Hotel Indigo York by IHG — Hotel in Great Britain

My partner and I stayed here for a relaxing treat and booked the Chocolate Story package. Prior to our stay, I rang the hotel to book the experience and was informed that two tickets would be arranged.

We arrived at the hotel at 1 PM, as the only information we had received indicated the experience was scheduled for 2 PM. Parking was hassle-free, and the car park was conveniently located just a short 2 minute walk away, although there was a £16 charge.

When we arrived at the Chocolate Story, there was some confusion as they did not have my name on record. The staff questioned whether I had the correct date and if I had booked the experience, which was a little embarrassing. Eventually, they allowed us in under the name of "Aimee," who had made the booking on our behalf. While it worked out, it would have been better if the tickets were booked in my name to avoid any confusion.

Check-in at the hotel was smooth, and we were impressed by the eco-friendly wooden key cards, a thoughtful touch. The room itself was nicely furnished, offering a comfortable stay. A lovely surprise was the complimentary chocolate bar and two cartons of water provided in the room, an appreciated detail that added to the experience. However, we noticed the room had a music docking system that only included an iPhone adaptor, which unfortunately ruled us out as Android users.

Additionally, there were a couple of maintenance issues: one of the bedside lamps was missing a bulb, and the shower drained very slowly, to the point where it seemed like it might spill onto the floor. Another issue was the noise, while we were on the second floor, we could clearly hear sounds from other rooms, including high heels walking, furniture scraping, and people moving about in general. Improved soundproofing would have significantly enhanced the experience.

Breakfast was enjoyable, with a good selection of continental options. Whilst I personally prefer a buffet style service over ordering, I understand that this may vary depending on individual preferences.

Overall, it was a pleasant stay with thoughtful touches, though the maintenance issues, limited compatibility of the docking system, and lack of soundproofing. The Chocolate Story experience was enjoyable, but clearer communication and organisation would have improved...

Caution: Misleading Mattress Sizes Listed on Booking Site

I had reserved two nights at the Hotel Indigo York in October for a "King Bed Standard" room.

When I was researching the rooms initially, it looked like the "Standard Room" had full- or queen-sized beds, but anything labeled "King" had a typical American-sized king bed with two rectangular pillows next to each other.

When we checked in at the hotel, we were surprised to see such a small bed in a "King" room. I called down to the front desk and they told me it was a "British King" and that the bed size I had expected was actually dubbed a "Super King" and was only available in the Premium rooms. In short, there was nothing they could do at that point.

I've traveled extensively (including within the UK) and on every website where I have booked a king bed, I've received an American-sized king mattress. Having "king" in the title of the room description and not getting that felt like a bait and switch -- especially given that there is no indication in the online room descriptions that the bed dimensions would be different between the "King Standard" and "King Premium." If these rooms have the same bed size listed online, how is a consumer supposed to differentiate between them? It seems intentionally misleading.

Beyond that, the bathroom had a horrible sewage smell and the faucet handle for the sink would not stay on. It was a lever version and kept falling down when we were washing our hands. The room itself was cramped with too much furniture. I can't even find the same room in photos online, which leads me to believe that it was one of the worst rooms in the hotel.

We didn't stay that night and I canceled the second night. We instead went to the nearby Hampton, which was lovely.

I have followed up with the hotel and IHG afterward and neither is willing to do anything to refund the full value of the overnight stay despite the misleading room descriptions. I don't want anyone else to be surprised on...

When I was researching the rooms initially, it looked like the "Standard Room" had full- or queen-sized beds, but anything labeled "King" had a typical American-sized king bed with two rectangular pillows next to each other.

When we checked in at the hotel, we were surprised to see such a small bed in a "King" room. I called down to the front desk and they told me it was a "British King" and that the bed size I had expected was actually dubbed a "Super King" and was only available in the Premium rooms. In short, there was nothing they could do at that point.

I've traveled extensively (including within the UK) and on every website where I have booked a king bed, I've received an American-sized king mattress. Having "king" in the title of the room description and not getting that felt like a bait and switch -- especially given that there is no indication in the online room descriptions that the bed dimensions would be different between the "King Standard" and "King Premium." If these rooms have the same bed size listed online, how is a consumer supposed to differentiate between them? It seems intentionally misleading.

Beyond that, the bathroom had a horrible sewage smell and the faucet handle for the sink would not stay on. It was a lever version and kept falling down when we were washing our hands. The room itself was cramped with too much furniture. I can't even find the same room in photos online, which leads me to believe that it was one of the worst rooms in the hotel.

We didn't stay that night and I canceled the second night. We instead went to the nearby Hampton, which was lovely.

I have followed up with the hotel and IHG afterward and neither is willing to do anything to refund the full value of the overnight stay despite the misleading room descriptions. I don't want anyone else to be surprised on...