The Talbot Hotel, Malton

Stuart Forster reviews a stay at The Talbot Hotel, Malton.

The Talbot Hotel is set within spacious grounds a couple of minutes stroll from the centre of Malton in North Yorkshire. The attractive market town has been described as ‘the food capital of Yorkshire’. This 26-room hotel offers luxury accommodation and hosts a bar, the fine-dining Wentworth Restaurant plus the Malton Brasserie.

Disclosure: Stuart Forster was invited to stay in Malton at The Talbot Hotel, which did not review nor approve this article. Disclosure: Some of the links below, marked with a (£), are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

The premises date back to the 17th century, when the property was a built as a hunting lodge. The building has been utilised as an inn since 1740. Back in those days coach journeys between Malton and London were measured in days rather than hours. Aspects of that history are touched upon in literature within rooms. Framed photos of racing horses and people in hunting attire decorate walls within The Talbot Hotel.

If you’re looking for a short break with your pet dog, you might want to consider staying here. The Talbot Hotel in Malton is dog-friendly.

The Talbot Hotel in Malton, North Yorkshire.
The Talbot Hotel in Malton, North Yorkshire.

A luxury hotel in Malton

Malton is 18 miles northeast of York, so this hotel offers a viable alternative to accommodation in and around the historic walled city. Ripon, meanwhile, is 36 miles westward, across the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Beauty.

Rear facade of an 18th-century building on the grounds of the Talbot Hotel in Malton, North Yorkshire
Looking for accommodation in Malton? This is the rear facade of an 18th-century building on the grounds of The Talbot Hotel.

The Talbot Hotel provides a comfortable base for walkers between outings in the North Yorks Moors National Park, 10 miles away. I spent the night at the hotel ahead of joining a Malton Food Tour, which provide insights into artisanal food and drink made and sold in the town.

The gardens of the Talbot Hotel in Malton.
The gardens of the Talbot Hotel in Malton.

Arriving on a balmy Friday evening meant time to stroll in the gardens and enjoy views into the Derwent Valley. The Wentworth Restaurant has a fine reputation but as the weekend promised plenty of food tasting, I opted to dine in the informal Malton Brasserie.

The dining room at the Malton Brasserie.
The dining room at the Malton Brasserie.

As soon as I spotted fish and chips on the menu I knew what to order. Light floods into the atrium on light summer nights, making the dining room a pleasant place to sit and chat.

Fish and chips served at the Malton Brasserie. Mushy peas and tartare sauce are on the plate, along with a grilled lime.
Fish and chips served at the Malton Brasserie. Mushy peas and tartare sauce are on the plate, along with a grilled lime.

Brewing and pubs in Malton

Beer from Malton’s Brass Castle Brewery is served in the hotel bar. If you enjoy good ale, it may be worth booking a weekend in Malton to sample the beers served in pubs such as The Spotted Cow, New Globe Inn and The New Malton.

Groups, no doubt, can have a grand time making use of the lounge, which has an open fireplace. I found the cosy room a pleasant place to sit and read before dinner.

Framed oil paintings at The Talbot Hotel.
Framed oil paintings at The Talbot Hotel in Malton.

If you’re into literature, you may already be aware that Charles Dickens spent time in Malton. He drew inspiration for aspects of his novel Nicholas Nickleby from the region. Look carefully and you’ll see a first edition of the book locked in the display case in The Talbot Hotel’s lobby. A plaque on a building in Malton’s Chancery Lane celebrates the Dickens connection.

The lounge at the Talbot Hotel in Malton.
The lounge at The Talbot Hotel in Malton, North Yorkshire.

Bedroom at the Talbot Hotel

I was allocated a sizable ground floor bedroom at the back of the hotel. Its sash window opened onto the garden. The quiet location and heavy curtains ensured that even on a summer’s night I was able to sleep well. The décor of my room was classically English in pastel colours, with framed prints on the walls. The en suite bathroom was stocked with Penhaligon’s Blenheim Bouquet toiletries.

Penhaligon's toiletries at the Talbot Hotel
Penhaligon’s toiletries at the Talbot Hotel.

When staying in a hotel, I’d normally choose a traditional English breakfast; a treat that I rarely cook at home. However, knowing that I was about to participate in a food tour meant I selected Eggs Benedict to set me up for the day.

The Talbot Hotel proved a comfortable base and is ideally located for exploring Malton on foot.

Book accommodation at the Talbot Hotel, Malton

Check room availability at The Talbot Hotel via Booking.com (£):


Booking.com

Location of The Talbot Hotel

The map below shows the location of The Talbot Hotel in Malton:

Google map showing The Talbot Hotel in Malton, North Yorkshire.

Further information

The Talbot Hotel is at 43 Yorkersgate, Malton, North Yorkshire (tel. 01653 639096). See the hotel’s website for more information about rooms and to check their availability. Car parking is available in the hotel car park.

The Malton Brasserie opens for lunch and dinner, serving dishes including of Wensleydale and wild garlic soufflé, steamed mussels with skinny chips, plus sirloin steak with French fries and Béarnaise sauce. The selection of desserts includes scoops of ice cream from Groovy Moo, whose base is across the road in the Talbot Yard Food Court.

Afternoon tea is served at the Talbot Hotel in Malton, which also hosts conferences. It has a gun room with secure storage facilities for hunting weapons..

For more ideas about things to do and see in Malton, including participating in a cookery class at the The Cook’s Place, see the Visit Malton and Welcome to Yorkshire websites.

Stuart Forster, the author of this article, is an award-winning travel writer based in the north-east of England. He has written hotel reviews for publications including The Telegraph and The Independent. Stuart is available for freelance commissions and can be contacted via this website.

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2 Comments

  • Nick Davis

    February 23, 2019 at 13:24 Reply

    Looks a great place to stay. I can’t wait to visit Malton and the surrounding area.

    • Stuart Forster

      February 24, 2019 at 10:00 Reply

      Have a great time while you are there!

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