Impossible Motel

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Reviews

1. laura lacey ★☆☆☆☆

   After just one night in this hotel, i most definitely will not be coming back. I have three major complaints 1- The room itself. We booked the basement room, and got what felt like a prison cellar instead. There were copious amounts of black mould covering the brick (see attached photos) which left both of us feeling poorly after just one night. To add to the prison esq vibe of the room, the toilet was also situated right behind the bed with no door. The rooms have little to no noise insulation and we could hear EVERYTHING in the adjacent room - the kettle boiling, every conversation, and worse. 2 - Lack of disclosure when booking Around ~9pm, we started hearing incredibly loud thumping music and heavy footsteps. We learnt our minimally sound-proofed room was placed directly under the hotel bar, and had to listen to the racket until 3AM. The placement of our room was not mentioned anywhere on the booking. 3 - Rude, borderline incompetent service from staff. To combat the aforementioned bar noise and make the most of our stay, we decided to turn on the TV in an attempt to drown out the sound. We connected our phone to the TV to cast a movie, only to learn the TV had a limit of 15 volume. Any time we attempted to increase the volume it shot back down to 15. We couldn’t hear a word over the noise from the bar, and had to turn on captions just to watch the TV. We decided to ring the service desk to ask if there was any possibility of increasing the volume, to which we were told “well we’ve never had a complaint about it before” and no attempt at a resolution. I can’t speak for the non-basement rooms, but based purely on my experience, i would not recommend this hotel to anyone.

   almost 2 months ago
2. David Fletcher ★★★★★

   This hotel is a fantastic find with an unbeatable central location—just a 10-minute walk from the train station and directly opposite Betty’s Tea Rooms. My wife and I stayed for two nights and loved every moment. We received a call an hour before check-in to let us know our room was ready, and from the moment we entered, we were impressed by the décor and the warm welcome at reception. Our first night was in the Bank vault down in the basement which was a unique and memorable experience. The original vault door, stylish décor, large TV, strong WiFi, and great heating/air-con made the stay comfortable. We already knew about the quirks—like the open bathroom and occasional noise from above—so nothing came as a surprise. For the second night, we stayed in the Stella Solarium room with a private rooftop hot tub, and it was incredible. Spacious, beautifully decorated with original features, impressive views, and the hot tub pre-heated to 40°C. The hidden door leading to the Pink Bar was a fun touch too. Overall, this is a charming, character-filled hotel with plenty of personality. So if you're looking for a unique and quirky hotel with friendly staff you definitely won’t be disappointed. Highly recommended—10/10.

   almost 3 months ago
3. Beth Margison ★☆☆☆☆

   Whilst the location of the hotel is very good that’s where the positives end. We stayed in the “dungeon” room which gave more cellar pantry vibes rather than dungeon. We were shocked to find our room with no door to the shower or toilet and was situated adjacent to the bed. This meant that the toilet was positioned about a meter away from the pillow. The room has vents in the wall meaning that you can hear EVERYTHING in the next room. The room is beneath the Pink bar meaning that you can hear footsteps and music very late into the night. Also if it rains you’ll be treated to the constant dripping of water into the drains. Whilst closing the door, on the way out to tea, the door handle literally snapped off in my hand. When we informed the staff they asked that when we returned we needed to use the key to physically lock ourselves in the room so the door was secure. After this they then charged us £50 extra for the privilege of fixing the handle even though I had asked the staff member about the potential of being charged and there words were “I don’t think so because you were using the appliance as intended”. The whole experience completely ruined our trip.

   almost 3 months ago

1. Karolin Rahamägi ★★★★☆

   Visited York for one night and stayed in this hotel. The room itself was very cool and an experience on its own. Unfortunately there were a few things bothering us considering that we paid £150+ for it. The bodywash in the shower was empty, provided water bottle had bits of unknown material in it, water glasses had some stains on them and the TV wouldn’t connect to wifi. Despite those few things, I think the hotel is still worth a visit if there is a slightly cheaper offer available.

   almost 4 months ago
2. Binoy Vasavada ★★★☆☆

   This motel is… hard to make sense of. It’s in a prime spot in the heart of York and has a dark, intriguing speakeasy vibe—but that’s about where the positives end. The service and rooms feel questionable for the price. The staff have a kind of bougie attitude without being truly accommodating. Our room didn’t have doors for the toilet or shower. Romantic for the shower? Sure. Toilet? Dealbreaker. The shower light wasn’t working, and despite our complaints, no one came to fix it. No elevators here, so hauling luggage is a workout. The staff will help, but it still feels inconvenient. Add to that the bar noise from upstairs, and the experience is… challenging. If you go in with low expectations, an adventurous spirit, and a partner you’re madly in love with, maybe you can overlook the flaws—especially if you’re in one of the top rooms with a jacuzzi, which could make the stay worthwhile. Otherwise, most rooms are just… impossible to like.

   almost 4 months ago
3. Andy Spratt ★★★★★

   Absolutely loved staying here. The little touches like choosing your own soap and the room tour with host was so cool. The room was as decadent as you can imagine. The bed was incredibly big and comfy, staircase to the roof terrace and our very own jacuzzi, stunningly luxurious! Nothing quite like taking in the cold night sky in a 40° jacuzzi! Highly recommended!

   almost 3 years ago

1. Mike Osullivan ★★★★★

   Opulent and decadent in equal measure. I loved the room decor and the finishing touches and the little extras were exceptional. I particularly enjoyed the private roof top hot tub that accompanied my suite. The location is fantastic and the bar & restaurant downstairs has an amazing vibe with friendly staff who are very attentive. Will 100% be staying here again and would highly recommend particularly for a romantic short break.

   almost 3 years ago
2. Sarah Dover ★★★★★

   This hotel was probably those most incredible hotel we’ve ever stayed in EVER!! On arrival we were offered a lemon hand towel and scented soap which we chose. This was such a beautiful touch and start to the total experience. The hotel room was fresh, cosy, Comfy and we loved the decor of old in the new. We stayed in the King room with the jacuzzi and me and my partner had an amazing time together. We will definitely be staying again. Thank you for a wonderful stay!

   almost 3 years ago
3. Charlotte Felton ★★★★★

   WOW, I recently stayed at Impossible Motel for the soft launch and my word, the attention to detail, the history mixed in with the new is just fantastic 10 out of 10 sleep, the mattress, the pillows, the duvets were exceptional. The team are absolutely delightful 100% can not wait to get back for another stay.

   almost 3 years ago

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