There are some hotel stays where you check in, have dinner, sleep beautifully and head home the following morning. And then there are those that turn into a proper experience. Our recent visit to Northcote, in the Ribble Valley, was definitely the latter.

We arrived on a Tuesday afternoon at around 2pm, an hour before our room was ready. Rather than sit around waiting, we decided to take a walk along the country lane to the nearby Black Bull. What a find.

It’s the sort of country pub where everybody seems to know everybody else – apart from us, obviously – yet within minutes you feel completely at home. Friendly, relaxed and full of character, it’s somewhere we would happily have stayed for something to eat had we not already had rather special dinner plans back at Northcote.

The hotel and pub have a lovely relationship, with Northcote regularly recommending it to guests, and we can see why. We’ll definitely make a point of returning for lunch or dinner another time.

Back at Northcote, we checked into one of the hotel’s newly refurbished Signature Rooms, and it was gorgeous. Beautifully considered, contemporary and luxurious, it had exactly the kind of understated elegance you want from a country-house hotel.

Our room was one of the first six bedrooms to be completed as part of an ambitious property-wide renovation, marking the beginning of a new chapter for Northcote. Taking inspiration from the surrounding Lancashire landscape, the new rooms combine chalk, dove grey and soft neutral tones with natural textures, bespoke woven fabrics and subtle botanical touches. The overall effect is sophisticated and luxurious, but still wonderfully comfortable and very much in keeping with Northcote’s character.

There’s plenty going on behind the beautiful interiors too. Discreet air conditioning, intelligent in-room technology, Philips Smart TVs with streaming capability and beautifully appointed bathrooms bring everything firmly up to date, while bespoke Hypnos wool beds, Dyson hairdryers, Nespresso coffee machines and Wedgwood Gio Platinum china are among those little details that make a luxury hotel room feel properly special.

These six rooms are just the first phase of a much wider programme of investment, with further enhancements planned across the property over the coming months.

And then there was dinner. Food is, of course, at the very heart of Northcote. Its Michelin-starred restaurant, headed up by Chef Patron and Director of Culinary Lisa Goodwin-Allen, has long made the hotel a destination for serious food lovers, so we were particularly looking forward to our evening.

Cocktails at 7pm eased us nicely into the evening, before our 7.30pm reservation for the five-course Gourmet Menu. This is the kind of dining experience where you can simply sit back and enjoy the journey, with each beautifully presented course showcasing the skill, creativity and attention to detail you would expect from a Michelin-starred kitchen.

Yet, for all its culinary credentials, dinner never felt formal or stuffy. The service was polished but relaxed, allowing the food to take centre stage while we settled in and enjoyed a very special evening.

And Northcote’s focus on food is now extending further beyond the kitchen. As part of its latest transformation, the hotel is redeveloping its kitchen garden and has installed a beautiful new Victorian-style greenhouse. The idea is to strengthen the connection between what is grown in the grounds and what eventually arrives on the plate, with the garden team cultivating a wider variety of herbs, edible flowers, vegetables and more unusual varieties for the chefs to work with.

The greenhouse will also allow Northcote to experiment with different produce and extend its growing seasons – taking the hotel’s long-standing commitment to local sourcing, seasonality and sustainability another step forward. It’s an exciting addition and one that feels completely natural for a restaurant where ingredients and provenance matter so much.

Our evening began with Northcote’s Five-Course Gourmet Menu, although before the first course arrived, we were treated to Snacks at the Table. As Ben explained during my Cookery School experience, apparently in Lancashire they don’t do canapés, they do snacks! Whatever you choose to call them, our two beautifully presented little creations were delicious. I couldn’t tell you exactly what they were, but they certainly got the evening off to a fabulous start.

Then came the menu itself, beginning with Orkney Scallop, a dish that is apparently a firm favourite amongst the Northcote team. Having tasted it, I can completely understand why.

What followed was a succession of beautifully presented, wonderfully creative dishes: Veal Sweetbread, Butter Roasted Monkfish and Fallow Deer. Each was as delicious as the last, with flavours and combinations that were quite exceptional.

Now, I must admit something. Had I been choosing from an à la carte menu, I probably wouldn’t have ordered any of them. And that’s precisely what makes a gourmet tasting menu such a wonderful experience. Sometimes the descriptions give very little away, and you’re not entirely sure what’s going to arrive at the table. But that’s all part of the fun.

You’re putting yourself in the hands of some seriously talented chefs, trusting them to create something special. And at Northcote, that trust is very well placed. Every course was a lovely surprise, both in presentation and flavour, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.

When it came to the final course, our waiter offered a rather sensible piece of advice. Always choose dessert over cheese, he suggested, because you can buy beautiful cheese from a shop, but you can’t buy the dessert the chefs have created for you. Fair point. So, dessert it was.

And what a fabulous decision. Lyth Valley Damson with Valrhona Chocolate, Sour Cream and Liquorice was a deliciously indulgent finale, followed by coffee and handcrafted chocolates.

It was one of those meals where you genuinely look forward to seeing what arrives next. Beautiful food, clever combinations, impeccable presentation and, most importantly, everything tasted every bit as good as it looked.

The Five-Course Gourmet Menu is priced at £155 per person, with a wine glass package at £103.40 per person, or a Bottle Flight at £620.

Northcote’s new Gourmet Menu will be available to view online soon, and if our experience is anything to go by, you’re in for a real treat.

What also stood out throughout our stay was the team. From the moment we arrived, the service was warm, polished and incredibly natural. Nothing felt forced or overly formal; everyone seemed genuinely interested in making sure we were having a wonderful time.

