Name: Royal Whitby
Address: West Cliff, West Cliff, Whitby, Scarborough District, England, United Kingdom, West Cliff, North Yorkshire, GB
Price range: $78–$368 per night
Rating: 7.73

What guests think

Royal Whitby offers striking cliff-top views and friendly service, but ongoing refurbishment means a mixed experience, with scaffolding, daytime works and an intermittently unavailable lift frequently mentioned alongside praise for newly renovated rooms and smart bar and restaurant areas.

Location is a strong point, with easy access to town and standout sea and Abbey views. Feedback on rooms varies widely, from modern and comfortable to small or dated, with hard-to-control heating, single glazing and scaffolding obstructed outlooks recurring in older sections. Breakfast and the Fat Badger bar earn plenty of praise, though some guests found the breakfast service or selection underwhelming. Best for travellers who value the setting and can tolerate renovation-related trade-offs.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Major refurbishment is ongoing; scaffolding and daytime works are common, and the lift has frequently been out of service. Parking is limited and paid/reservable, while the refurbished bar and restaurant areas are popular.

Related guest reviews

8

Mandy

Oct 26, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Parking a big problem for such a big hotel. Having to pay at certain times of the day is crazy. Should be free if your a paying guest. Hotel rooms clean restaurant had good choice of food my room had excellent views across Whitby. Would say again.

8

Franc

Oct 3, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great character hotel on the cliffs overlooking Whitby. Newly refurbished rooms. Good atmosphere in bar and restaurant

8

Sandra

Jul 28, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely breakfast Only downside is that the lift is not in use till October so its stairs all the way. They do provide help with your luggage but if you have mobility issues the stairs are an issue. We had been give a room on the third floor but the receptionist did move us to the first floor. Staff friendly and helpful. Will go back but when the lift is working. The first we knew was when i got an email but we was already in whitby.

10

Tammy

Aug 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The property is currently undergoing renovations, its an older building but they are doing a great job with the refurbishments, i cant wait to come and visit once it is completed. The restaurant and bar is fantastic. Great food... amazing vibes. The room was great, it had an amazing view and lots of space. The staff were friendly and helpful. My husband and I had a fabulous time. Thank you!

10

Alfred

Jul 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

I booked because they said parking available. It wasn’t. Huge problem given it’s a busy place in July. Stay away if you have luggage.

10

David

Nov 19, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Amazing breakfast, spotless room and amazing bar area. Food in the restaurant was exceptional

6

Andrew

Aug 10, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

Hotel is nice enough as were the staff but was disappointed there was no lift to the top floor.... that's not ideal for people who have difficulty walking. My main whinge about The Royal is the parking. When I booked, it wasn't made clear that you have to reserve a parking space so we had to go to nearby car park in the overspill car park. For a hotel that has 140 rooms, 20 car parking spaces, if you're lucky, is frankly quite ridiculous. Other than that I'd recommend The Royal.. it's nice and clean.

10

Robert Lee

Aug 1, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Excellent hotel, despite scaffolding on one side of building and lift being refurbished. Staff very helpful and reasonably priced drinks. Gravel car park is very uneven and on a steep slope that could be improved.

8

HILARY

Aug 23, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Hotel is currently being refurbished and we were aware of this before we booked. Parking is poor and we now know you should reserve a space when you book. Staff were all very good and breakfast was excellent. Location good. Comfortable bed. At the end of the day you get what you pay for and we enjoyed our two days in Whitby.

4

Wai Leung Eric

Jul 19, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The property is a construction site with no lifts. We were but on the 3rd floor and needed to carry our luggage up the stairs ourselves. Yet there were no information about the property being ubder renovation when booking.

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Cleanliness

Cleanliness feedback is mixed: many report clean or spotless rooms, especially in refurbished areas, while others cite stained carpets, dust, mould or maintenance grime during works.

Related guest reviews

2

john

Jul 20, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The property is unique to Whitby a true landmark but for years it has looked tired and rundown. We have stayed everywhere in Whitby but booked this trip last minute so not much accommodation available. The photos in the booking hide a lot of what you see when you get there. Although staff were helpful the property lets everything else down. They are in the middle of a refurb but it’s really only a tosh over. This place needs millions spent on it and all they are doing is putting plasters over major cuts. The breakfast was ok but you get a kiddies plate to eat it from. The breakfast layout was a shambles and they kept running out of everything. Our room was not cleaned and on both mornings we were woken by water pouring in through the ceiling. The windows in the room were filthy and the curtain was stained brown. The paint job was horrendous with no preparation being done before hand. As I said it was a tosh over. Shame as it has the potential to be a fantastic hotel. We will not be returning.

