The Milner York

For our anniversary weekend, this was a super hotel. Everyone greeted us warmly at reception, and a special thank you to “Janet” (head of housekeeping) for arranging complimentary anniversary bubbly. The hotel is right by the train station, with a rear entrance you can reach without going out onto the street. York's centre is just a 2 minute walk away. There is plenty of on-site parking, discounted a little for hotel guests. It's still over priced, though cheaper than the nearby car parks for 24 hours. Dogs can stay in any room, but there's a £30 per night charge. Breakfast was very good, the gym was good and the pool was nice. Front facing rooms and the ‘Garden room’ have great views of the Minster.

The main hotel is beautiful, with a great location and lovely reception rooms. Our lower ground accessible room had a really good accessible bathroom, but staying there felt like being in a different hotel. The room was tired and needed decorating, with stains on the chairs and carpet. The ironing board was propped against the wardrobe. We came back late after a theatre visit and followed the entrance instructions to ring for the concierge. We waited about 5 minutes in -3 degree weather. He then pointed out we could use our key card to get in. Maybe that was obvious to others, but we were freezing in the dark.

The staff make you feel welcome, and nothing seems too much trouble. We'll definitely come back whenever we're in York. We had to rearrange because of medical issues, and the man my husband spoke to by phone was extremely kind and helpful. We stayed in the sidlings rooms, which were adequate for what we needed. We've also had a suite before, and it was stunning. Breakfast in the restaurant was ok, adequate again. We had a problem at dinner, but it was sorted straight away.

The people working here really made the stay. They seemed invested in helping, not just polite, and it felt like they genuinely wanted us to have a good time. Sweda, apologies if I've mangled the spelling since I only heard it aloud, sorted out our parking, and Molly made check-out smooth and cheerful, leaving a lasting impression. The suite was spacious and thoughtfully laid out, and the whole place was spotless, from the rooms and corridors to the shared spaces. The design had me nodding along like I'd suddenly become an interior décor expert. We also had a drink at the Swollen Gambler bar, a very pleasant spot despite the name sounding like a Dickensian character or cautionary tale. The location is hard to beat. The Milner Hotel York is so close to York train station you could practically be checked in while leaving your suitcase on the platform. I don't recommend testing that, but you could. If you're driving over for a weekend, book parking ahead. There are spaces, but they're limited and intimate, and you'll notice when opening car doors. Breakfast was the one small wobble. It was a perfectly fine buffet, but restocking was slow and some items seemed to disappear, leaving you wondering whether to wait or improvise a continental breakfast. It wasn't disastrous, just a little behind the rest of the hotel. Still, a small breakfast quibble didn't undo a comfortable stay at a convenient place run by people who care.