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The White Swan Hotel: Traveller Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating:
  • A summary score based on quality, quantity and age of traveler ratings.
4 of 5 stars 37 reviews
37 Reviews
5.0 of 5 stars
17
4.0 of 5 stars
10
3.0 of 5 stars
2
2.0 of 5 stars
4
1.0 of 5 stars
4
TripAdvisor Popularity Index:
  • Measures overall traveller satisfaction based on ratings, reviews and other sources.
#5 of 16 B&Bs in Pickering
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  • Rooms: 21
Address:
Market Place
Ryedale
Pickering YO18 7AA
England
Check Rates: £145 Avg. Price
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TripAdvisor Traveller Reviews

Reviews of The White Swan Hotel

( 13-17 of 37 )
“Get a room at the back”

The White Swan Hotel

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1 of 5 stars
North East
15 Aug 2007
6/8 found this review helpful

As we drove across the empty moors having been sent that way by a sat nav with a sense of humour we began to relax into the rural life. It was to be a welcome break from our increasingly frantic life in Newcastle-upon-TYne -the party city.
The market town of Pickering looked perfect as we drove in. The ducks and ducklings swimming down the gentle river, the flowers in full bloom, the Yorkshire stonebuilt houses resplendent in the summer sun.
As we were shown to our room in the main building we could hear the gentle voices of the local traders packing up for the night and vacating the market place upon which the hotel stands.
Our room was a little tatty, in need of a good lick of paint and the tightening of the odd screw to make the doors on the cabinet look level. We did reflect on the price of our superior room, consider it too expensive and worry about those who must be in the standard accommodation.
The rest of the hotel main building like our room would have been grateful for a revamp.
Still the beer was good, the staff friendly and the village appeared peaceful. All was well.
We ate dinner in a side room as the restaurant had been confiscated for a wedding. It was cramped but we overlooked that. The food whilst above average for a pub was nothing special. Indeed my langoustine looked painfully thin and the meat from the shell was hardly worth the effort. We overlooked that. We even overlooked the complete failure to actually bring a glass of sweet wine that I had ordered.
And so we retired to bed. The irritations in the service and quality of the room were nothing compared with the utterly appalling experience of having a room which overlooked Pickering Village at night. This town would make the centre of our home city centre look tame. The antics of the customers of the local licenced premises was disgraceful. Having been a criminal lawyer for nearly 20 years there is little that shocks me but the language used, largely by Yorkshire young ladies was the worst I have ever heard. Most of the requests made of the Yorkshire boys were illegal and certainly immoral. Other terminology used was that usually only heard in an anatomy lesson or witness box. Every public order offence I am aware of seemed to have been committed. Pickering is loud and violent. Revolting. Pickering town centre that night. A disgrace - nothing less.
After a really rather good breakfast we were glad to leave the White Swan.
So an ok pub with shabby but ok rooms and reasonable food (but very good breakfasts). We could have overlooked all the inadequacies if we could have been able to sleep. As it was we were glad to get back to our North East home.
If you want a rural town in James Herriott mode steer clear of PIckering on a Friday Night. And Pickering - if you want normal human beings to frequent your town - do something before it is too late.
It is a shame but we won't go back to the White Swan.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — the beer
    • Disliked — pickering noise levels
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Gums's Summary
Date of Stay: August 2007
Travelled with: Spouse / significant other
Visit was for: Quality time with family
Age group: 35-49
Member since: 29 May 2003
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 2 of 5 stars Value
    • 2 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 3 of 5 stars Location (e.g., convenience, views)
    • 2 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 3 of 5 stars Check-in / front desk
    • 2 of 5 stars Service
    • 2 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
Probably not
I recommend this hotel for:
Young Singles, pet owners
I do not recommend this hotel for:
An Amazing Honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older Travellers, Great pool scene, Families with Small Children, Families with Teenagers, tourists
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Great food / Wine
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Management Response
replyman, Owner
(Management representative)
11 Sep 2007
We have taken GUMS complaint's very seriously and are sorry that we weren't given the opportunity to respond to them face to face. The White Swan offers a full no-quibble money back quarantee if guests are not delighted. No refund was demanded on departure by this guest. However on investigation of the night in question we must confess that this guest had every right to be disappointed. We have never as a rule accommodated weddings but as a special treat we allowed a member of staff to hold a civil ceremony and have a dinner afterwards. It was due to be over by early evening but through no fault of our own the occasion ran late. This resulted in the kitchen being unable to cater properly for other dinners and the food provided was not up to standard. It so happened that a member of the owner's family ate in the restaurant on a table near GUMS that night and communicated a similar message. This is not normal experience and we have now apologised profusely. We have now adopted a No Wedding policy unless exclusive use of the hotel is taken. We have a roling program of refurbishment and there remain 4 out of 21 rooms that have not had a refurb within the last three years. The room in question has been down graded from superior to standard until it can be redecorated at the end of the season. We reserve the right to retain some so-called tattiness because others in a different frame of mind may construe the same as character. As far as the noise in the street is concerned - the night in question was the Friday that A level results came out and their were plenty of high spirits and no doubt a level of anti-social behavior in the street. This Trip Advisor guest report was given to the local paper as evidence that the Police need to be more active on occasions such as these and the paper ran the story on its front page. This is a market town inn and we don't pretend to be anything else. The street is not always noisy but we are in a busy town - but we do have quiet rooms at the back. This guest has been contacted and offered a free repeat visit to try to show that neither the White Swan nor Pickering are places to be avoided.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
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Average price*: £145 (year-round)
“Good but inconsistent”

