Excellence Luxury Villas · North Yorkshire
Luxury Holiday Rentals in North Yorkshire
Houses, cottages and harbour apartments between the North Sea, the heather moors and the Dales
As featured in
Abbey ruins, purple moorland and fish and chips on the harbour wall
England's largest county covers a great deal of ground. To the east is a coast of cliffs and fishing towns, with Whitby's abbey ruins high above the harbour. In the middle are the North York Moors, purple with heather in late summer, and to the west the limestone valleys of the Yorkshire Dales. Market towns, Cistercian abbeys and country houses fill the space in between.
Our North Yorkshire collection runs to 50+ properties: apartments and townhouses in Whitby with views over the water, stone cottages in Pickering and the moorland villages, and large country houses and halls around Richmond and Ripon that can bring three generations under one roof.
Here is how to choose between coast, moor and dale, and when to come.
North Yorkshire at a glance
- Properties
- 50+ houses, cottages and apartments, with up to 17 bedrooms
- Guide prices
- Typically £2,000 to £4,700 a week, from around £1,000
- Best areas
- Whitby and the coast, Pickering and the North York Moors, Ripon, Richmond and the Dales
- Best time
- May to September, with the heather on the moors at its best in August
- Getting there
- Trains to York from London King's Cross take around two hours; Leeds Bradford and Teesside are the nearest airports
Browse all 50+ properties in North Yorkshireor see them on the map
Villa numbers and guide prices are updated daily from our live collection.
Heritage Palace Yorkshire | 17-Bedroom Manor in Skipton Elslack17 bedrooms
Howard Tower | 16-Bedroom Chateau in Carlton16 bedrooms
Manor Blakey Pickering: 8-Bedroom Luxury Manor with Hot Tub – Pickering8 bedrooms
House Skellgate Ripon: Luxury 5-Bedroom Apartment with Hot Tub – Ripon5 bedroomsWhere to stay in North Yorkshire
Whitby and Sleights for the coast and the Esk valley, Pickering for the North York Moors and the steam railway, and Ripon for Fountains Abbey and the edge of the Dales.
Harbour, abbey and 199 steps
Whitby sits in the mouth of the River Esk, with red roofs on both banks and the ruined abbey on the East Cliff, reached by the 199 steps. Bram Stoker stayed here in 1890 and wrote Whitby into Dracula. Captain Cook served his apprenticeship in the town, and the house on Grape Lane where he lodged is now the Captain Cook Memorial Museum.
South along the coast are Robin Hood's Bay, a steep jumble of old smugglers' cottages, then Scarborough with its castle and two bays, and Filey, where the long beach ends at the rocky spur of Filey Brigg. Sleights, a few miles up the Esk valley, is a quieter base with Whitby close by.
Browse houses in Whitby
Heather, steam and stone villages
Pickering is a market town on the southern edge of the North York Moors National Park, with a Norman castle and the southern terminus of the North York Moors Railway. Steam trains climb from there through Newtondale to Goathland, whose station stood in for Hogsmeade in the first Harry Potter film, and on to Grosmont, with some services continuing to Whitby.
Up on the moors, Rosedale Abbey and Hutton-le-Hole are good villages for walking, and the Hole of Horcum, a great natural bowl in the moorland, is a fine circuit. Castle Howard is a short drive south of Pickering.
Browse houses in Pickering
A cathedral city and the Cistercian north
Ripon is one of England's smallest cities, and every evening at nine the Hornblower sets the watch in the Market Square, a custom said to go back over a thousand years. A few miles away, the ruins of Fountains Abbey and the Georgian water garden of Studley Royal together make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Further north, Richmond has a vast cobbled market place, a Norman castle above the Swale and the Georgian Theatre Royal, opened in 1788. West of there the Dales open up: Wensleydale, with its cheese and its waterfalls at Aysgarth, and Wharfedale, where Kettlewell makes a good walking base.
Browse houses in Ripon
Kippers, Wensleydale and a long summer evening
Whitby is the place for fish and chips and for kippers, smoked over oak in the town's old smokehouses. Inland, there is Wensleydale cheese, Yorkshire curd tart and, in Malton, a food town with a good market and a well-loved food festival.
