The Old Deanery in Harrogate

Wonderful place....Friendly owners and staff. Made to feel welcome from beginning to the end of our stay. Breakfast is exceptional. The character of the building and the rooms are Wonderful. Very relaxing atmosphere. We will definitely definitely be returning.

I’ll be back if at all possible! I stayed 3 nights and everyone especially Alexandra went out of their way to make me feel welcome. Every time I walked into the front door I was met with a warm greeting of acknowledgment. My room was upgraded and it was a delight. I so enjoyed the view of the cathedral across the street and reading a book in such a homey atmosphere either downstairs by the fire or in my room. Water pressure good. Bed and pillows comfortable. The breakfast was amazing. Eat dinner here. It is a wonderful experience. I need to come back to enjoy the food when I’m traveling with a companion. Rebecca and her spouse have put a lot of work and thought in this fine establishment. Thank you.

A truly memorable and delightful experience. Located on the shadow of the cathedral- it must be one of the most scenic spots in Ripon. We stayed overnight in a glorious room overlooking the garden. The breakfast was a unique gourmet experience. What a treat!

From the moment we arrived, we were treated to fabulous service, our arrival welcome was warm, generous and staff showed a real interest in us as overnight guests. rnrnWe opted for the 9 course tasting menu and flight of wine, which was amazing in both taste (every morsel was delicious and unique) visual impact (stunning) with every dish standing on its own. Every morsel was a taste sensation and perfectly balanced. The breakfast deserves a mention also, it was delicious with everything freshly prepared be that home made crumpets, hand smoked salmon all beautifully and uniquely presented at the table. The waiting staff's knowledge of every dish and selected wine was outstanding also their enthusiasm for the venue, the chef and the building made the experience so very special. We were delighted with our stay and won't hesitate to recommend it to friends and come back again ourselves. They certainly deserve to be a destination in their own rights and am sure will delight many more guests in the same way going forward.

We were lucky enough to have an overnight stay with breakfast at the Old Deanery. I cannot rate this highly enough. Our room was beautiful, the whole building is fabulous and breakfast is absolutely next level. The staff are friendly, courteous and very attentive. Thank You for such a wonderful experience. We live in Australia and both said to each other "we're coming back" !!

We had a very enjoyable meal at The Old Deanery as an anniversary celebration with my parents and our young children. The food for the adults was very good and all thought the Sunday lunch was of a very high standard. I really liked how the decor of what was previously known as the garden room had been altered. We really enjoyed having the room to ourselves having celebrated a number of family parties in this room in the past and it meant that the children weren’t disrupting other diners as much. We were treated very well and an attempt was made to cater for our daughter’s dairy intolerance. We were well aware that the children were going to struggle with the menu and I think it is important to be aware that the children eat the same as the adults but just smaller portions. The garden was great for enabling the children to let off some steam although do be aware of the nettles in the willow tree! Our son has some mobility issues and ended up falling into some. I think the restaurant and bar areas are lovely but I imagine the other areas are part of a rolling programme of renovation. The outside of the rear is beginning to look in need of some painting. However, The Old Deanery is still a magical place for us!

My wife and I visited The Old Deanery and thoroughly enjoyed the tasting menu experience. We’ve eaten at other high end establishments with Michelin stars and this was just as good as the best, and better than some of them. The staff were knowledgeable and friendly and were really interested in the food and our own personal favourites. The menu was probably the best balanced tasting menu I’ve had with all courses being strong, but my personal favourite was the confit sea trout due to an amazingly crunchy crumb and the exceptionally well balanced veloute. We enjoyed meeting the chef Adam Jackson for an explanation of the first tasty mouthful. A hidden gem, visit this establishment to keep such high quality food thriving in Ripon.

First visit to the Deanery, just over the road from the Cathedral. Lovely smell of freshly baked scones as we walked in the door. Greeted by the lovely Chloe, who was very pleasant. I had a cream scone, husband had a cheese one, both delicious. Grounds could do with a tidy up, but on the whole it’s a very nice place. Would go back for the scones and tea.

We enjoyed our shorty stay very much. The building and location is excellent although some refurb is needed and ongoing. Staff were friendly and helpful. The breakfast was great.

If you are looking for an exquisite tasting menu then you are in for a treat. 9 courses, all substantial without being too much, made up a journey that my mouth will thank me for for many months to come. Stars of the show were the lamb and ratatouille, the cucumber and apple dish, and the bread with a marrow butter that is perhaps one of the most incredible things I’ve ever tasted. Paired with lovely wine, this was a total treat.

