St Raphael Guest House

The welcome was friendly, and they showed us where to park. Our room was small but clean and had everything we needed. Breakfast was delicious, with a lovely cooked English breakfast plus cereals, fruit, and yogurts. It’s only a 10 minute walk to the centre of York. Thank you.

Our bed and pillows were clean and comfortable, and the guest house was warm and clean. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. It’s also well placed for York’s attractions, around a 10 minute walk from the centre. Still, for what we paid, I expected a little more from a guest house that isn’t cheap. We had The Shambles room, which was very small and tucked into the roof space, so the sloping ceiling took up a lot of the room. There was one small, low chair for two of us, and the tea and coffee supplies were minimal: five teabags on arrival, four on the second day, and only a few UHT milk cartons. The unit they sat on was about 40cm high, so making a drink meant sitting down or bending a long way. The small kettle took around 10 minutes to boil enough water for two cups. The sliding bathroom door had no bottom rail, so it banged into the frame when opened or closed. The tiny television looked about 20 years old and had no smart features. The walls were so thin we could hear people in both neighbouring rooms going about normal business, and I’m sure they could hear us too. Breakfast tasted good but wasn’t plentiful. On the first day my portion of mushrooms was one mushroom about 5cm across; on the second day I got two about the same size. There’s one self-service domestic toaster for up to 14 people. And the guest information book has a full page explaining in detail how much you’ll be charged if you damage anything.

The room was small but comfortable, and very clean. The bed was comfy and breakfast was very good. Our sleep, though, was disturbed by guests coming back noisily at 1.30am, and we could also hear another guest snoring loudly. I know it’s a listed building, but I’ve stayed in similar places without these noise problems. I understand the owners don’t want to live on site, though maybe the late returning noisy guests would have been discouraged if they had been there.

The bed was very comfortable and breakfast was fresh and delicious. The location is great, with parking close by and all the main attractions within walking distance. A lovely little gem in York. Thanks for having us, we’ll come back when we’re in the area.