holiday at Home collection, with ten Scandinavian-inspired lodges set within 150 acres of North Yorkshire countryside. There are six one-bedroom and four two-bedroom lodges, each with its own hot tub.
My partner and I stayed in Hekla, one of the two-bedroom lodges, which sleeps four and has two bathrooms.
We arrived for check-in at 2pm and, despite having seen photographs beforehand, I genuinely couldn’t believe how spacious it was.
My first words were quite simply: “Oh wow, this is soooo nice.”
The open-plan living space is framed by huge windows, with high ceilings making everything feel even bigger. Outside, the countryside seems to stretch on and on.
It was cloudy when we arrived, so the landscape was not even at its clearest, yet the view still became the first thing we noticed.
Once the bags were inside, we made a cuppa, connected Spotify to the TV and stayed exactly where we were for a while. With music playing quietly in the background, there was no immediate urge to go anywhere.
Netflix and other streaming services can also be accessed through the TV, which is a small detail but a welcome one when the plan for the evening involves staying in.
Inside Hekla
What impressed me most was how much thought had gone into the lodge.
The interiors feel contemporary and premium without becoming overly polished or losing the warmth you want from a countryside stay. Everything also felt incredibly high-tech, while still being easy to use.
Both bedrooms are doubles and, unusually for a two-bedroom property, neither feels like the room you drew the short straw for. They both have that main-bedroom feel, so I would happily return with another couple or friends.
There are also two bathrooms, including a shower room and a bathroom with a freestanding tub.
The beds were huge and comfortable, as were the pillows, while shutters cover the higher windows when it is time for bed.
One particularly welcome touch for me personally was the SHARK fan, perfect for hot sleepers or anyone who likes a little background noise at night. It might seem like a small detail, but I was ridiculously happy to see it.
The kitchen was equally well equipped, with the plates, glasses, cutlery and essentials you would need if you wanted to cook during a longer stay.
Fresh milk had been left in the fridge, while a welcome basket included coffee bags and Yorkshire Crisps, which did not last particularly long once we had settled in.
There was even a pack of cards, which we put to good use.
A Polaroid and a hot tub
One of my favourite touches was the Polaroid camera.
We spend so much time taking photographs on our phones that there was something lovely about capturing a few memories in a completely different way and having the physical pictures there and then.
Of course, there was also the hot tub.
It was still coming up to temperature when we arrived, so we left it until later that evening. By then, the lights were on and it felt like the perfect time to get in.
The pergola over the hot tub is a particularly good addition. North Yorkshire weather is never something you can confidently plan around, so having it covered means a rainy evening does not necessarily ruin your plans.
Dressing gowns were also provided, which was a welcome touch for wrapping up warm after getting out of the hot tub.
Dinner in Ravensworth
Before our stay, we had emailed Holiday at Home to ask where they would recommend eating nearby. Their suggestion led us to The Bay Horse in Ravensworth.
The village is around a 20-minute walk away, so we booked a table online beforehand, something I was very glad we had done.
The Bay Horse is exactly the sort of local village pub you hope to find on a countryside stay. The atmosphere was friendly, the locals and owner were lovely and the menu was full of proper pub favourites.
I went for scampi and chips, while my partner chose the gammon. Both were really lovely.
It is somewhere I would absolutely recommend to anyone staying at Greenbank, particularly if you want to head out for dinner without travelling far.
We had also arrived in the area early that afternoon, so before checking in we continued on to Barnard Castle for a wander. It only added around ten minutes to our journey and made a nice start to the trip before heading back for check-in.
A very quiet morning
If the lodge impressed us when we arrived, the following morning might have been my favourite part of the stay.
The clouds had cleared and the countryside was much more visible. I had apparently woken up about ten minutes too late to catch the full sunrise, but the morning view was beautiful regardless.
What really struck me, though, was the silence.
And I mean silence.
We didn’t hear a thing.
Despite other guests staying nearby, it felt incredibly peaceful. We did spot some of our neighbours taking their dogs for a morning walk, but otherwise it felt as though we had the place almost entirely to ourselves.
I made the most of the freestanding bath, complete with a window alongside it that I promptly opened to let some cool air in.
Afterwards, there was no rush to fill the morning. I read my book, we looked out across the fields and enjoyed having nowhere we needed to be until it was time to leave around midday.
The trip wasn’t quite over when we checked out, either. Just a few minutes drive away is the famous Mainsgill Farmshop, so we stopped there on the way home and ended up spending a couple of hours having some food, browsing the shop and enjoying a little more of the surrounding scenery.
It made for a lovely final stop before eventually admitting that our night away really was over.
Would I go back?
Without hesitation.
We had originally planned to stay for the full weekend but, because of other commitments, could only make one night work. By the time we were packing up, I genuinely wished we had been able to stay longer.
I have stayed in plenty of log cabins and countryside properties over the years, and Hekla is easily up there with my favourites.
It is the combination of space, thoughtful details and quality that makes it memorable. The Polaroid, cards, fresh milk and welcome basket might be small additions individually, but together they make the experience feel considered.
If I were being particularly picky, the one thing I would have loved the following morning was a coffee machine rather than the coffee bags provided. That really is me searching for something to criticise and a personal preference.
Holiday at Home describes Greenbank as somewhere with doorstep walks, a local village pub and the Yorkshire Dales close by. We barely scratched the surface of what we could have done in the area.
Then again, that was part of what I loved about it.
For one night, a cup of tea, a good book, a hot tub and that view were plenty.
Considering I have already been telling friends and family they need to visit, I think that probably says everything. Hekla has firmly earned a place on my list of stays worth returning to.
