Part of a small chain of distinguished hotels, Thorpe Park has a particular name for its warm and friendly welcome, so much so that well earned awards have come their way, the latest of which was Hotel of the Year 2008 in the White Rose Tourism Awards.

The Restaurant offers a relaxed dining venue, whether in the informal courtyard with an all day menu to choose from or the restaurant itself with roaring log fires and extensive wine cellar. Their approach is to source and prepare the freshest in-season produce. Head Chef, Paul Woodward, has a knack for spotting some of the finest ingredients from the Yorkshire region and it's always simply prepared, often with an Italian twist.

Guests can dine from the à la carte menu offering an Asian spiced Whitby crab with coriander yoghurt, or Bleiker's oak smoked trout coquettes with horseradish and citrus cream. Roasted vegetable and goats' cheese tart with tomato and herb oil leads on to the fish, with the day's mixed fish grill as especially good value.

An aged grass-fed 9oz sirloin steak with field mushrooms, Burgundy butter and hand cut chips is a popular dish, or perhaps Lishman's of Ilkley pork and leek sausages are more to your liking. Follow with ginger pudding or a delicate crème brûlée before heading off into the lounge, or the terrace if it's one of those velvet nights, for a thorough exploration of the single malts or brandies.