York Pavilion Hotel, Exclusive Hire

I stayed here for a few days during the summer. I would recommend it for short stays out of the city - it's only about a mile walking and there are plenty of convenient buses. Check in was fine, but oddly my room wasn't signposted clearly and I had to ask a few times for directions. The room itself was acceptable, but definitely was showing it's age in many areas - some minor aesthetic damage and some mold in the bathroom. Bed was very comfortable, and plenty of space to work. Outside common area was very nice but as the rooms aren't sound proofed it's something to be aware of if you want to go to bed early. One major thing to note was the subtle chaos around breakfast if you want to be there early. Weekend morning the door to the area my room was in was locked so I couldn't access it. Staff were still setting up breakfast long after starting time, so arrive later or go elsewhere if in a rush. Vegan options also greatly lacking. I would stay here again if visiting York for a short business stay, but probably not for a personal visit.

I’m puzzled as to why this hotel has such good reviews and is 3*. My experience was sad, with the hotel needing some desperate renovation. My room, although big, was unpleasant to stay in. There was rust all over the towel rail and other metal fixings in the bathroom, the shower would run hot and cold, there were several spiders and a lot of cobwebs, the bed sheets were clean but torn, and the door lock was flimsy and not very secure. Worst of all was the noise; the walls and ceiling were so thin that I could hear the person above me on the phone clearly - both their conversation and the person on the other end. I heard them yawn, snore, move around, shower, use the bathroom… and same for the courtyard and corridors outside my room from people talking and moving through them. Noise frequently woke me up during the night. It made me feel uncomfortable to have phone conversations or turn on the TV, and it meant I couldn’t take any work meetings in my room due to confidentiality. It’s not the guests fault as I don’t feel they were overly noisy at all - it’s just the lack of quality of the rooms. Location wise it’s easy to get to on the bus from the train station, but a little far from the city centre of York. Service wise I didn’t interact with many of the staff so leaving that neutral. The rooms themselves are decorated but it’s very dated. I’m used to hotels just being a place to sleep and shower, so I’m not usually picky. Unfortunately with the noise and shower issues this proved difficult and I would not recommend this hotel until some work is done to improve its comfort for guests.