SIMON RITCHIE checks in for dinner at a York hotel

I'VE eaten in some unusual places in my time, but never before in an old tuberculosis sanatorium. This is one of the many former guises of the Jarvis International Hotel, on the A19 at Skelton, near York. Built as a Georgian country mansion in 1725 by York councillor John Kilby, who lends his name to the hotel restaurant, it later reputedly changed hands over a game of cards, then became a sanatorium, before opening as The Fairfield Manor Hotel in 1980.

Ten years later, it was completely transformed, and four years ago it was bought by Jarvis Hotels.

It's an impressive building. The elegant glass entrance, complete with huge white pillars, is perhaps the most stylish frontage to any hotel in York.

The interior is equally as refined, especially the restaurant, which is light and airy, tastefully decorated and lit with a mixture of small ceiling lights, corner lamps and table candles.

The only negative points were the lack of anywhere to hang our coats and the gents toilets near the restaurant, which had, unfortunately, seen better days.

The area around the sink was grubby, there were puddles of water (well I hope it was water) on the floor, and wallpaper was peeling off in places.

We dined on a Saturday night and although it wasn't particularly busy at first, more people did arrive as the night went on, so booking is advisable.

As soon as we reached the restaurant we were promptly shown to a table, handed menus and then ordered drinks from the bar. A pint of Fosters lager was £2.20 and grapefruit juice was £1. Quite reasonable.

We tucked into fresh bread rolls while we scanned the menu which had dishes to cater for all tastes.

Starters ranged from Yorkshire pudding with onion gravy (£2.95) and spinach and cream cheese roulade (£3.75) to smoked salmon and saffron prawn parcels (£5.07) and tossed chicken livers with brandy and peppercorns (£4.75), which could also be taken as a main course.

I chose the avocado and black pudding skillet (rather oddly priced at £4.08). It was an unusual combination, but it worked very well.

The black pudding and avocado were chopped into cubes, covered in a creamy carbonara-style sauce with strips of tender bacon and placed on a thick slice of delicious fried bread. It was most probably very high in calories, but it was also very, very tasty and there was so much of it, it could easily have done as a main course.

My wife, Jayne, enjoyed the homemade mushroom soup (£2.95), which oozed with flavour.

The main course selection was as varied as the starter menu. At one end was leg of duck confit, with port, redcurrant and thyme jus (£12.75), and at the other was cod, chips and peas (£7.75), which a party of foreign visitors, two tables down, were tucking into with gusto.

Turkey breast, braised silverside of beef, roast pork, and rump lamb were also on the menu, as were sirloin and rib eye steaks and salmon fillet.

After much deliberation I went for plump pork and leek sausages (£8.95), served on a mountain of fluffy chive mash, and topped with delicious crispy onions and covered in wholegrain mustard gravy. Posh bangers and mash. Superb.

Jayne liked the look of vegetables marinated in olive oil and Tabasco sauce, one of two vegetarian options available, although we were told the chef would happily prepare any dish of Jayne's choice. A nice gesture.

Vegetables included mangetout, carrot, artichoke, mushrooms and, rather bizarrely, pickled onions! These guarded a small castle of delicious cous cous.

Not knowing how large our portions would be, we ordered side dishes of new potatoes (£1.75) and glazed carrots and swedes (£1.75). But we hardly touched them and, in the end, we weren't billed for them anyway!

Although pretty full, we still managed to share a dessert - a rather good hot chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream (£3.25).

We headed home impressed with the quality of the food and the value (our meal, with drinks, only came to £30.38), but, above all, the standard of the service. We were served by three different members of staff all of whom were polite, friendly, professional, unobtrusive and eager to please. If only every restaurant had a similarly dedicated team.

Kilby's Club Room Restaurant at the Jarvis International Hotel, Skelton, York. Telephone 01904 670222.