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Whilst a shockingly ugly 1960s building, it was quite pleasant in a Hampton Inn kind of way (note it’s a rarely spotted Radisson, not the smarter Radisson Blu or Radisson RED). The view – it’s built on the banks of the river – really made it. Staying on the street side is probably a bit depressing.
It was only refurbished in the last 18 months or so and is in very good nick.
Yeah, sadly it’s fine. Why sadly? If it was crocked it would be demolished quicker. That building utterly ruins what would otherwise be an attractive stretch of riverbank. You really could build anything in the 60s. When I become a billionaire (maybe from selling a hawk-tuah memecoin or something; seems easy enough) then I will buy it just to demolish it.
Whippet In round the back does a decent steak at least so even if you’re too lazy to explore the best of York’s restaurants (and you should – they’re great) it’s a 15 second walk to escape mid-range chain hotel food. Used to like their fixed price lunch which was actually advertised by them as the least competitively priced meal deal ever or something like that 😀 . Was £100 but given it was 4 full courses for two including scallops and a 20oz Chateaubriand each, and you wouldn’t need to eat again for days afterwards … it was actually very good value!
Ooh, what would you say are York’s best restaurants?
Ooh, what would you say are York’s best restaurants?
The Ivy and Betty’s.
Only kidding 😀
Roots is up there obviously
Skosh is obvious as well.Starr Inn The City can’t compete with these but does have the location and gets much love from me because they once opened two hours early when I asked them to serve a group breakfast for an event I was organising. Haven’t tried the Minster Refectory offshoot yet but going soon.
Meltons has been going for about a million years and been good for all of them.
I’m a history sucker so the Bow Room at Grays Court gets a free pass even though it thinks it’s excellent when it’s merely very good. Make them let you have coffee in the garden.
If you want to avoid the pizza chains then Delrios, Enoteca by L’UVA and Il Paradiso del Cibo will all do good Italian. Il Paradiso’s sister restaurant, Il Paradiso On The Forest is in a barn ( 😀 ) 6 miles north of York is absolutely excellent.
Partisan just up from Skosh is probably the best independent breakfast/brunch (have the shakshuka). Pearly Cow is good too in a more traditional way (as is the boutique hotel it’s in) – I really should try dinner there.
Rustique is not a chain restaurant but somehow does a chain-restaurant type French menu; just far better than chains ever do. Also been going for years.
The Blue Barbakan used to be really good when it was the Blue Bicycle and is still really good now it has gone Polish.
Already mentioned – Whippet Inn for steak. El Gaucho (Note the El – it’s NOT the Gaucho chain!) also good.
The award for the one I’ve somehow never been to but would really like to try goes to Arras.
Then when you want good beer afterwards, Brewyork’s beerhall has you covered. Go to the Blue Bell on the way.
The “sadly no longer with us” awards go to J Baker’s, Cochon Aveugle and The Rattle Owl, although the guys from Cochon headed off to set up Mýse which isn’t too far away and is probably the next North Yorkshire fine-dining restaurant waiting to explode like the Black Swan at Oldstead did a few years ago.
Left out loads more good ones but there’s some very random thoughts for starters.
God I love this site sometimes. Thank you! We’re living here for a few months and I will be using your list as gospel to guide us through the city. Some real gems on here. And to think there’s queue outside Betty’s in all weather (the chairs look impossibly hard!)
God I love this site sometimes. Thank you! We’re living here for a few months inbetween houses and I will be using your list as gospel to guide us through the city. Some real gems on here. And to think there’s queue outside Betty’s in all weather (the chairs look impossibly hard!)
To be fair they must need sustenance after also queueing for 2 hours for that weird buy-a-crappy-TikTok-ghost-souvenir thing in The Shambles 😀
Hotel: Liverpool Radisson Red (4 x times)
Room Booked: 3x Standard, 1 x premium
Upgraded?
