Enjoying the Majestic surroundings of quintessential Englishness

They come because it’s quaint, it’s historic, it’s very, very English. They come because it reminds them how towns across Britain used to be before high street cloning began. And they come because despite its relatively small size, it’s packed with attractions and places of interest.

The town - boasting a population of about 85,000 - is pretty much famous for to things: Bettys Tea Room and its popular spas.

It was back in 1571 when William Slingsby found that water from a local well possessed similar properties to that from the springs of the Belgian town of Spa.

About 50 years later the medicinal properties of the waters were more widely published and Harrogate’s future as a spa town was set.

At this time Bettys was a few hundred years off forming, but when it did open in 1919 they perhaps didn’t image the impact it would have on the town.

Nowadays the cafe, on Parliament Street in the town centre, is a must for all visitors, although this brings with it one major draw back - queues often stretch out of the door, so be prepared to wait.

Overlooking all this is the magnificent Paramount Majestic Hotel - an imposing Victorian landmark basking in acres of beautiful garden just a short walk from the town centre.

It’s ideally located for exploring the quaint boutiques and antique stores in Harrogate, or for a bracing walk on the beautiful North Yorkshire Dales.

The hotel has 168 elegant bedrooms, a number of which have recently been refurbished.

The Majestic, which seems to attract a mix of young couples, elderly guests and wedding parties, as well as businessmen and women making use of the excellent conference facilities, has also recently opened a new state-of-the-art beauty centre.

The Orchid Rooms offer top-to-toe treatments for men and women using the renowned Elemis product range.

There’s a huge selection of spa treatments, including exotic Elemis body treatments and facials, OPI manicures and pedicures and Sun Laboratories spray tans.

The pool, located in a small annex within the gardens, offers and excellent place to unwind after a hard day’s shopping and tea drinking. The pool is small but, despite the hotel’s high capacity for guests, never seems to get too busy.

But the highlight of the weekend for us was the superb evening dinner, served in the magnificent ball room. The three course meal was faultless - from the salad starter to the steak, and the cheese dessert and the service from the ever-smiling staff.

Harrogate is only an hour’s drive from Sheffield, but feels like a world away, especially when you get lost in the amazing corridors of the Paramount Majestic Hotel.

The town is one of the best places in the UK to enjoy a bit of old fashioned England, and the Majestic is the ideal place to stay for such an experience.