Lovely welcoming Hotel in an Ideal location opposite the cathedral in Ripon.Easy parking, 🅿️ pleasant helpful staff,the breakfast was one of the best we’ve ever had , was served at the table and very enjoyable. We would recommend a stay here. The price was very good value.

This was a lovely oldieworldie quirky place to stay its central to all of Ripon attractions right next to the cathedral. Our room was up in the eves with beams and overlooking the gardens which were lovely but weather not good enough to make use of them sadly. The breakfast was like nothing we’ve ever had before but thoroughly enjoyed it, it was a taste of all local produce which was very tasty. The staff were great and very friendly. We will definitely be returning.

A 3 night stay with a big difference. Its location opposite the Cathedral, the relaxing atmosphere in a wonderful building and the superb breakfasts will not be forgotten, we loved it all. The staff were very friendly and helpful. It exceeded all our expectations and we look forward to returning in the near future.

We stayed on a Saturday night in a Superior room overlooking Ripon Cathedral. A rather spacious room with high ceilings and big windows. The room itself was lovely, good storage space, nice fixtures and fittings, large bathroom. Breakfast was a bit of a treat, with quality well prepared and presented food, rather than just a plate filler. Service from arrival was very good, efficient, friendly and polite. Location was ideal (right by the cathedral in town) and with parking. To be honest, I would expect to pay much more for the quality of the stay, food and location.

A beautiful building with character - We had a one night stop for my husbands birthday & it was lovely ! The staff were so friendly & welcoming and the breakfast was fabulous ! The location is perfect !

Oh my goodness what a perfect weekend! Dinner fabulous and the wine pairing perfect! Every course was delicious and nothing disappointed. Breakfast was amazing, the bakery goods all made in house… crumpets were so good! The whole feel was quietly elegant. This was my birthday weekend and a very special experience as I had lived in the Old Deanery as a child and had so many memories. The team were so lovely and let me have a poke around and revisit all those memories! My parents had run the Old Deanery restaurant in the 1970-80s and joined us for dinner, they were looked after so well by everyone, thank you! They loved it! All the staff were amazing, friendly, happy to help and knowledgeable. A special thanks to Steph who looked after us so well. We have dined at several Michelin starred restaurants in recent months and the Old Deanery must surely be on that list in the near future! We are looking forward to returning!

The best Sunday lunch I have tasted in a long time. The buttered mash, cauliflower cheese, red cabbage was delicious. The beef tasted like beef use too. The started and desserts were also very tasty. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. I took my sister for her 60 th birthday. My first time here, will be checking In again soon. Thank you to all for a wonderful Sunday lunch.

This is the most extraordinary and wonderful breakfast I've ever had in a hotel. Done as a two stage taster menu, and chock-full of the tastiest morsels you could imagine on a breakfast plate, it was simply sublime. After a restful and enjoyable evening in beautiful Ripon, and a cosy and comfortable night in the Old Deanery's Jacobian accommodation, the breakfast was a revelation. Starting with delicious fresh fruit and yoghurt granola, sourdough, pastries, charcuterie, and the most sublime smoked trout and local cheese, we moved to a plate of deconstructed breakfast delights, including melt in the mouth bacon chop, the most delicious black-pudding potato rosti, and a pearl of poached egg yolk. You leave feeling pampered and special, and while you know you've enjoyed a marvellous meal you don't feel overly full to start the day. Pure breakfast theatre, all provided with gentle and attentive service from friendly staff with a passion for the venue.

A culinary treat, excellent menu served in relaxed surroundings. The tasting menu did not disappoint, we opted for the wine flight and additional chef recommendations. Comfortable room with a tasting style breakfast, the granola and cooked plates were sublime. Thank you Adam, Chloe and all the staff.

This was our first visit to the restaurant, but we have been following Head Chef Adam Jackson at the various restaurants where he has cooked. This is, without doubt, the best food we have tasted from Adam. Each course on the tasting menu was sublime, well-presented, and delicious. The staff were excellent, attentive, and knowledgeable about the food they served. We have visited many good restaurants, including Michelin 1 star 2 star establishments, and the food at the Old Deanery is up there with many of these Michelin Starred Restaurants. Another visit is definitely on the cards.