4

Mark

Oct 8, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

carpets were covered in large stains especially around the en-suite, walls had marks allover, The bath had rust around the plug hole. Someone kept using the fire door in the corridor next to us banging it everytime they had to close it. Outside were lights that shined up and even though the curtains were thick it still shone through, overall we were very disappointed with our stay and won’t be staying again.

10

David

Nov 19, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Amazing breakfast, spotless room and amazing bar area. Food in the restaurant was exceptional

10

Maxine

Aug 6, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Clean rooms beautiful views from room

4

Peter

Jul 8, 2025

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Stayed 4 nights

Nice location , great view, nice bar, polite staff, Room v v scruffy, i know its being renovated, but for over £100 night, v poor, peeling paint and paper, stained walls Clenliness v poor, 2 glasses filthy on arrival, big cobwebs of main light, id expect to pay 60 a night for that quality, total rip off And tthe parking is laughable, i wont explain but if u dont pre book there v limited spaces, its a nightmare, bathroom v poor

4

Carol

Sep 5, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

We stayed in the hotel last weekend (31st August - 1st September) for our wedding anniversary and were shocked at the condition of the room. The pictures on your website are extremely misleading the room we had wasn’t a patch on these. I realise we booked a basic double room but I didn’t think that included damp patches, pealing paint, rust on the radiator in the bathroom and the bath panel coming away from the bath. I understand the hotel is being renovated but these are simple, basic issues that are easily fixed and totally unacceptable in a hotel. (I have included photos for your attention) We did mention our concerns to the receptionist but were told the hotel was undergoing renovation. Not really good enough! I look forward hearing back from you. Carol

10

Bob

Nov 27, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excellent hotel to stop in , location is good , staff friendly and room clean and tidy with a large TV . Will come again

4

Elle

Oct 6, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I booked here as it had good reviews, and admittedly, was one of the few ok looking places I could find in central Whitby. The photos were deceiving however. While the staff and location were/is fantastic, the building itself and the rooms are in a much much needed state of a revamp, additionally the room we were in was quite dirty with dust on the towel rails, spiders on the roof, the bold in the bathroom was filthy, water f skate on the ceiling and cracking paint, the carpet.kooks like it hasn’t been steam cleaned in a number of years causing us to wear socks around the room. One half of the shower door was broken/immovable which meant we had to squeeze through the little gap made where the first half of the door opens. I was just able to stay here for the night, but would definitely not want to stay longer, or again, until the place has had an upgrade.

2

Robert

Jun 8, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Reception pleasant on arrival, room discusting, thick dust, cobwebs, used tissues and food under the bed base. Went down to complain and show photos, just wanted is to keep quiet about it. My wife was physically sick, i couldn't stop coughing and itching. Please, if you have booked here look inder the bed base and behind your furniture.

10

Carl

Nov 5, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Clean room pleasant stay

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Rooms

Room quality varies widely between newly refurbished spaces and older, tired ones. Common issues in older rooms include small layouts, hard-to-control heat, lack of air conditioning, single glazing and scaffolding blocking views; refurbished rooms are described as modern and comfortable.

Related guest reviews

10

R L

Oct 29, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room a bit tired but spotless.

10

Jayne

Nov 28, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Loved the clean large sea view room can’t wait to go back

6

Arron

Nov 5, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room itself was great. Plenty of space, clean and a lovely sea view. The down sides were the lift wasn't working so not great for disability problems. The single glazed wooden sash window suffered pretty badly with condensation which explains the lack of paint on the wood and the noise from outside wasn't filtered in any way at all. Not great when your above the exit door to the hotel bar where noisy smokers get louder as the evening progresses. I would stay again if I could pick my room before booking.

8

Kareen

Dec 7, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

We were in a room that had been refurbished it was lovely and the bathroom was gorgeous great shower But the only downfall was it didnt have a window to look out of

6

Carole

Aug 25, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

Good location. Large spacious room and bathroom. Beautiful view. Will be nice when renovations are complete. Photo of the hotel looked like there was plenty of free parking in the grounds,limited parking at the rear, the grass area is not part of the hotel. Lump of hair on the window sill in our room. Was not aware that renovations were going on, especially the lift not working. Breakfast cheaper if ordered the day before, cost more if booking B&B

8

Richard

Sep 3, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Two day trip, knew there was restoration work getting done but not how much ie scaffolding at our see room view but was ok, the room was ok but a little small as one side of the double bed was up against a wall. Also advertised parking but was full and had to park and pay on the street. The hotel receptionist advised that we could have reserved a place but on booking I cannot remember to see the option? Overall it was ok, the staff were very friendly and the bar etc good.

