I found the best view in North Yorkshire as historic hotel is relaunched as Grand Villa Heights

The Victorian pipe dream of turning the village of Ravenscar into a resort town to rival neighbours like Scarborough never did take off, leading to its aforementioned title.

But it left this remote coastal spot with a charm all of its own, with its unspoilt coastal walks away from the bustle of Whitby, abandoned buildings that hark back to old industry, a (slightly creepy) railway line that never was and a little oasis of natural charm - it even has its own microclimate, so pack for every season here.

Visible from as far away as Robin Hood’s Bay, the most notable building is undoubtedly the old Raven Hall Hotel as it looms majestically on its clifftop spot 600 feet above sea level.

Built as a family home for Captain William Childs of London in 1763, it’s had a long and colourful history, as well as some equally colourful inhabitants, before the handsome stone manor house became a hotel in the early 20th century.

Now, it’s entering a bold new chapter after being bought by The Apartment Group who are aiming to make the most of its undeniably breathtaking location and stamp it on the map as both a wedding venue and hotel.

The hospitality group are well-known in the North East for their ventures such as Newton Hall and Le Petit Chateau in Northumberland and Runa Farm and Lartington Hall in County Durham, among their portfolio.

Their latest acquisition, the former Raven Hall Hotel is being reborn as Grand Villa Heights in a £10m project.

It’s no mean feat to transform such a site which has 54 bedrooms and 6 lodges, around 90 acres of land including a golf course and even dramatic Roman battlements on its cliff edge that look straight from a film set.

Rolling refurbishments are already well underway and the new additions are doing much to make Ravenscar the talk of the Moors.

In total, there will be two wedding venues at the site, whilst still maintaining its hotel offering, for which it’s built a reputation for over the years under the previous owners.

I travelled the hour and 45 minutes from Sunderland, up hill and down dale, to check out its dinner, bed and breakfast offering. Here’s what to expect:

Grand Villa Heights

There’s two wedding venues being created at the hotel but the overall name for its hotel offering, and one of the wedding venues housed across the vast building, is Grand Villa Heights.

For those who knew the old Raven Hall Hotel, it looks VERY different. I last visited in its old guise, but the communal areas have seen a total transformation.

Heritage touches remain, like parquet flooring, original panelling and a sweeping main staircase that harks back to its day as a grand manor house, but other than that this is very much an aesthetic gear change.

Think Ibiza Boho chic meets whimsical style cues, with shabby chic rugs, raffia lighting, Santorini-style walls and more photo-worthy backdrops than you can shake a stick at. It feels boujee, but in a laid back way.

But the most beautiful factor of all is the location, which is simply one of the best around.

The hotel stands proud in a sweeping vista of this charming corner of the globe and the Cleveland Coastal Path, which makes this place ideal if you fancy a walking weekend and surrounding paths are very easy to navigate should you choose to do so.

Hats off, too, to the hotel’s gardeners who painstakingly tend to the lush grounds and kaleidoscopic flower beds. It really does like a scene straight from a romantic period drama.

The Rooms

Onto the rooms, and it’s worth pointing out again that it’s very much a rolling refurbishment which will take some time, so while some rooms have been given the Grand Villa Heights touch, others are still more classic Raven Hall Hotel.

We stayed in the honeymoon suite / room 4, which showcases the new look and it’s beautifully done - all rustic looking furniture, tactile boucle fabrics, a large circular bath framed by turret-style windows overlooking THAT view - with plans to create a private honeymoon garden in front of the suite.

Walk through to the bathroom complete with huge walk in shower and clever use of textured walls makes its seem as though you’re walked into a hotel carved into the cliff face of a Greek island.

The bed, meanwhile, is more Moroccan-inspired with a huge Moorish doorway-style wooden headboard.

It really was a beautiful, spacious room to sleep in and wake up to - those views really are something else.

Our only quibbles were that there was a non-British plug on the coffee machine so we couldn’t use it and no room number on the door as yet, so we couldn’t find it at first.

More on room rates here: https://grand-villa-heights.com/

The Food

For those who dined at the hotel in its former guise, a big change is the relocation of the dining room, to the right of the reception.

The former dining room and its dramatic, sweeping views over the bay is now the function room for Grand Villa Heights weddings and has had a major makeover in keeping with the boho Ibiza theme, meaning it’s not available to people dining as a hotel guest or visitor.

The new dining room is a darker affair with an Alpine style wooden bar and a mish mash of shabby chic-style fabrics.

If you’ve eaten at any other Apartment Group venues, the menu offers some good variety with hearty classics for people in need of fuel on a walking holiday, like burgers, sharing platters, catch of the day, steaks, pies, pastas and more.

We started with a camembert to share, which was served with plenty of focaccia to mop up the gooey cheese.

And, for mains, shared some of the seafood selections: a seafood platter and a half lobster with chips.

Portion-size is really good and we had ordered way too much for two girls, but we ploughed through.

There was plenty on the seafood sharer for two, priced £26.50 - prawn & crayfish cocktail, oak smoked salmon, North Sea beer battered cod bites, crab salad with apple and watercress, crispy squid, slaw, tartare sauce, lemon and warm focaccia.

Being so close to the sea, it was good to see lobster on the menu and it was a good serving and struck the right balance between being succulent whilst still having a good firmness to it.

Price-wise, starters start from £7.25, with mains from £14.95.

You can also fill your boots at breakfast which is served as a continental and hot breakfast buffet, with all the usual suspects on there.

Solara Shores coming soon...

Not content with creating one wedding venue at the site, a second is also being created in the former swimming pool area and surrounding buildings and gardens.

Called Solora Shores, it has its own entrance, function room, chapel and aesthetic. Work is well underway on the new addition, which is due to open in 2026.

It features a Mediterranean-style courtyard and a more rustic decor than its sister Grand Villa Heights venue with Moroccan style-cues meets vintage meets trendy hay barn.

It will also feature its own coastal honeymoon suite with views over the bay and, eventually, luxury lodges and glamping options.

It’s very much a work in progress, but it’s worth having a look if you’re staying next door as it’s a real statement venue - and, much like the rest of the new additions, not what you’d expect to find at the end of a winding drive through the North Yorkshire Moors.