Great central location, just a shame about the 7 minute walk from the nearest somewhat expensive car park which did add £50 onto our 2 day stay. Breakfast was top quality with real eggs been used to make the scrambled egg.
It's a beautiful building! The location can't be beat. Upon arrival they said they didn't have our reservation, luckily I brought the confirmation sheet, to which she snootly admitted it was there, after more than 5 hrs of travel, in her opinion I guess, we didn't look like five star guests. The room was very small, the bathroom even smaller. No hot water after 11pm and a toilet that you had to press the handle 2-5 times to get it to flush. The celler restaurant was lovely, the food amazing, but the service was some of the worst we have ever experienced, and we worked in the restaurant industry for decades.
As someone who works in the hotel industry, I usually prefer to give feedback directly rather than leave a negative review—but this experience left me no choice.
We arrived around midnight after a long drive, only to find every door locked and no one at reception. We spent over 30 minutes knocking on windows and doors before someone finally came out—not to apologize, but to scold us for “waking up the guests.” No recognition that we were also guests, locked out in the cold after paying £170 for a room.
The room itself was located in a separate building, accessed via what felt like a bunker. It resembled a budget beach bungalow more than a 5-star boutique hotel, which is how the property describes itself.
We wanted to switch to a better room but—unsurprisingly—no one was available at reception, so we were stuck.
The next morning, we were told we couldn’t have breakfast in the bright upstairs dining room because we hadn’t included breakfast in our booking. Instead, we were sent to eat in a dark basement area, while the main room sat half-empty.
When I asked why no one was expecting us, the staff said we “should have called.” It didn’t seem to occur to them that international guests might not have a UK SIM card.
To summarize: the building is charming, and the decor is stylish—but the service is shockingly poor, and the staff are dismissive at best. I suggest coming for a quick look if you’re nearby, but absolutely do not stay here overnight.
My family and I went to the Judge’s Lodging for dinner at the end of April. I had made a reservation for 7pm but we got there 30 mins early and they were more than happy to seat us. The Manager, Sam, was our server and she was an absolute delight. We only had 1 day in York and she gave us the best tips for activities and places for drinks (other than here of course!) Sam was one of the most personable and friendly servers I’ve dealt with in a very long time. The food was also very delicious. Next time I’m in York, I will definitely come back.
We stay here several times a year and wouldn't stay anywhere else when visiting York. Beautifully kept historic building. Rooms are always spotlessly clean. Good food and lovely to sit outside when a nice sunny day! Staff are amazing, always warm and friendly which adds to a perfect stay.