10

Geraldine

Nov 29, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Newly refurbished room, although small, was done out very well. Staff very helpful and friendly. Can't adjust radiators so it got a bit hot and, of course, a bit of a waste of heat. Cooked breakfast was a bit bland - not sure why. Excellent value for money. Hope to stay again.

10

Zoe

Nov 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location and gorgeous hotel. Sea view was obstructed by scaffolding which we were not forewarned about despite upgrading to sea view.

10

John

Aug 21, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excellent stay. Very spacious room and nicely decorated. Comfy bed. Only gripe was there’s no A/C and the room was very stuffy in the afternoon and early evening.

10

Jacqueline

Nov 4, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excellent refurbished room 👌

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Service

Staff are regularly praised as friendly, helpful and accommodating, with quick room moves and assistance noted. A few guests mention patchy communication or brusque interactions.

Related guest reviews

10

Stephen

Mar 21, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The staff were extremely polite and helpful. The location of The Royal Hotel was perfect, and although parts of the hotel were being renovated, there was no obvious disruption for the guests.

10

Barbara

Aug 2, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We stayed for two nights at The Royal. We had a room which had just been refurbished and was lovely. The Hotel had been painted and renovated since there last year when we stayed one night. The staff were all kind, helpful and polite. We had breakfast which was really good. We will certainly stay again. The Royal is really close to Whitby Bay.

8

Mary

Jul 4, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The best thing about this hotel are the staff. Shout out to Hero and Richard.

10

denise

Nov 6, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

Staff were very helpful and friendly, reception,bar and dining room looks stunning after the refurbishment, bedroom was clean and comfortable, would be great to see it once everything is completed

10

Susan

Oct 13, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

Room was extremely clean and so was the bathroom. The staff were fantastic and very friendly. The bar was a lovely place to sit and enjoy a drink. They where very dog friendly which I love with us having a dog

10

Suzanne

Mar 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Fantastic location, reception staff very helpful especially Hannah who went above and beyond to sort a booking out I’d done through a 3rd party with the wrong date. Hotel very comfortable and warm.

10

Gemma

Aug 4, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Amazing location and friendly staff. It’s going through a refurb and the lift is currently out of order but they warned us before hand and offered to help with luggage! The hotel is so quaint and the room was perfect for us (family room)!Our room had an amazing view of the abbey! Breakfast was lovely with plenty of choice. We had Sunday lunch in the restaurant and that was amazing!! 0% alcohol on tap which is amazing (I’m alcohol free and normally stuck with bottles).Planning on many more trips here!!

10

Bob

Nov 27, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excellent hotel to stop in , location is good , staff friendly and room clean and tidy with a large TV . Will come again

10

John

Jan 3, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff on reception were really friendly and patient - especially as she was interrupted by a rude customer twice while she was serving us. Very impressive. The room was lovely and clean. We will definitely come back, thank you!

10

Derek

Aug 17, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The staff were all teally helpful and Sharon on reception was incredibly helpful when we had trouble with parking.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Location

Clifftop location with sweeping sea and Abbey views and an easy walk to town is a consistent highlight; note hills and steps between the hotel and seafront.

Related guest reviews

10

Clare

Nov 2, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful room, great location and fantastic views. Great breakfast choices. We will definitely be back.

10

Siavash

Sep 1, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Friendly and helpful reception staff. Great location!

10

Sarah

Jul 21, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Easy to get to the beach and abbey

8

Peter

Aug 5, 2024

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Stayed 4 nights

Great location and view of the harbor, abbey, and ocean. Rooms a bit outdated with some peeling paint. Windows do not open, so a bit stuffy.

8

Jack

May 26, 2025

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Stayed 4 nights

Wonderful location with great views and a lovely sunset. I'd definitely stay again in the future.

10

Steven

Jul 14, 2025

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Stayed 3 nights

Great location. My room had a wonderful view of the water. Within walking distance to center of the village. The included breakfast was delicious.

10

Gemma

Aug 4, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Amazing location and friendly staff. It’s going through a refurb and the lift is currently out of order but they warned us before hand and offered to help with luggage! The hotel is so quaint and the room was perfect for us (family room)!Our room had an amazing view of the abbey! Breakfast was lovely with plenty of choice. We had Sunday lunch in the restaurant and that was amazing!! 0% alcohol on tap which is amazing (I’m alcohol free and normally stuck with bottles).Planning on many more trips here!!

