Praise for Whitby YH
A review of the newly refurbished Whitby youth hostel appeared in this Saturday’s Guardian. The spectacular location of the hostel particularly impressed their reporter:
If location was all that mattered, the best hotel in Britain might very well be Whitby youth hostel. The hostel - it opened a few weeks ago - sits on one of the most magnificent headlands in the country. Below it, the pastel-hued rooftops of the town are spread out, while the North Sea crashes impressively beyond the harbour wall.
She was less impressed by the “too hard and too narrow” beds and the “painfully spartan” bedrooms, but those are the only bad points in a generally gushing review. Expect an influx of Guardian-reading families to the North Yorkshire coast!
A point made in the review that may interest groups regards catering arrangements:
The dining arrangements, for example, are perfect: the hostel has a very well-equipped self-catering kitchen, and it’s not only much cheaper, but often also much easier, to feed young children the kind of food they have at home.
I do hope high-ups at YHA take note of this particular point. The availability of self-catering facilities is one of YHA’s unique selling points. In all too many places the Members’ Kitchen seems to be being run down in pursuit of increased meal sales. It’s good to hear that a flagship like Whitby is not following this worrying trend.
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I was there last night, not having read the Grauniad article beforehand, and I can back most of the article up. Most of the rooms have a good view, the room I was in being at the back of the hostel had an impressive view over the town and up the River Esk.
The food in the restaurant was excellent. As an example I had a large plate of prawns & crab with salad as a starter, local smoked haddock with leek, mangetout, baby sweetcorn and mash as a main course and chocolate tart for dessert. Not only was the food superbly cooked but the quantity would satisfy most stomachs. I’d walked 20 miles earlier and it filled me up. All this for £9-95. As yet the hostel isn’t licenced (due to change in the near future) so no alcohol as I couldn’t face the walk down and then back up into town.
I didn’t use the sc kitchen except to make coffee but it does look well equipped (and not just with equipment moved over from the old hostel)
The building has a varied history and this has been reflected in the refurbishment with as many as original features as possible retained. There is a video assisted guided tour of the building in production which will be of interest to anyone with an interest in history or architecture.
Downsides. Yes the beds. I wouldn’t agree with too hard. Too narrow possibly but to me the biggest problem is the sides - it’s like being a cot. This is the second hostel I have encountered these in (Boscastle being the other) and I’m afraid they are a new standard. I suspect they have H&S of children as a priority, not the comfort of adults. As an aside I don’t think they are any safer as there is more risk that kids will get hurt trying to jump over the rails then before!
Only other potential downside it’s mandatory B&B. Personally I’m not too bothered by this as I like the new buffet breakfast and at least they start serving at 7-30 even on a Sunday but I can see some being less than happy with this. No body there this morning (about 50) seemed too bothered.
The only other problem I had was finding the hostel. From the front it’s completely hidden by visitor centre and apart from a very discreet sign there is no indication of where it is. Eventually you work out where it must be but a sign by the front lodge would help. This might be English Heritage’s doing but I hope it gets addressed soon.
Car parking is limited to about 20 cars but for cyclists there is a big bike shed capable of taking 25 bikes with ease (or so a cyclist told me).
It is still a bit spartan but as it’s brand new and it doesn’t have a lived in feel yet, this will change.
Finally it’s the official opening on Tuesday.
Nigel
Comment by Nigel — 13 May 2007 @ 5:50 pm