I recently visited the Cliffemount Hotel for the third time.
My two previous visits were made when the previous owner was in charge.
The difference is amazing.
The previous owner was friendly, hospitable and gracious.The present owners do not have these personal skills.
My bedroom was dated and tired. The bed was too soft and was past its best. The kettle was old and grubby, the bedding was too hot and heavy for July. The bathroom was tired, the shower splashed all over the wall if not on full power. The wash basin was cracked, the loo roll holder fell apart when touched.
Service was minimal , with no smile. Breakfast was well cooked and tasty, but the waitress never asked anyone whether they needed more tea , coffee or toast. I have no doubt they would have been forthcoming if asked for but they should have been offered.
More choice should be available, different juices, local honey and jam, crusty rolls etc.
After all this is no cheap or even moderate priced B and B.
The chef cooks wonderful meals but not everyone needs three courses every night.
I opted for a smaller meal, chose what I thought was one off the chalk board in the bar, only to find out these were starters for the restaurant meals. People on the next table were served a bar meal, which is what I would have prefered. I asked why I hadnt been shown the 'Bar menu'. The owner said , '' Well you will know for next time, wont you''.
There was no next time, as I ate in the Magpie fish restaurant in Whitby the next evening. Very good it was, too.
This hotel is in an unenviable position on the cliff edge overlooking a beautiful bay. There is great potential to make this hotel a first class establishment. Sorry to say the present owners seem reluctant to upgrade the rooms and to give hospitality of a standard the price demands.
I hope someone with imagination and flair takes it over soon.

We booked a room with countryside views, room was clean and bright but really no difference in quality to the many good b&b's we've stayed in over the years- so to be charged around £90 for the room seemed very over priced...

Runswick Bay is lovely but in terms of nightlife there is only one other pub and as this was deserted (in the middle of June on a Saturday night!) we chose to eat in the hotel restaurant- what a mistake! It seemed expensive - around £7 for a starter and £14 for a main but we went ahead and ordered...we both had scallaps for starters which were chewy and tastless and our mains- pork for me, steak for him- were over-cooked- the most incredible part of my meal was the mash potato which, I'm convinced was instant smash!!- the whole meal was around fifty pounds and a real let down. Oh and as mentioned by previous reviewers, the napkins are still paper!. Breakfast was much better however- we both very hungry from the night before!

And did I mention the gin and tonic ? around £4!!!

Overall a pleasant stay but overpriced......

After reading the negative feedback for this hotel on your website we feel it only fair to give our opinion of our brief stay at this establishment. This was our first visit to Runswick Bay and although slightly expensive, we believe one gets what one pays for. The cost of our long weekend was reflected in the excellent room with balcony overlooking wonderful views of Runswick Bay. We found the facilities of the hotel to be spacious, tastefully decorated and all staff polite and more than happy to accomodate any of our requests. We found the food to be varied and of an extremely high standard, catering for both my tastes and that of my partner who preferes vegetarian cuisine. It was also refreshing to see a varied and extensive wine list, once again catering for all tastes. We would highly reccommend this establishment to anyone who seeks a relaxing and tranquil break from the normal 'run of the mill hotel'. We look forward to returning to the Cliffemout Hotel in the near future, and would like to thank everyone connected with this establishment for a wonderful relaxing break.

Having read some of the reviews for this excellent establishment, I feel I must make my own views known, based on my own visits.

I should firstly point out that I never stayed under the previous owner (my first stay was in Jan 2006)

Our stays there have been exemplary. The suites are immaculately furnished and the views can only be described as stunning.

We have never found the staff anything but pleasant, attentive and eager to please.

Now to food…. Food is my passion. I pride myself on knowing both about ingredients and how to cook them and present them well. Firstly, the quality of the ingredients used at Cliffemount is second to none. Most are locally sourced and of a fantastic standard. The meat is well hung and always cooked to perfection. I have personally seen Ian Rae arrive back at the hotel on a Saturday morning with a huge stiff fresh cod, landed that same morning from one of the many day boats fishing out of Staithes. That night I ate a superb roast tranche of that cod on a pea and mint risotto. Heaven! This is serious food, beautifully cooked.
As a closing aside on this point, Ian keeps one of the best pints of Black Sheep bitter I’ve ever enjoyed. And I’ve enjoyed a few!

I have nothing but praise for Mr. & Mrs. Rae. Each time we have visited (next time will be our fifth visit) they have been friendly and always make time to chat to guests. I myself have kept Ian talking about food for long periods when he must have had other things to do, with never a sharp word or a brush off. In short, they are, in my opinion, the perfect hosts.

Finally, it seems that happy people write nice things in the comments book at the hotel (it’s bursting with them) instead of on sites like this.

Keep up the good work Ian and Carol, we’ll be back.