No.1 York

I love this hotel very much, if next time I visit any city with guesthouse hotels i must choose!

On the surface, this cozy place is probably a good bet for a stay in York. It's just enough outside of the city center to avoid all the tourists, but close enough to walk right in. The reservation process was great and the price is good. It's supposed to be a 4 star hotel and, in many senses, it lives up to that status. The staff is excellent. The food and coffee is very good and everyone is very attentive. The rooms are immaculate (heated bathroom floors are amazing!) and the amenities are great. That all said, there are some issues . Often the staff cleans the front area in the middle of the afternoon, which is a rather inconvenient time to clean as it is disruptive to the guests. Though the summer would be different, it was in the low 40's when we were there and heating in the lobby doesn't seem to be a priority for the hotel. We had to have someone set up a space heater for us in the tea room so we could stay warm, which was a bad look (tacky) for them. The biggest issue, however, we that they held a wedding event on the second say we were there. While it's completely understandable for hotels to host events, this particular location is ill suited to do so given the noise level of the event and the small quarters of the hotel. They had a live band, which sent the music to most of the rooms, making sleeping nearly impossible. Though they did move our room, we still heard the band, who played until almost midnight. Having a bunch of wedding guests being loud all lover the hotel also didn't help. The staff agreed with my assessment, which was to either not have events at all or, if they do, block out the rooms from being rented since it is impossible to merge the hotel with an event space. it's just too small. Ultimately, they need to make a decision about who they are as a brand, event space or 4 star hotel. I'd pitch they choose hotel because that is what it really is.

Above and beyond service and quality.