Ye Olde Bell in Retford: “Something truly special” — hotel, spa, and restaurant review
The four-star location is nestled in North Notts
Searching for hotels and spas around Nottinghamshire to visit? Ye Olde Bell Hotel & Spa in Retford is an elegant option with plenty to keep you entertained.
I visited with my partner Sam to stay over at the four-star hotel, as well as visiting the spa and dining at the AA Rosette restaurant. We were invited to do this, but we have delved into our honest thoughts about the quality of facilities and the food, as well as the value for money of the offerings.
If unwinding is one of your favourite things to do around Nottingham, I highly recommend paying the Ye Olde Bell a visit. For more reviews, guides, and features, subscribe to The Notts Edit to receive our articles in your inbox for free.
Ye Olde Bell in Retford — An inviting place to fully unwind
By Eve Smallman
I am a person who struggles to sit still. I like to keep busy, but I’m also often in desperate need of actually relaxing. Could the best of both worlds actually exist? I thought the Ye Olde Bell could be the answer.
The Ye Olde Bell Hotel holds four stars and is complete with a bar area and its own AA Rosette restaurant. You could simply pop in for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even Sunday roasts.
However, my partner Sam and I arrived on a sunny Friday afternoon for a full pre-weekend break, driving our way up through the sweeping North Nottinghamshire countryside. We passed by Clumber Park, Sherwood Forest, Thoresby Park, and Rufford Abbey on the way, so you could use the hotel as a lovely base for exploring these iconic locations.
Walking into the grand reception room of the Ye Olde Bell Hotel, we were immediately greeted by regal interiors, along with smiling faces who were happy to show us where we needed to go and tell us what we’d be doing.
We were taken up to the beautiful Bowness Suite (from £360 per night), which provided a real wow-moment upon opening the door. Drapey velvet curtains, a dark wooden four-poster bed, and a complete en-suite bathroom with a bath and a shower. Other rooms start at £206 per night, and you can even book lodges from £460, which have their own lounges and kitchenettes.
But we didn’t have too much time to investigate the room — it was off to the spa for us. We were kindly offered to be shown the way, but luckily, it’s under a minute’s walk from the hotel itself. The spa has to be one of the biggest draws of the hotel. It’s not just a little jacuzzi and a swimming pool — it’s a whole complex with indoor and outdoor facilities, along with the Herb Garden Brasserie for lunching and a bar for ordering drinks while relaxing.
Morning and afternoon spa sessions with lunch start from £120pp, while full days start from £165pp. There are also lots of different options to help tailor your trip, such as signature spa days with treatments (from £265pp), Sophie’s signature afternoon with hot chocolate and sweet treats (from £103pp), and eternal sunshine with Sabbia Med sunlight therapy and lunch (from £170pp).
We opted for the afternoon spa with lunch, and began with our two-course meal in the Brasserie. They did ask if we wanted to change beforehand, and we wished we’d taken them up on the offer, as we felt slightly overdressed. It was easy to forget about that when delving into the delicious meals, though.
I had a seasonal butternut soup and a red pepper quiche, both of which came out piping hot and were rich and comforting. Sam had pigeon terrine and a hearty chunk of fish and chips — he enjoyed both, but thought the latter portion was a little big before an afternoon walking around the spa.
After changing into plush robes and flip-flops (provided) and swimming costumes (models’ own), we set about exploring the facilities. Highlights included the Stonebath with a theatrical coal bucket, the bracing Snowstorm walk (Sam’s favourite), and the soothingly-scented Herbal Laconium (my favourite).
The salt inhalation room and the steam bath were also both very Instagrammable and lovely for a calming sit-down — but as I mentioned, I like to keep busy, so I was happy hopping between rooms.
Once we’d explored every room possible, we headed outside to the heated seats and ordered ourselves wine to sit back, relax, and unwind. While I did go in and order at the bar, the spa butlers were more than happy to bring drinks out. I also went for a hot chocolate, and had an aesthetically pleasing yet oh-so-cosy time sipping that while sitting next to the fire.
The whole thing was easily the best spa experience at a hotel I have ever had. The sheer volume of state-of-the-art facilities is super impressive. Add on how easy it was not having to worry about where to go, what to eat, and how to order, and it was an utterly blissful time.
I personally am not a fan of having a relaxing time and having to drive back home to reality, so I was pleased that we didn’t have to do that. Dinner was at 7.30pm, so Sam and I split up for an hour. While he was reading his book in the bar, I was soaking in the bath and nibbling on one of the freshly-made shortbreads provided in the hotel room. I really appreciated this as a thoughtful touch, along with the make up and mend kits, multiple shampoo and lotion bottles, and a brilliant variety of tea, coffee, and hot chocolates.
For dinner, we headed down to the award-winning restaurant. While we would have normally been sat in the opulent Restaurant Bar 1650 (which I did have a peep at in the morning), there was a wedding party on, so we dined in the equally lovely yet traditional St Leger Bistro.
I’m a vegetarian and Sam is a meat-eater, so we split up on the menu. For starters, he had scallops with chorizo and apple (£15), which he found perfectly cooked and tender. I had Henderson Rarebit (£12), which was tasty, but I didn’t think it needed pickled cauliflower and onion on top.
Onto the mains — venison loin (£34) for Sam. He said that everything complemented each other, from the meat to the blackcurrant jus to the baby onions, but the portion size was huge. The venison was also a little overcooked for his tastes. Meanwhile, I had root vegetable pithivier (£22) — it was a little dry and was very hot, but the pastry was well-cooked and the mash and parsley sauce added gorgeous creaminess.
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After having a two-course lunch and a two-course dinner, Sam was too full for dessert — but I never am. Dessert always has a place in my stomach. I dived into the Basque cheesecake with seasonal berry compote (£9) — it was my favourite dish of the night, thanks to it being just the right texture and having the right amount of sweetness.
Sleeping after all of that was easy — especially thanks to the soft sheets, which were pristine. The whole room was pristine, actually. The only thing I would say is that I would have liked coasters in the room, as I was worried about damaging the lovely furniture with my morning cup of coffee.
We headed down for breakfast, where again we were really impressed with the variety of choice. You can have a full English, eggs any way, pancakes, and even champagne along with it should you wish. I had the eggs Florentine with perfectly poached eggs and crunchy yet fluffy muffins. Sam had to go for the full English, which he devoured — he liked that you can customise what you want on the plate and have it cooked fresh, rather than picking it up buffet style, which added to the elevated feel.
If you’re looking for a luxurious North Nottinghamshire escape where you can fully switch off and feel pampered, this is the perfect place to visit. Whether you’d like a comforting meal, a refined spa trip, or even everything in one go, you’re sure to feel like you’ve done something truly special.
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@yeoldebellhotel
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