The White Swan Hotel

18 Jul 2007
2/2 found this review helpful

We had a lovely 3 day stay at this hotel. We stayed in the new rooms which are nicely furnished with an excellent shower and large tub. Can't complain about the rooms.

We had 2 evening meals in the restuarant and 3 breakfasts. The main issue was that the standard of catering was a bit inconsistent. Having ordered the same starter and dessert on 2 nights the presentation was different on both nights. The breakfasts were ok but don't order any eggs, they were always overcooked. One order of boiled eggs and soldiers turned into soldiers with an almost hard cooked egg! One morning, there was no milk for the coffee as the milkman had not turned up...this is not acceptable at the prices charged...and not an acceptable thing to do to a customer that relies on their morning coffee!

Overall the staff however were very friendly but you could tell the difference depending on which shift appeared to be on. Some staff were very efficient and professional but others seemed flustered and inexperienced. The hotel has great potential but needs to work on consistency in both their food service and the service of the staff.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — the power shower!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Traveller4047's Summary
Date of Stay: July 2007
Travelled with: Family (extended)
Visit was for: Quality time with family
Age group: 35-49
Member since: 27 November 2005
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Location (e.g., convenience, views)
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 2 of 5 stars Check-in / front desk
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
Most likely
I recommend this hotel for:
A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Older Travellers, pet owners, tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Young Singles, Great pool scene, Families with Small Children
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Museums / Cultural / Historical sites, Great food / Wine
Was this review helpful? Yes No
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Average price*: £145 (year-round)
“Excellent attention to detail”

The White Swan Hotel

1 Jun 2007
1/2 found this review helpful

My husband and I stayed at the white swan for three nights at the end of may.

We found the room in the main hotel to be substantial for our requirements, although there were two flights of stairs to climb (what else can be expected from a 16th century building??!!), it certainly gave us a good nights sleep.

Dinner in the restaurant was fantastic, they seem to be fully booked and busy ALL of the time so advance booking would be a good idea.

The staff were pleasant and very willing to help, we had a warm welcome and were shown around the room - something we have never experienced before! Breakfast was good although service was a little slow, we understood that it was busy.

I would reccommend this hotel to anyone (unless you have a problem with stairs!), we had a great time and cant wait to go back!

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — service, personal attention - my name was remembered throughout our stay!
    • Disliked — mmmm.....difficult one! slow breakfast service but not too bad!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
HartlepoolCoisty's Summary
Date of Stay: June 2007
Travelled with: Spouse / significant other
Visit was for: Quality time with family
Age group: 35-49
Member since: 01 June 2007
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location (e.g., convenience, views)
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check-in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
Absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young Singles, An Amazing Honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Older Travellers, pet owners, Families with Small Children, Families with Teenagers, tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
People with disabilities
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Outdoor / Adventure, Great food / Wine
Was this review helpful? Yes No
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Average price*: £145 (year-round)
“Fantastic time at The White Swan”

The White Swan Hotel

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4 of 5 stars
London, U.K.
25 Apr 2007
1/4 found this review helpful

We recently spent three nights at The White Swan with our dog and had a great time.

