Tees Business Issue 42 | Page 107

Enjoy luxury, serenity, history and a very warm welcome at Rudby Hall
HOSPITALITY
Love at first sight – Mark and Suze were smitten with Rudby Hall as soon as they saw it.
Enjoy luxury, serenity, history and a very warm welcome at Rudby Hall

Regency style, 5-star service

WORDS: SARAH DALE PICTURE: STUART BOULTON
Rudby Hall is a beautiful hidden gem nestled in the North Yorkshire countryside. Its new co-directors, husband-and-wife team Mark Booth and Suze Chomo, want every guest to feel the‘ warm embrace’ of the stunning landmark.

Walking up the gravel path to Rudby Hall on a sunny day, it is impossible not to pause for a moment to take in the stunning architecture and the beautiful views.

Rudby Hall, in the hamlet of Skutterskelfe between Stokesley and Hutton Rudby, was built in 1838 as a country house for King William IV’ s daughter and is steeped in history from its original fireplaces to its secret door in the library.
It has 10 acres of private grounds, two cottages, two large function rooms and 13 individually decorated bedrooms( including five suites) with luxurious bathrooms.
“ It is the perfect place to enjoy luxury, serenity and history,” says Mark, who, like Suze, fell in love with the property at first sight.
“ But many local people have never stepped inside, even though it is an important landmark in the area.”
Rudby Hall has undergone several transformations in its history from being a Regency mansion for Lady Amelia FitzClarence, the illegitimate daughter of King William IV and his mistress, Dorothea Jordan; the private residence of the Falkland family; a home for the Ropner family, a billet for military personnel during the Second World War; and the headquarters of a chemical company.
After extensive refurbishment by Python Properties, the Grade II listed building was more recently used as a wedding venue and available for exclusive hire, but the new custodians have expanded its offering to include a boutique hotel.
Unity through diversity, their new motto translated from Latin, is of paramount importance to the couple who want everyone to feel at home in the hall, which also includes a disabled access bedroom with its own private entrance.
“ We want every single person who visits the hall to feel its warm embrace and feel perfectly at home,” says Suze.
Until July 31, 2025, residents of the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire – and their visiting families and friends – can benefit from a 15 % discount on a minimum twonight stay booked directly with the hall. For locals who live in the villages surrounding the hall, there will be extra offers available.
Mark says:“ We are very excited about the opportunities of partnering with local companies and families. We are very passionate about ensuring that this place has a future because of its history, which is a major part of the local community.”
As part of their commitment to forging strong local relationships, Suze and Mark have launched the Friends of Rudby Hall, a community group which aims to curate a timeline of the hall’ s history using voices, stories and memories from anyone with a special connection to the hall.
If you would like to contribute to this effort, please email hello @ rudbyhall. com.“ We would love to hear from people with memories of working here or getting married here,” says Suze.
“ There are plaques with couples’ names and we would love to hear their stories. We are sure there will be many people who have a strong sentimental connection to the hall.”
The new co-directors, who have secured a host of five-star reviews since they took the keys in December, are hoping to partner with local businesses to widen the hall’ s offering with health and wellbeing retreats, corporate team-building workshops, photoshoots for guests’ special occasions or school proms and school visits.
“ We are very proud custodians of Rudby Hall and we want to make it a star attraction in the community,” adds Suze.“ There have been custodians before us and there will be after us.
“ It will remain in the community, so we want to ensure the community feels like they are part of the hall’ s history and future.”
Email hello @ rudbyhall. com for more details about special offers, partnering for events and becoming a member of the Friends of Rudby Hall group.
rudbyhall. com
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