BROWNBER HALL TURNS PRIVATE RENTAL & LAUNCHES BROWNBER HOUSE
The award-winning guesthouse Brownber Hall, in the Yorkshire Dales, has reopened as a luxury private rental with added hospitality - and launched a second new property, Brownber House. Both opened on August 1st 2020
Just 6 months had passed since Brownber Hall was awarded ‘Hotel of the Year’ at the prestigious I Newspaper Staycation Awards; the business was thriving and owners Peter & Amanda Jaques-Walker were looking forward to a busy spring / summer. However, due to Covid-19 and social distancing restrictions, the owners of Brownber Hall made the tough decision that they were no longer able to operate their award-winning business in the same way.
In response, Brownber has reopened in a new guise as a private rental - to better cater for travellers navigating the ‘new normal’. Furthermore, the young entrepreneurs have launched Brownber House, a 4 bedroomed Victorian farmhouse (sleeping 8) on the estate.
A new virtual concierge service is being trialled, and offered alongside a contactless check-in, which includes a virtual house tour video shared alongside pre-arrival information so that guests can feel at home before stepping foot on site. A welcome pack is provided in both printed and digital forms (filled with handy housekeeping tips such as how to connect to the WIFI/speakers and how to access local facilities), plus Peter and Amanda are readily available via WhatsApp for any queries.
Amanda’s sister Georgina Rose (formally Soho House Architect) curated the interiors of both properties. Whilst the bedrooms and footprint of Brownber Hall has stayed fairly unchanged, a beautiful new guest-friendly kitchen has been installed to adjoin the dining room, whilst the commercial kitchen is reserved to provide bespoke catering, tailored to suit individual guests needs across both House & Hall.
Guests of the new 4-bedroom Brownber House can expect Vanessa Arbuthnott fabrics, Burlington bathrooms, Perrin and Rowe wares, Fritz Fryer lighting and an eclectic collection hand-picked vintage furniture. The master bathroom boasts a stunning freestanding reconstituted stone bath, with views over-looking the fells.
Both the House and Hall are dog friendly and guests can still enjoy all the familiar and much loved Brownber touches (Peter’s sourdough pizzas have become highly sought after), with the added freedom and privacy of sole self-catered hire across both buildings.
Peter and Amanda are remaining active hosts, always contactable and on hand from afar – to offer top insider tips for guests to make the best of the location, recommending the best walks, places to eat or to help curate experiences (such a stargazing, horse riding, water sports and fishing) close by. Both properties offer bike rentals.
Peter comments: “We want people to feel they can relax here and make themselves at home. Our aim is for our guests to feel as if they have come to stay at a friend’s house in the countryside.”
A welcome hamper of homemade goodies greets guests on arrival - freshly baked sourdough, a jar of their (award-winning!) marmalade plus homemade cakes and cookies.
Fridges can be pre-stocked with local supplies (such as Steadman Butchers, Appleby Creamery and Eden Brewery Beers), freshly prepared picnics and homecooked meals such as local longhorn beef bourguignon with dauphinoise potatoes, seasonal greens and a nice bottle of burgundy or sourdough pizzas and garlic breads with seasonal salads-either delivered to the doorstep or left chilled to be cooked later (saving guests the hassle of cooking after a long journey/day of hiking the fells).
The House and Hall are located next door to each other, with a private 50m pathway between the two. Groups can comfortably hire one or both properties, each offering spacious gardens, BBQs and firepits.
Brownber Hall and House are available for exclusive private rental, sleeping up to 23 guests across the two properties.
Brownber House is available from £1,600 for 7 nights
Brownber Hall is available from £1,900 for 7 nights.