Standard to Superior x 2 (1 tier)
Standard to Premium x 1 (2 tier)
Premium to no upgrade
Lounge Access: No lounge
Welcome gift:
Coke zero, crisps & cookie x 1 occasion
Chocolate & can of beer x 3 occasion
Service: 8/10
Overall rating for price: 9/10Comments: Like the cool/funky vibe with the black and red theme throughout. Staff nice and aknowledge vip status. No suite upgrades, despite them being available each time at check in. Lovley Breakfast especially cooked selection, everything tasted great and not oily. Good location, direct access to Lime Street through door in bar. Also had 2pm check out each time
Hotel: Radisson Blu Manchester Airport
Room Booked: Premium Room – Runway View (2 tiers up from standard)
Upgraded?
Yes, to Executive – Runway View (1 tier)
Lounge Access: Yes, see comments
Welcome gift: 2 x Small bottles of Merlot & Bottled Water
Service: 8/10
Overall rating for price: 9/10Comments:
Poor communication in regards to parking. Signs everywhere when entering hotel carpark stating parking needs to be paid for at all times. £5 for 5mins, £60 for 24hrs however there is a guest rate of £19 for 24hrs which is not clearly advertised. Very misleading! Parking needs to be added to room and paid for in reception on arrival unless pre booked.Apart from that lovley hotel, great view of the airport and very convenient, right next door to train station and can walk to all terminals in a couple of minutes. Delicious breakfast with squeeze your own fresh orange juice section.
Pool is nice and was quiet when we visited. Loved having access to premium lounge. Soft drinks and hot drinks from 6.30am – 9pm with small breakfast pastries in the morming. Alcohol served from 5pm-9pm Madri bottles, wine, standard selection of branded spirits & prosecco. Soft drinks/mixers were Coke, Diet coke, Schweppes Lemonade, Tonic, Slimline Tonic & Soda. Selection of premium crisps as well.
Hotel: Park Plaza County Hall, London (NOT Westminster or Waterloo)
Room Booked: Superior Room (standard, 20 m2, not in any way superior as there’s nothing worse)
Upgraded? Yes, to Executive Studio City View (4 tiers) but not to the unsold Penthouse
Lounge Access: No lounge
Welcome gift: 1 750ml bottle of Merlot & 3 bottles of Harrogate Water, and 3 fortune cookies (for Lunar New Year)Hotel: Park Plaza County Hall, London (NOT Westminster or Waterloo)
Room Booked: Superior Room (standard, 20 m2, not in any way superior as there’s nothing worse)
Upgraded? Yes, to Executive Studio City View (4 tiers) but not to the unsold Penthouse
Lounge Access: No lounge
Welcome gift: 1 750ml bottle of Merlot & 3 bottles of Harrogate Water, and 3 fortune cookies (for Lunar New Year)Were you cheeky enough to ask for the penthouse? 🙂
Another report from the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge. Today upgraded to a ‘Studio King’. It’s not the finest room, and not much of a view to speak of. But I’d booked a cheap room so can’t complain. Exec lounge given (inc breakfast), plus extra water and some nice sweets on arrival in the room.
Radisson Blu Leeds on Saturday night. Points redemption, upgraded from Standard room to Premium room, highest non suite category.
Radisson Collection Warsaw.
Upgraded to exec floor with lounge access (non-suite room). Super comfy bed. Very good breakfast with a la carte menu, including Eggs Benedict, Eggs Royale & Shakshuka.
Lounge food is served 1-3pm (lunch service) and 5-8pm for dinner, with alcoholic drinks available from 6-8pm (very basic red and white wine, quite nasty sparkling wine and the usual spirits, ie nothing premium just Gordon’s etc.).I am reading this thread with astonishment. I did 5 nights at Radisson St Helier and got placed in the room I had booked.
Just visited Riga and took advantage of my recent status match to Radisson VIP and booked the cheapest rate room at the Radisson Blu Elizabete.
Received free breakfast and upgraded at check in to a Premium Room with Park View.
Free water and treats in the room for members.
Overall I would give the hotel 9/10, staff were excellent and attentive, room was a decent size and very comfortable.
The only criticism was the mini bar/fridge didn’t work so didn’t keep anything cold.
Will be booking more rooms this year to keep up my status both for business and leisure.I am reading this thread with astonishment. I did 5 nights at Radisson St Helier and got placed in the room I had booked.
I lol’d @BWS ! That does seem poor form from the Crapauds*, as we Guernsey Donkeys call our cousins from across the water.
