Roaring fires, bubbling hot tubs, stunning views, and even pairs of skis strapped to the walls – but this isn’t the French alps… it’s Yorkshire.
Olicana Park is a beautiful holiday park right on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, just an hour’s drive from Greater Manchester.
Here, scattered around the banks of the River Wharfe, you’ll find a collection of luxury wooden cabins, traditional cottages, and classic static caravans.
But for us, it really is all about those cabins, which capture all the best bits of the apres-ski culture loved by snow-worshippers, all year round.
In winter, you can whack on your own log burger and cosy up on the sofas with a glass of red wine and a good book, while in summer you can throw open the bi-fold doors and sit out with a cocktail on your own gigantic roof terrace.
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Each cabin has its own theme that plays in around the tasteful decor, which usually involves incredible wooden beams and stone floors.
The one our friends at The Hoot stayed in had an apres-ski theme, from the subtle (vintage wooden skis and piste markers used as wall art) to the clever (an old chair lift that had been turned into patio furniture).
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The luxury apres-ski cabin at Olicana ParkA sauna inside the cabinThe view from your own terrace
There’s a huge hot tub perched on your own private decking too, where you can soak in the warm water while watching the river burble past at the end of your own driveway.
Upstairs in this particular cabin were two enormous double bedrooms with modern en suite bathrooms, one of which also had an enormous terrace attached with a view down to the river.
And then – wait for it – the cabin also came with its own sauna. Talk about luxury.
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If you can’t tear yourself away from your own space, each cabin has a kitchen that’s perfectly kitted out with everything you need to whip up a tasty tea (or, if you’re like us, a cheese board for dinner).
Lunch dishes at Hamilton’s the on-site restaurant at Olicana ParkBreakfast at Hamilton’s the on-site restaurant at Olicana Park
But if you do venture out, there’s an on-site restaurant called Hamilton’s, where you can dig in to fresh salads, gyros, and burgers, and when you come back in the next morning you can feast on a menu of banging breakfasts and brunches.
Olicana Park actually used to be a traditional caravan park, but has been given some serious TLC since the new owners took over in 2016.
It was this team who decided to split the park into zones, with four cottages in one, five luxury cabins in another, and 29 static caravans in the third.
The cottages and cabins were all refurbished or constructed from scratch using British suppliers and local tradesmen.
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The living rooms in an Olicana Park cabin. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
It’s just a short stroll from Addingham village, and that’s only a short bus from the bustling town of Ilkley, which itself is only a short train ride from Leeds.
That means excellent pubs, restaurants and cafes within easy reach, as well as gorgeous countryside walks like a riverside amble to Bolton Abbey.
Surrounded by a plethora of long walks and country pubs, Olicana Park really is a perfect gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, and if you’re looking for something to kick off holiday season then we couldn’t recommend it more.
You can get 10% off your June holiday at Olicana Park with the code “THEHOOT”.
Passengers across the North warned as new train timetables launch this month
Emily Sergeant
Passengers across the North are being told to plan head as new train timetables with ‘targeted adjustments’ are being introduced this month.
Forming part of the national timetable change – which takes place twice a year each May and December – train operator Northern is reminding customers about changes which are going live next week following recent feedback from customers on how to improve.
While most of Northern’s services set to see little to no change this month, there are some ‘targeted adjustments’ taking place.
Here in the North West and Greater Manchester, there will be some small changes on a few routes to ‘help with punctuality’, but it’s elsewhere across the region where more significant changes are set to take place.
In the North East, more customers will be able to travel between Newcastle and Whitby on Sundays without changing trains, and there will be some small tweaks to the timetables on other lines.
Passengers across the North are being warned as new train timetables launch this month / Credit: Northern
Then, over in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, trains running between Sheffield and Lincoln will now call at all stations along the route on Sundays.
“We’ve listened to feedback from our customers and have focused on improving reliability when the May timetable change takes place,” commented Toby Higgins, who is the Head of Business Performance at Northern, ahead of the timetable changes being introduced next week.
“Whilst there won’t be widespread changes to times, I’d advise customers to check before they travel as some services will leave a few minutes earlier than they do now to help with overall punctuality.”
New train timetables go live from next Sunday 17 May, and the full details of all of the changes taking place across the network can be found on Northern’s website here.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
Travel & Tourism
Iconic boutique hotel in Manchester unveils stunning new look, including redesigned roof terrace
Daisy Jackson
An iconic hotel in Manchester that’s already home to a rooftop terrace, serene spa, private screening room, and dozens of beautiful boutique bedrooms has unveiled a new chapter.
King Street Townhouse is now ready to introduce 10 totally reimagined guest rooms, plus refined event spaces, all still honouring the building’s Grade II-listed heritage.
The boutique accommodation in the city centre has just unveiled this design refresh, coinciding with its recent 10th anniversary.
One of the major developments at the luxury hotel is the collection of 10 new Signature Guestrooms, each with its own unique character, defined by rich textures and curated art.
Beyond the quiet luxury of the new bedrooms, you’ll find newly reimagined event spaces, like its beautiful South Terrace and Lounge with panoramic skyline views which has always been popular for weddings, conferences, and other private events.
Now, the interiors flow seamlessly onto the terrace for an indoor-outdoor experience, with a sculptural feature bar and discreet flexible partitions.
Elsewhere in King Street Townhouse, the Mezzanine Lounge has also had a refurb, now offering bespoke seating and its own dedicated bar.
And that’s alongside all the long-loved features from the last decade, like The Tavern restaurant, the infinity pool, the private screening room, the gym, and the King Street Spa.
King Street Townhouse has refurbed its roof terraceThe new bar at King Street TownhouseThe refreshed Mezzanine Lounge One of the Signature GuestroomsDetails of the new barEach Signature Guestroom has its own characterThere are 10 redesigned bedrooms at King Street Townhouse
Viki Tahmasebi, CEO, THG Experience, said: “This marks an exciting new chapter for King Street Townhouse.
“Our vision has always been to create guest experiences that feel deeply personal and intuitively luxurious, and these enhancements further bring this to life.
“We’ve reimagined our spaces to reflect how our guests want to live, gather and unwind – building on what has long been cherished.”
You can see more and book a stay at the new-look King Street Townhouse HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
26th April 2024 
