Our story
A cottage we wanted to stay in ourselves.
We’re Tom and Agnes. Helmsley has been our home since 2006, and The Helmsley Retreat is the cottage we now own and look after ourselves.
For years, our work took us into other people’s holiday homes. We cleaned them, cared for them and got to know the people behind them. In 2024, we had the chance to do it for a place of our own.
2006
Making a home in Helmsley
We arrived in Helmsley in 2006. Agnes worked in a local coffee shop, and Tom worked at Gepetto’s, the Italian restaurant. We also worked there together. Through those early jobs, we met people, got to know the town and became part of the community.
2010
Looking after other people’s cottages
We started Ryedale Cleaners in 2010, cleaning and maintaining holiday lets. Some were well-established cottages; others were just starting out. Working with their owners taught us a lot about preparing a home for guests and keeping it cared for between stays.
Visit Ryedale Cleaners (opens in a new tab)2022
A little more help with a second home
In 2022, we started Lookafter to help second-home owners who couldn’t always be here themselves. Cleaning, keyholding and guest care were all part of that work. It brought together the practical things we’d learnt about hospitality and property care.
Visit Lookafter (opens in a new tab)2024
A place of our own
The opportunity to buy The Helmsley Retreat came in the summer of 2024. By the end of the year, the cottage was ours. After so long looking after other people’s properties, we could put that experience into our own holiday accommodation in Helmsley, North Yorkshire.
Today
Still looking after the details
We own and personally run The Helmsley Retreat. Our years in hospitality, cleaning and property care shape how we prepare it for guests. We know the work that goes into a changeover, and we’re the people you can ask about the cottage or the town.
A town we know as home.
Helmsley isn’t just the address on our website. We’ve lived and worked here for many years, and we know local businesses and their owners personally. If you’re wondering where to have breakfast, go for a walk or hire a bike, ask us. We’d rather give you a personal recommendation than a long list of places we haven’t tried.
Discover our favourite places in HelmsleyCared for, not finished forever.
We don’t think of the cottage as a finished project. There are always things to improve, and we want to keep adding character and thoughtful touches as we go.
Some changes will be practical; others will simply make it feel more like the place we have in mind. What matters is that we don’t lose its warmth along the way. We want it to feel cared for, rather than perfect.
Take a look around the cottage