10

Bob

Nov 27, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excellent hotel to stop in , location is good , staff friendly and room clean and tidy with a large TV . Will come again

10

N

Sep 26, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

I didn't connect to the wifi do can't comment on that but the hotel is ifeally placed for the beach and shops but with quite a few steps and a slope down (there is a lift down to the sea front). Unfortunately, our room overlooked the car park but i imagine there are rooms that look out over the estuary and the piers

10

janet

Aug 16, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great position, helpful and pleasant staff, lovely sea views

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Dining

Breakfast and on-site dining receive many positive comments for quality and choice, and the bar has a good atmosphere. Some guests found breakfast poor or service chaotic, and a few noted limited options at times.

Related guest reviews

10

David

Aug 6, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely hotel, great staff and a really nice restaurant for breakfast and dinner. A great stay.

8

Julie

Aug 31, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Reservation work being carried out which we weren't made aware of. Paid for a seaview and all you could see was scaffolding. The room was clean but very basic, which for what we paid should have been much better. Food in restaurant was very good though. Would stay again when updated.

10

Simone

Nov 4, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

Lovely room with sea view, had breakfast and dinner in the restaurant which was wonderful. Kind and helpful staff. We will certainly stay here again.

8

PHILLIP

Feb 23, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

great location views out to sea, over the harbour and the Abbey - comfy bed with choice of pillows - well appointed bathroom - looked fairly new - good sized shower with lovely smelling shower gel in the dispenser -good breakfast ( asked for poached eggs - came in good time and were "perfect" ) real beer ( Timothy Taylors Landlord ) in the bar -all staff on duty through our visit were very professional efficient and polite -would recommend, will visit again -thanks

6

David

Jul 20, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Massive refurbishment program underway, which is still at an early stage. The Fat Badger bar is excellent. Rooms good. No lift. Breakfast was flat cold. Awful. Once the refurbs are complete, would go back.

10

David

Nov 19, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Amazing breakfast, spotless room and amazing bar area. Food in the restaurant was exceptional

10

Laura

Jun 8, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We had a refurbished family room which was beautiful All the staff in the hotel and restaurant throughout our stay were fabulous The position of the hotel is perfect for walking into the harbour or to the beach, with beautiful views of the abbey. Breakfast was ok but could be a little chaotic. A small but irritating thing was that there were no condiments near the pastries so to get some butter/jam for croissant etc you had to interupt the toast queue. Also the size of the plates for pastries were tiny, no bigger than a small saucer which was messy. We were also disappointed with our evening meal at the restaurant. The pizza was fine but although beautifully presented the steak and guiness pie was quite bland and dry, even when the thin gravy had been added. Also, the diet coke tasted very watery even before the ice had melted. Overall, I would recommend and stay at the hotel again, just on a room only basis.

10

Gemma

Aug 4, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Amazing location and friendly staff. It’s going through a refurb and the lift is currently out of order but they warned us before hand and offered to help with luggage! The hotel is so quaint and the room was perfect for us (family room)!Our room had an amazing view of the abbey! Breakfast was lovely with plenty of choice. We had Sunday lunch in the restaurant and that was amazing!! 0% alcohol on tap which is amazing (I’m alcohol free and normally stuck with bottles).Planning on many more trips here!!

8

Alan

Nov 13, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very wide selection of breakfast items and really good quality

8

Kevin

Oct 27, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very Poor breakfast for the class of Hotel

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$78
February	$83
March	$91
April	$108
May	$128
June	$129
July	$131
August	$137
September	$118
October	$101
November	$98
December	$90

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4 $151	5 $203
6 $104	7 $113	8 $111	9 $175	10 $101	11 $143	12 $327
13 $88	14 $123	15 $234	16 $113	17 $143	18 $187	19 $327
20 $98	21 $104	22 $143	23 $104	24 $102	25 $327	26 $327
27 $98	28 $88	29 $86	30 $103

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $88	2 $143	3 $179
4 $82	5 $175	6 $162	7 $172	8 $164	9 $132	10 $190
11 $113	12 $106	13 $107	14 $106	15 $102	16 $130	17 $188
18 $78	19 $84	20 $97	21 $91	22 $82	23 $122	24 $161
25 $117	26 $154	27 $123	28 $122	29 $190	30	31 $368

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Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Guest reviews

Good

What guests think

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