The Royal Oak Hotel

Hotels
7.8 (647 reviews)
15 Market Place , Helmsley , GB

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Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Non-smoking rooms
Restaurant
Heating
Family rooms
Pets allowed
Laundry
Luggage storage
Safety deposit box
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Great location
Comfortable beds
Cons:
Noisy rooms
Cleanliness issues
No breakfast included

Categories

Cleanliness
6.63
Several mentions of cleanliness issues in rooms, including dirty toilet and dim bathrooms.
Service
9.1
Positive remarks about staff friendliness and helpfulness noted in multiple reviews.
Location
9.14
Frequent praise for the central and convenient location in reviews.
Room Quality
7.59
Rooms described as comfortable but issues like noise and outdated fittings noted.
Amenities
7.12
Limited amenities mentioned, particularly absence of breakfast service.
Value for Money
6.58
Some guests felt the stay did not provide value for the price paid, especially considering noise and cleanliness issues.
Food and Beverage
8.13
Mixed reviews on food; while some meals were praised, breakfast was a notable missing feature.
Overall Experience
8.1
Overall mixed experiences, with many guests indicating a desire not to return.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2025-12-19 10:51

Property Description

Historic Building with Modern Amenities
Experience the charm of The Royal Oak Hotel, located in the heart of Helmsley town centre. Each room offers a blend of history and comfort, equipped with a TV, tea/coffee facilities, and en-suite bathrooms with complimentary toiletries.

Relaxation and Entertainment
Unwind at our bar with a TV or lounge area after a day of exploring. Enjoy the cozy ambiance and catch up on your favorite shows while sipping on your drink of choice.

Ideal Location for Exploring
With Helmsley Castle a mere 1-minute walk away, and both York and Whitby within a reasonable driving distance, our hotel serves as the perfect base for your adventures in the area.

Book your stay at The Royal Oak Hotel now and immerse yourself in a perfect blend of comfort and convenience.

Important information:

Guests wishing to bring children should contact the property directly. Additional charges apply.

Please note that on Fridays and Saturdays there may be noise disturbance from the bar until 00:00.

Please note that any loss or damage to the room will be charged to the card used to arrange the booking.

When traveling with pets, please note that an extra charge of GBP 5 per pet, per stay applies.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 10:30 AM

Location

Guest Reviews

7.8
Based on 647 reviews
Cleanliness: 6.63
Service: 9.1
Location: 9.14
Room Quality: 7.59
Amenities: 7.12
Value for Money: 6.58
Food and Beverage: 8.13
Overall Experience: 8.1
H
Hildred • solo_traveller • gb
9
Ticks all boxes !
Pros:

Love this pub/hotel ..very quaint ..freindly and the furnishings and rooms ..comfy beds ..thevrooms are spacious and great bathrooms

Cons:

There was nothing i didn't like .⁷

2026-10-15 • via Nuitee
A
Angela • couple • gb
8
Pros:

Location great. Clean and warm. Had a great sleep

Cons:

Big crack in shower tray and pricy considering no breakfast

2026-10-14 • via Nuitee
P
peter • couple • gb
7
Bed but no breakfast
Pros:

Staff were friendly. Room was big. Bed was super comfy. Situated bang in the centre of town

Cons:

Not serving breakfast at the property meant we had to go and eat elsewhere
But, we knew that when we booked and the price reflected that. Shame really as the food served during the day looked decent so I'm sure they would have done a banging breakfast

2026-10-13 • via Nuitee
T
Tracey • couple • gb
6
Not for us
Pros:

The location was perfect, right in the centre of Helmsley

Cons:

Lack of communication - was there breakfast available, where to drop the keys if we left early? There was very loud, live music that night, but they didn’t tell us. It felt a bit like Faulty Towers!

2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
E
Elizabeth • solo_traveller • gb
7
Pros:

A hotel situated in the heart of Helmsley

Cons:

A hotel which is past its best - the bed was comfortable, the shower tray in my bathroom was badly cracked, some of the fittings in the bathroom were loose. A bit of TLC for the hotel would go a long way

2026-10-09 • via Nuitee
J
John • couple • gb
5
Although the hotel did not match expectations it did not detract from our stay in Helmsley
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Poor bar area

2026-10-09 • via Nuitee
E
Emil • extended_group • gb
6
Can be noisy from the pub downstairs especially on a weekend.
2026-10-07 • via Nuitee
S
Steven • family_with_children • us
8
Comfortable Cozy English Hotel.
Pros:

They fulfilled my request to reduce cat dander due to my daughter's allergy. Checkin Lady was Friendly and helpful. She put us on the First floor (US 2nd floor) and carried our bags up. With my mildly impaired mobility that was a godsend, The room was cozy and comfortable. The bed was very comfortable. The walk-in shower was much appreciated. We had breakfast on the picnic tables out front. It is right on the Square so we could walk to everything within 5 minutes.

Cons:

Pub less smoky.

2026-10-07 • via Nuitee
H
Howard • couple • gb
8
Pros:

Location is perfect in centre of a pretty village

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
N
Nicholas • solo_traveller • gb
3
Don't book a room on a Friday or Saturday unless you are happy to stay up until the music stops.
Pros:

Beer, food and rooms

Cons:

The establishment has a licence till 1am not 12 as stated and "the noise disturbance " you mention after booking, was so loud it was vibrating two of the bedroom floors. 77.6 Db was recorded in my room.

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
K
Kevin • couple • gb
8
A very nice little hotel in a great location.
Pros:

This was the third time we've stayed at the Royal Oak, so obviously we know the place and what to expect.
We like that the rooms are easy to access - only one flight of stairs and no long corridors to negotiate with luggage - and that it's right in the centre of Helmsley.

Cons:

No dedicated parking spaces, and using those right outside the door means either paying to park or moving the car early.

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
X
Xavier • solo_traveller • au
10
2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
B
Blakemore • couple • gb
8
2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
E
Emily • couple • gb
7
Nice place to stay for a wedding. Would not choose this if we spent more time at the accommodation.
2026-09-04 • via Nuitee
E
Emily • couple • gb
2
Not a good hotel, it's a crash space for partying punters.
Pros:

I liked the convenience of it being a place where you could book a one night stay in the area. There really isn't much more to the venue that was enjoyable. Good for a one night kick off to a big walk, but that's all.

Cons:

Music was playing in the bar below our room until midnight and live music kicked up at 9pm til 11pm. The bed was extremely uncomfortable with individual springs kicking into my back if I moved at all during the night.

2026-09-03 • via Nuitee
A
Andrew • couple • gb
9
Clean, comfortable well positioned location
Pros:

Central location

Cons:

N/A

2026-09-01 • via Nuitee
S
SViv • solo_traveller • gb
6
Okay for 1 night
Pros:

Its a great location in Helmsley market square.

Cons:

No toiletries or soap available, the dispensers were empty. Only one bath towel left in room when there were 2 people staying.

2026-08-31 • via Nuitee
L
Linda • couple • gb
6
Pros:

Location was perfect

Cons:

No breakfast option even though states bed and breakfast on outside of property. Bed was very poor quality, creepy and worn

2026-08-29 • via Nuitee
E
Elizabeth • couple • gb
7
Well placed and reasonably priced pub with rooms.
Pros:

Great location in central Helmsley. Staff were friendly and helpful.

Cons:

They are rooms above the pub, so there was noise from the live music. But we were warned about this and the music did stop when they said it would.

2026-08-29 • via Nuitee
K
kevin • solo_traveller • gb
9
2026-08-25 • via Nuitee