AN INSPECTOR CALLS

He pays his way... and tells it like it is

BIG expectation about The Grand hotel on the short walk from York train station. And, then, there it is — a huge and magnificent building dating from 1906 and once the home of the North Eastern Railway Company.

But it’s not long before much of that giddy expectation is cast asunder. This 200-odd-room hotel, perfectly placed for York’s highlights, is neither traditional nor modern and, although millions were spent on it four years ago, it still feels dull and corporate.

At reception, I ask specifically for a room with a window that opens. ‘Not a problem,’ I am told. But there is a problem. The window opens only two inches and then slams shut as soon as you let go — so I use the stack of complimentary mags as a wedge.

The room itself is neat and tidy but lacking in character. A panel of shiny new wood stands behind the bed, similar to what you find in airport hotels. And the overly complicated basin tap in the bathroom, with a separate lever for temperature control, is ridiculous.

But the super-wide corridors are impressive. You could drive a bus down them. And the sweeping stone central staircase gives the place gravitas.

There are two restaurants — a fancy one called Legacy offering an eightcourse tasting menu for £120 per person, with the further option of a £90 ‘prestige wine flight’, or The Rise brasserie with open kitchen and ‘interiors inspired by York’s local heritage, creating a soft industrial dining room’ — whatever that might mean.

First, I enjoy a drink in the 1906 bar (all the lampshades have 1906 printed on them), where I ask to see The Rise menu, with a view to ordering before walking up to the restaurant.

‘Sorry, you can’t do that,’ says the apologetic barman. So I accompany my drink up the steps to the restaurant and order from there. Brown is the predominant colour in The Rise — perhaps that’s the ‘soft industrial’ look kicking in.

No complaints about my duck cassoulet with beans and kale, and service is fast and efficient. As it is the next morning with an excellent breakfast buffet.

Unlike in the evening, there’s a morning buzz in the main reception area, where a concierge and doorman rush about, and a porter wheels guests’ luggage to the door.

The Grand claims to be York’s only five-star hotel. We all know that the star rating system means little.

The Grand Station Rise, York, YO1 6GD

Tel: 01904 380038 Doubles from £157

HHIII