Summer is the main season on the coast. August is the month for the heather, while spring and autumn are quieter and very good for walking. Whitby's Goth Weekend fills the town twice a year, in spring and autumn, so book early if you want to be there for it, or avoid it. Our concierge can arrange restaurant tables, steam railway tickets, guided walks and transfers from York.
Ask our conciergeFeatured properties in North Yorkshire
Manor Skipton Abbey: Luxury 3-Bedroom Apartment with Hot Tub – North Yorkshire3 bedrooms · sleeps 6From £6,076 a week
Leyburn Manor Yorkshire England13 bedrooms · sleeps 26From £6,000 a week
Middleham Hall United Kingdom10 bedrooms · sleeps 20From £5,039 a week
House Stray Harrogate: Spacious 7-Bedroom Luxury Apartment with Family-Friendly Features – Harrogate7 bedrooms · sleeps 14From £4,858 a week
Manor Swale Richmond: 7-Bedroom Luxury Apartment with Family-Friendly Features – North Yorkshire7 bedrooms · sleeps 14From £4,620 a week
House Studley Ripon: Luxury 3-Bedroom House with Hot Tub – Ripon3 bedrooms · sleeps 6From £4,578 a week
House Cayton Scarborough: 5-Bedroom Luxury Apartment with Seaview & Pool – Scarborough5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £4,473 a week
House Feversham Helmsley: Spacious 7-Bedroom Apartment with Indoor Pool – Helmsley7 bedrooms · sleeps 14From £4,396 a weekSearch all 50+ properties in North Yorkshireor see them on the map
Why book your house in North Yorkshire with Excellence Luxury Villas
The right house, not the nearest one
North Yorkshire's houses are spread across coast, moor and dale, sometimes an hour or more apart, and we know which are a short walk from Whitby harbour and which are deep in walking country. With 50+ properties in North Yorkshire, we can usually find the house that suits you rather than the one that happens to be free. Search by size, pool, location and price, or tell us what you have in mind and we will put together a shortlist.
Book direct
You book with us directly, with no booking fees. Questions about access, parking, pool heating or how far it really is to the nearest beach go to people who can find out the answer.
A concierge who knows the territory
Restaurant reservations, North York Moors Railway tickets, guided moorland and coast walks, visits to Castle Howard and Fountains Abbey, and transfers from York station or Leeds Bradford. Our concierge team arranges all of it, leaving you free to decide which terrace to sit on.
A house for every kind of party
Couples, families with small children, three generations together or a crowd of friends celebrating a birthday: we match the house to the group, down to the number of bathrooms and whether the pool is fenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to stay in North Yorkshire?
Whitby is best for the coast, the harbour and the abbey. Pickering and the moorland villages suit walkers and families who want the steam railway close by. Ripon and Richmond make good bases for Fountains Abbey and the Yorkshire Dales.
When is the best time to visit North Yorkshire?
May to September is best for the coast. August is when the heather turns the North York Moors purple, and spring and autumn are quieter and good for walking.
Can you take a steam train to Whitby?
Yes. The North York Moors Railway runs steam trains from Pickering across the moors through Goathland to Grosmont, and some services continue to Whitby, mainly in the main season. It is a fine day out from either end.
Can you arrange a private chef at a house in North Yorkshire?
Yes. Our concierge can arrange a private chef for a single dinner or your whole stay, along with cookery lessons, guided visits, transfers and restaurant reservations.
How much does a luxury propertie in North Yorkshire cost?
Across our 50+ properties in North Yorkshire, weekly rates typically range from £2,000 to £4,700, with the most affordable from around £1,000 a week and the largest estates well above. Prices depend on the size of the property, its location and the season, with July and August the most expensive. These are guide prices based on current listings; each property page shows its own rates for your dates.
How do I get to North Yorkshire?
Trains from London King's Cross reach York in around two hours, and from there Whitby is about an hour and a half by road. Leeds Bradford and Teesside are the nearest airports. Our concierge can arrange transfers.
Are there houses in North Yorkshire for large groups?
Yes. Our North Yorkshire collection includes properties with up to 17 bedrooms. Tell us the size of your party and the occasion, and we will send a shortlist that suits it.
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Find your house in North Yorkshire
50+ houses, cottages and apartments across North Yorkshire, booked direct with our concierge on hand