The following morning, after breakfast, my husband, Salim, headed out for the day, and I swapped hotel guest for cookery student, joining Northcote Cookery School for its Dinner Party Secrets course.

Now, I should probably admit that this was my first-ever cookery school experience. As someone who can happily watch cookery programmes on repeat, I thought I would enjoy it. I hadn’t quite expected to love it as much as I did. 

It is a full-on day. Following instructions for hours requires rather more concentration than sitting at home watching somebody else cook on television! But if you love food, enjoy cooking and want to learn how professionals make everything look so effortless, it’s brilliant.

Head tutor, Ben, was fantastic – knowledgeable, patient and, importantly, able to make the day feel fun rather than intimidating.

The real revelation was discovering all those little techniques and tricks that can transform the way you entertain at home. Dinner Party Secrets isn’t simply about learning recipes; it’s about preparation, timing and understanding what can be done ahead so that you’re not having a minor meltdown in the kitchen while your guests are enjoying themselves without you. Exactly the sort of dinner party advice most of us need.

You also meet an interesting mix of people around the kitchen, which adds another dimension to the day. Everyone is there because they enjoy food and want to learn, so conversation flows alongside the cooking.

Lisa Goodwin-Allen popped in to say hello and was genuinely interested to hear what I thought of both our stay and the cookery school. Northcote’s Managing Director, affectionately known as Mr B, also called in for a chat, another lovely personal touch. Both knew I’d stayed the previous evening with Salim, and that sense of connection runs right through Northcote.

You can arrive for a luxurious overnight stay, enjoy a fabulous Michelin-starred dinner, learn from the professionals in the cookery school, and leave feeling that you’ve genuinely experienced something rather than simply stayed somewhere. 

The beautiful new Signature Room was wonderful. Dinner was a delicious piece of art. And the cookery school was a revelation. But from the team looking after us during our stay to Ben in the cookery school, Lisa taking time to come and chat and Mr B popping his head in to say hello, it was the people who made the whole experience feel special.

We arrived looking forward to a night away. I left with a head full of dinner-party tricks, a renewed enthusiasm for cooking – and already planning my return to the Northcote kitchen.

We’ll definitely be back. 

Thank you, Northcote, for a wonderful experience.

Northcote

Northcote Road // Langho // Blackburn // BB6 8BE  //  Tel: 01254 240555

Dinner Party Secrets – My Day in the Cookery School

I’ve always enjoyed cooking, but the idea of hosting a dinner party without spending half the evening in the kitchen has always seemed rather ambitious. So, when I joined Northcote’s Cookery School for its Dinner Party Secrets course, I was hoping to pick up a few tricks of the trade. What I hadn’t expected was quite how much I would love it.

Our day began at 9am with a light breakfast and the chance to meet our fellow budding chefs. With just seven of us on the course, it felt wonderfully personal. We were introduced to the team, handed our aprons and name badges, and suddenly we were looking the part. Whether we could cook was another matter.

First, a behind-the-scenes tour of Northcote’s Michelin-starred kitchen, which was already in full swing. Forget the chaos of Hell’s Kitchen. This was calm, controlled and impressively organised, with chefs moving swiftly and purposefully around the kitchen.

The Cookery School itself has glass doors overlooking the professional kitchen, so you can watch the action throughout the day. Even hotel guests can enjoy a glimpse of the culinary magic by switching on the in-room KitchenCam.

Back in our own kitchen, Head Tutor Ben took us through the essentials before explaining the day’s challenge: creating a fabulous dinner party menu while learning what can be prepared in advance, and what really does need doing at the last minute. And what a menu.

On the menu

• Chicken Fat Hash Brown with Mustard Mayo

• Prawn & Salmon Ravioli with Champagne Sauce and Dill

• Seared Aged Beef Sticky Meatball with Beef Fat Onion

• Seasonal Frangipane Tart

Ben demonstrated each stage before we got stuck in ourselves. And believe me, this isn’t a course where you simply sit back and watch. You’re cooking, learning, asking questions and picking up clever little techniques that make an enormous difference.

The pasta and pastry had been prepared beforehand, but everything else was down to us, including rolling, filling, shaping and cooking. Thankfully, we also received a comprehensive recipe folder, because my handwritten notes became increasingly enthusiastic.

Throughout the day, we were thoroughly looked after. Morning coffee and treats, a delicious two-course lunch accompanied by wine selected by the sommelier team, and more refreshments in the afternoon. Before leaving, we also enjoyed the dishes Ben had prepared during his demonstrations.

And then there was all the food we’d made ourselves, beautifully packed to take home, along with our apron, recipe folder and Northcote tote bag.

I’d originally imagined arriving home and serving my creations to the family. Not a chance. I was so well fed that everything went straight into the fridge or freezer for another day.

At £235 for the full-day experience, I initially wondered whether it was a 

little expensive. Having experienced it, I can genuinely say it’s exceptional value. The quality of tuition, beautiful ingredients, hospitality and, most importantly, the skills you take away make it worth every penny. I’d happily pay to return, and what a fabulous gift for anyone who enjoys cooking.

We finally finished around 6pm, and I left feeling inspired, rather proud of myself and already planning my next course.

Northcote’s 2027 Cookery School programme will be released soon, and I’ll certainly be booking again. I’m rather tempted by the Roast Dinner course.

As for hosting my own dinner party? 

Watch this space. Although apparently they’re now being called kitchen parties. Personally, I think dinner party sounds so much nicer.

Dinner Party Secrets: £235 per person.  //  For further information, visit www.northcote.com

By Beverley Uddin-Khandakar