Excelent service, nothing too much trouble for the staff. Great food, a good location, will stay again

We recently stayed for one night over the weekend. Based on the great reviews, I had high hopes for our stay.
We were impressed by the staff - all seemed genuinely friendly and eager to help. The facilities are great - pool, sauna, jacuzzi, small fitness studio, etc. We didn't use the spa. Everything was clean and well maintained, given the age of the property. The grounds are lovely and we would recommend taking a stroll - even in the cold!
We were placed in one of the rooms in the courtyard. It was small, but clean and (importantly) warm. As many have commented before, do not expect modern interior design! I must comment that the shower strength was not great. The evening turndown service and in-room biscuits are nice touches and you can request tea/coffee in your room in the morning.
Our honest impression was that we were disappointed with the breakfast. Compared to properties of a similar quality, we felt that the choice at the buffet was modest at best. With the exception of the lovely fruit salad, the quality of the food did not meet our expectations. The pancakes were tasty, but we were left wondering what happened to the other 50% of our dish! The plate was unusually small! Finally, we felt it was strange to have received stone cold toast given that we were the only diners in the room at that time. However, I stress that we were only there for one meal and this experience may not reflect their usual standard.
The hotel is an easy 30-min stroll from the centre of town. Alternatively, a taxi costs around £6-7.
York is well worth a visit and we found Middlethorpe to be a nice base for our explorations of the city.

Classy luxury. First class afternnon tea. Roaring fire, big sofa...attentive staff.

This was our second stay and once again we loved it! Both times we have been upgraded to a room in the main house. It's comfortable, beautifully old fashioned and the staff are attentive whilst remaining discreet. The public areas are so cosy (both times we've stayed in January) with a lovely open fire. We didn't use the spa facilities on this occasion but we did the last time when I had the face, scalp and back treatment. As a beauty therapist myself, I can say that this was one of the best treatments I'd ever had!
Breakfast is excellent with a varied choice.
Although it is a little out of town, it's worth the bus journey in and out especially with the convenience of the bus stop right at the top of the road. (bus also passes right outside the train station if you dont want to get a taxi!) Number 11.
Highly recommended and thank you once again to Mr Chatard and staff for making our short honeymoon a lovely one!!