Settlers House York

Central, affordable, comfortable, quiet, ample parking, bottle shop and with an easy access bar. What more could you want.

My luxury queen room was excellent, well equipped and comfortable.

The reception was unmanned until the 3pm check in time so if you arrive early it is not possible to leave your bags there until the room is ready. There is no WiFi but that’s my fault for not noticing when l booked.

We booked Settlers House primarily for its convenient location while attending the music festival in York, and it certainly delivered in that respect. The room was neat and tidy, with basic amenities, a desk, a comfortable lounge chair and a ground-floor view overlooking the street, which was generally quiet. The staff were absolutely lovely. One lady in particular seemed to be juggling everything herself at times, from checking guests in to serving drinks at the bar. She did an incredible job and deserves recognition for her efforts. The adjoining pub served decent meals, and we thoroughly enjoyed the live music on both evenings. The atmosphere was fantastic, and the location was ideal for exploring York and enjoying the festival. Although the pub wasn’t open for breakfast or morning coffees, there was an amazing bakery directly across the street, serving coffee from as early as 5 am, along with breakfast options. Overall, the friendly staff, great atmosphere, live entertainment and convenient location were definite highlights of our stay.

Unfortunately, the biggest disappointment was the bed, which was way too hard! I had a terrible night’s sleep on our first night. The following day, I asked for an extra doona to place underneath us for some cushioning. Instead, the staff kindly arranged for a thin mattress topper. Although this helped slightly, our second night was still far from comfortable. At checkout, a staff member mentioned that most of the mattresses were relatively new, which may explain their firmness. The room itself was quite old-fashioned, with a bathtub and shower and a small sink with no counter space. Bathtub are awkward to shower in and get in and out of, especially when older. The furnishings were also a rather unusual mix. The bed was nicely presented with matching pillows and a decorative throw. There was a comfortable lounge chair and beautiful antique desk. However, the rest of the room felt somewhat mismatched. Soundproofing was also lacking. Despite notices asking guests to keep noise to a minimum between 10 pm and 7 am, we could hear people returning to their rooms, walking around, using the bathroom and showering. Most guests appeared to respect the quiet hours, but noise still travelled easily between rooms. While there were many positives to our stay, a comfortable night’s sleep is one of the most important aspects of accommodation. Unfortunately, this is where our experience fell short.

Location

Wasn’t the cleanest shower was showing signs of mould and carpet had stains