Hotel du Vin & Bistro Harrogate

From the moment we walked in, the experience was disappointing. When we arrived, one receptionist was attending to another guest while a second staff member appeared to be finishing their shift. We stood at the reception desk waiting to be acknowledged, but after about five minutes the staff member who had just finished simply walked out from the office behind the desk without even a glance in our direction. I even said to my friend that it would have been nice just to be acknowledged, but it never happened. After roughly ten minutes, the remaining receptionist finished serving the previous guest and began checking us in. He apologised that their system was down, which meant bar charges could not be added to the room and had to be paid for immediately. Not ideal, but manageable. I was given a key card and headed to my room. When I reached the floor, I was surprised to find that the rooms were not numbered. Each one had a random name such as Meerlust or Champy, with absolutely no logical order. I walked the entire right side of the corridor checking every door before having to turn around and eventually locating my room on the left. The hallway floorboards were so squeaky that every late night returnee was guaranteed to wake you. The room itself was a shock. The general upkeep was poor, the décor was extremely outdated, the carpet was visibly dirty, and there was mould around the bath and sink in multiple places. During the night I woke up to a strange odour, only to discover that one of the pillows smelled damp, as if the pillowcase had not properly dried. I had to throw it on the floor. At checkout, the receptionist asked if I had paid for my room. I sarcastically replied, “Would you let anyone check in without paying”. He shrugged and said he did not know because the system was still down, just as it was on arrival. It was clear that the staff had little interest in customer service or resolving issues. This stay was a real let down by both the staff and the facilities. This hotel is nowhere near the four star standard it advertises. It does not even compare to a typical Premier Inn.

Despite inclement weather we’ve just enjoyed a very nice couple of days at HDV Harrogate. |The hotel is tastefully presented throughout, enjoying a pre eminent location in elegant Harrogate |The noted Betty’s tea rooms are but a stones …

Very well appointed rooms and stylish furnishings. Friendly and attentive staff. Delicious breakfast in the Bistro! Would highly recommend this hotel.