Out of interest, as I had been toying with the idea of a stay, what room did you book and did you query that lack of upgrade with the hotel?
*Means ‘toad’ 🐸
Hi all – any intel re how long status matches are taking to go through? – I emailed on 26 Jan, no sign of anything yet…
Thanks
JD
Just checking – is it 20 stays or 30 nights to keep VIP after Dec 2025?
Tried Park Inn Manchester this week – pretty nice room, def didn’t get a suite upgrade but it was fine, breakfast okay but they are undergoing refurb.
Choc, crisps and water in room.I am reading this thread with astonishment. I did 5 nights at Radisson St Helier and got placed in the room I had booked.
DTKWYA ? !!! 🙂
Park Inn Peterborough (27 Dec -2 nts)
Upgraded: yes. From standard to superior room. Interestingly, we were upgraded to a suite in the app; however, this was swiftly changed back to a superior room within 5 mins or so! (suite was still available for purchase on app during our stay). Being Xmas period you could count the number of guests on one hand…..
Welcome gift of water, festive mint chocolate crisp and crisps.
Breakfast: average. Not a great deal of choice but OK. Cheapest bread possible for toast. Coffee – rank! but I am a coffee snob and find this the case with most hotels around the world.
Staff: professional. friendly and helpful.
Parking: fairly large with EV recharging points.
Value for money: 9/10Radisson Blu Doha, upgraded from entry room to exec room. Didn’t seem to be a lounge in operation but offered 2x alcoholic drinks and a food platter each day of stay at the hotel bar.
Baklawa platter and fruit bowl in room.
Overall a good stay but some very minor issues such as no towels on the room upon arrival but a quick call to housekeeping sorted@harley how’s the location? I looked at it for later in the year, but it seems a bit ‘out of town’ in terms of getting to see things
Stayed at the Red Greenwich when at the O2 for Peter Kay. At £55/night I couldn’t resist but jt was even worse than the TA reviews suggest.
It was a bit out of town but taxis are quite cheap and was maximum 20 mins to most spots
@harley how’s the location? I looked at it for later in the year, but it seems a bit ‘out of town’ in terms of getting to see things
HI, stayed at the Radisson Blu Birmingham on Sunday night. Paid for the cheapest room. In fact I used points to part pay for the room, so the cash price was £9. Upgraded to a one bedroom corner suite. Of course there was comp breakfast. A couple of things to note:
1. A turndown service was avaiable by request. While I like a turndown service, it is decadent, too decadent for me to ask for one.
2. Asked for VIP discount at the bar and got 20% off our drinks. According to the app, the VIP discount is 15% – I didn’t argue.
I don’t know when the hotel opened but the decor is looking a bit tired. Not that I am complaining £9 for suite and breakfast is a bargain.My next Radisson stay will be the Blu Leeds in about a month’s time – will report back then.
Well done! Had a quick overnight at the Radisson Blu Birmingham recently to test the water on the status match. Despite being told I got upgraded at reception (I thought the lady said to a suite), I still got a standard room. Perhaps it was a “better view”. Maybe they made a mistake but it was disappointing. Plenty of availability, so it wasn’t that.
I won’t be defecting from IHG as a result. Plus the elephant never forgets that infamous overnight Radisson devaluation.
The following line is just a clarification of subject to availability. I have 100% success rate of upgrades to suites even as Premium so with VIP it should be better, but obviously isn’t as I’m sure there were just too many status holders.
I never had a suite as a Premium, neither has my wife AFAIK (who does more Radisson stays than me, mainly Hamburg Airport). Can’t even remember a report from anyone who got one, which is why we are so neutral about it in our ‘are the Amex hotel statuses worth having?’ article.
I mean, let’s be serious here.
Premium requires THREE STAYS. That’s it. Three stays in a year, or five nights. You could do a one night stay every 4 months and still earn Premium. No hotel is dishing out suites to anyone with that level of ‘loyalty’.
Not surprised, although as a datapoint I did manage an upgrade to a 2 bed suite in Dubai with Premium through Amex plat in Q1 2024, which was much to my surprise and very welcome as I did not request anything. Yet to use the VIP new status but this thread is giving a lot of confidence.
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