I've stayed at Middlethorpe Hall twice now and enjoyed the spa facilities and fabulous restaurant several times. The first time we stayed, we enjoyed one of the suites away from the main house and the second a double room in the main house. Both were gorgeous and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this hotel to anyone who would enjoy a truly luxury, high end, quintessentially English hotel. Whilst the rooms are lovely, it's the general ambiance of the place that gives it the x factor. The large and beautifully decorated lounge where you can take afternoon tea or pre and post dinner drinks is so classic and refined; the whole dining experience is worthy of any special occasion and the orangery (where you're served breakfast) and grounds are stunning in any season. It's the kind of place that you want to run away to to write your novel in the dead of winter but it's also an ideal base for exploring York and its surrounding attractions.

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.