We stayed in one of the new contemporary rooms which was very modern,
comfortable and nicely decorated. The extra touches like the dvd player, bathrobes and complimentary newspaper were great. The bathroom is fantastic - nice big tub and a brilliant shower. The room
and bathroom were extremely clean. Make sure you read through the Guest Information folder - it is very entertaining.

We ate breakfast in the restaurant every morning and the food was very tasty, with lots of choices. We also ate there for dinner one night and really enjoyed our meal.

One of the best things about The White Swan is the hospitality. All of the staff are very friendly and professional. We were always made to feel very welcome and the hotel is very dog-friendly - our dog's name was even included on the bill!

We had a really nice stay at The White Swan and would highly recommend it. We would definitely stay here again.

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
ShadowChaser's Summary
Date of Stay: April 2007
Travelled with: Spouse / significant other
Age group: 25-34
Member since: 07 July 2005
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location (e.g., convenience, views)
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check-in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
Absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
A romantic getaway, pet owners
I do not recommend this hotel for:
People with disabilities
Was this review helpful? Yes No
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Average price*: £145 (year-round)
“Even my mother liked it...”

The White Swan Hotel

16 Apr 2007
1/3 found this review helpful

This hotel is a great find and if you book late, you can get some good rates (we paid £79 per room including breakfast). I was travelling with a very fussy mother and boyfriend and both were impressed. The rooms were not huge, but you are in an old coaching inn and not a purpose built Hilton. Both of our rooms were perfectly adequate in size and being in the main building, were traditionally and tastefully decorated (see pics). Yes, there were bumpy walls and a couple of cracks in my mums room, but having lived in an old house, this sort of stuff happens the minute the paint dries and is part of the charm! More importantly, the rooms were clean and the bathrooms large and well equipped . It was also a pleasant surprise to have a selection of magazines in the room (be it slightly out of date) and a free newspaper of our choice the following morning.

As we were staying only one night, we decided to sample the hotel restaurant. Again, we were not disappointed. The food was fresh, local and delicious. Perhaps slightly edging towards the expensive side (certainly London rather than Yorkshire prices), but probably worth the money and I didnt see anywhere else locally with such an enticing and varied menu. The breakfast was also pretty special (and included in the room price!). There was the usual selection of fruit (e.g. fruit salad, fresh grapefruit etc) and cereal which you could help yourself to but also a hot menu served to order. Nothing left sitting on a hot plate drying out for hours on end and again, all freshly cooked and clearly homemade (the black pudding and croissants are particularly good). We were also impressed with the freshly squeezed orange juice which had obviously been made that morning, but had also been chilled - a small thing but so often forgotten.

Although we didnt really have time to use it, the guest lounge was an excellent idea in the converted outhouse. It featured plasma screen TVs (which the rooms had as well), a pool table, comfy sofas and an honesty bar.

We cant recommend this place highly enough, especially for a short weekend break. If you like repetitive modern chains with hundreds of rooms (but smooth walls!), then this may not be for you, but if you like individual and traditional rooms and excellent food, then definitely book.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — The food
    • Disliked — Food and drink are a little expensive
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Pookyal's Summary
Date of Stay: April 2007
Travelled with: Spouse / significant other
Visit was for: Personal event (wedding, ...)
Age group: 25-34
Member since: 21 April 2006
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Location (e.g., convenience, views)
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Check-in / front desk
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
    • 3 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
Absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young Singles, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Older Travellers, Families with Teenagers, tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Great pool scene, Families with Small Children
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Great food / Wine, Other
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: £145 (year-round)

Reviews of The White Swan Hotel

( 13-17 of 37 )
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The White Swan Hotel Address

Market Place | Ryedale, Pickering YO18 7AA, England