Marriott Hotel York

The breakfast was enjoyable, but it was disappointing that there were no vegetarian sausages or dairy alternatives for tea and coffee. We paid the same despite being unable to have some items, and the limited choice felt inconsiderate to vegetarians, vegans and people with allergies or intolerances. For a four-star hotel, I wouldn’t call the breakfast four-star. The hotel itself was lovely. Our room was clean, with a huge bed, handy fridge and a TV where we could sign into Netflix. Reception staff were nice and helpful, and the bar had a lovely atmosphere with plenty of seats on Saturday night. The pool was lovely and a great temperature, though not very big and sometimes busy; the steam room was wonderful, and the gym had pretty much everything for a solid workout. It’s about a 30-minute walk from York city centre. A lovely stay, with breakfast the letdown.

We had a fantastic weekend, and the drive to Whitby had amazing scenery. Customer service was excellent throughout, especially from Bryn and Lucky in the restaurant, who were helpful, friendly and knew their stuff. The food was made with high-quality produce, particularly the breakfast bacon, and the homemade chocolate cakes were enormous. We also had a meal in the restaurant last night. Next time, the pool and sauna!

The staff’s attitude and the facilities left us incredibly disappointed. I’m upset to have to complain, as I try to avoid negativity towards businesses because of my Autism and Asperger’s. This was the worst hotel choice I could have made, and it made a mockery of a chain I’d genuinely been excited to try. My partner and I have taken several breaks in York at other hotels. After some great stays at the Delta hotel in Heathrow Windsor, which my company uses for our European Office, we booked here. On arrival, staff were lovely, and although parts of the hotel looked dated, the initial hospitality was good and we had no complaints. Once in the room, we found large cobwebs, damaged furniture, stains and, worst of all, something really grim in the kettle. I have photos and videos of these issues. I manage a large service team, so I was still willing to put them aside, knowing how difficult customer service can be. After more than six hours driving, we settled in during quiet hours to watch TV. Its functions didn’t work properly, and the sound wasn’t working, so we had subtitles on level 5 with the volume as low as it could go. At 2:30am, a staff member called John knocked and woke us. He was incredibly rude, said the muted television was too loud and told us to “turn off all electronics now.” Paying over £100 a night for a room with a television that doesn’t work properly felt outrageous. We were then told we were too loud while walking to the door and speaking as quietly as we could about being woken up. By day three, staff attitudes had become disgusting. Room cleaning was due every three days but wasn’t available. I wasn’t fussy and wouldn’t have minded, but the cleaners were rude and obnoxious. For nearly £400 for three nights, we had limited use of a malfunctioning television, the loudest AC I’ve heard in a room, which blew cobwebs at us throughout the stay, and staff with god-awful attitudes.

Breakfast was a highlight, with a wide range from a full English to lighter continental options, and it seemed you could get pretty much whatever you fancied. The room was both spacious and cosy, spotless and comfortable. Staff were attentive and professional, and went out of their way to make me feel welcome. My stay at the Delta Hotel in York was a delight, and I’ll definitely be back.