By Sarah Dale
2 December 2025
Rudby Hall Hotel custodians step down
The custodians of Rudby Hall Hotel have relinquished their role managing the Grade 2 listed building near Hutton Rudby.
Mark Booth and Suze Chomo started their hospitality dream just under a year ago after spotting the former Royal residence listed on a property website.
When the married couple first stepped inside the hall last December, they were smitten and although neither of them had a background in hospitality, they knew it was “now or never” to take the leap of faith.
In the past 11 months, Mark and Suze have achieved rave reviews from hotel guests and event organisers, put their mark on the beautiful property and grounds, began a detailed curation of the history of the hall, been finalists in the Best New Business category at the Tees Businesswomen Awards, and put a hidden gem firmly onto the map.
However, following a planned investment deal breaking down and challenging trading conditions in the hospitality industry, they have made the difficult decision to step down and explore other opportunities.
“We are so grateful for this incredible experience,” says Suze.
“We can’t believe it’s only been a year! It has been an exciting, interesting and challenging year. This has been an incredible chapter in our story and has taught us so much about the industry and we have met so many phenomenal people.”
Mark says: “We are incredibly proud of all we have achieved in such a short time. We are very thankful for all our wonderful customers and the incredible people we have met along the way. It has been a great pleasure and a valuable learning experience.”
One of Mark and Suze’s mantras is to “take a pause” and this is something they plan to do themselves to reflect and to take some much-needed recuperation after working non-stop to launch Rudby Hall Hotel as a luxurious boutique hotel.
Suze adds: “We have no regrets for giving this a go. We are proud of what we have achieved and it hasn’t put us off future ventures – it’s now a case of when and how.”
Photography by Chris Rout.
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