Special Places to Stay - More than a bed for the night

It's a house with a history and a joy to behold. Built in 1750, a farmhouse for centuries, and home to the Land Army in World War II, Yew Tree Cottage stands on the broad main street of pretty Westow – right by a cosy, good pub! – a listed stone end-of-terrace with a pan-tile roof and white windows. Young owners Paul and Natasha bought Yew Tree in 2007, renovated all the old bits and made it shine again; they even reintroduced the front garden's black railings. It's a delight to walk into, the quasi open-plan ground floor, with its oak floors and beams, its open fire in the dining room, wood stove in the sitting room, and modern stylish décor. Chic leather sofas are new, the bathroom floor is heated and the pillows are feather but this doesn't feel hotelly, it just feels like home. There's a welcome hamper in a Shaker-style kitchen (range cooker, double butler's sink, American fridge), the dining room has a chunky oak table and the bedrooms are delicious and luxurious, the main double with a plasma TV. If it rains you have DVDs, CDs, computers and candles – and good old-fashioned board games, too. If it shines, there are Howsham Hall's woods to wander, Castle Howard to discover, magnificent Kirkham Priory down the road. And a sweet walled garden that catches the sun.