Host Chloe and chef Adam were both superb and helped us enjoy truly memorable experience at the old Deanery. The Testing Menu has never been bettered in our experience anywhere. (Michelin stars must surely follow!). The breakfast was equally special with the cordon bleu tasting menu format a first for us for breakfast. Although an expensive treat, it is one that is genuinely very high value for money. The Old Deanery is located right next to the wonderful Ripon Cathedral and it is the perfect base from which to explore Ripon and surrounding area. We will certainly come back!

Overnight stay with dinner. Excellent from start to finish. Food exceptional. Staff welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable about every element of each dish and wine. Breakfast was amazing. They say you eat with your eyes and this place is testament to that. The attention to detail really shines. Will definitely be back. Sunday lunch next on the list. Loved the little shop too, came home with a sourdough loaf!

Fabulous from start to finish. We had a basic but comfortable room with shower, bed smaller than we are used to, so would probably opt for a bigger room next time. Staff very welcoming and professional, clearly an experienced team. Our main reason for visiting was to enjoy the skill of Adam Jackson who I have followed for 20 year. His food is amazing and on a par with the best Chefs, he certainly deserves a Michelin Star for the quality and creativity of both his tasting menu and a very interesting breakfast. We were not disappointed. Great value compared to other similar venues and for me he beats some of the best in North Yorkshire so let’s hope he has found a permanent base for the next few years so he can establish the recognition he and his loyal team deserves. Ripon is a lovely little City very close to some great walks and Fountains Abbey, the Hotel is right opposite the Cathedral with good parking.

Stayed for one night but will definitely go back. The room was sumptuous and had an excellent nights sleep followed by a breakfast that was different but a real treat.

Lovely setting and friendly staff who were efficient and caring. Took my mum for Mother’s Day . Sunday lunch was serviced quickly in calm and well presented surroundings . Staff were friendly and made us feel at home . Food was lovely , well presented and tasty. Was great we could park right outside as my mum is disabled. Will recommend and hopefully come again in the summer .

The Sunday roast was perfect. Excellent beef, puffy Yorkshire puddings, crispy roasts, a really nice cabbage dish, plenty of greens and lashings of gravy. Good wine list, short but well curated. The service was efficient and friendly, despite their warning of being a person down. The layout and seating are very comfortable and spacious. The ambiance is quite eclectic which adds a certain uniqueness. The sound system was playing The Jam, on arrival and we went on to enjoy the Pixies, The Cure, David Bowie, Talking Heads and George Harrison, which was unexpected for upscale dining, but fine by me since back in 70s, I was in a punk band that used to rehearse in The Old Deanery (but that was before the complaints came flooding in from The Cathedral across the road!)

Went with friends to celebrate a double birthday. The tasting menu and breakfast were to die for. Lovely surroundings and served by friendly and professional staff who were there for your every need.

Fabulous 5* fine dining with excellent service and lovely surroundings. The tasting menu was outstanding, with superb presentation and wine flight. We found the staff attentive and friendly and it was also an enjoyable and unique experience chatting with Adam about the food whilst tasting our first course. Our room was lovely and breakfast was a little different and very tasty. We will certainly be coming again and have no hestitation in recommending The Old Deanery to our family and friends.

Had a lovely stay at the the atmospheric Old Deanery last week made welcome by the friendly attentive staff and a room with a view and very comfortable bed. The tasting menu was wonderful from the first course presented at the bar by the chef through to the following delicious plates. The serving of breakfast was as creative as dinner and as enjoyable. I look forward to visiting Ripon and The Old Deanery again.

We stayed at the Old Deanery on Friday 10th November and had a fantastic stay. From the moment we arrived we were made very welcome from the staff. The room was lovely with a view of the garden to the rear. The breakfast was something else. Both unusual and delicious. It's a pity I can only mark this venue as 5 stars as it is definitely a ten out of ten. Thank you for a very enjoyable stay.

This place hosted my friend's wedding. From planning, accomodation (for some guests), to the wedding ceremonyn canapes, lunch, outdoor music, lovely garden, evening snacks, DJ and right through to the evening's end, no fault in anyway. Actually lets go more well-deserved out-right positive - professional, excellent catering (menus, wide age ranges, tastes, etc) and right down to out-right well executed full day. Thoroughly recommend for events such as this.

The best wedding venue! What an amazing day The Old Deanery gave us. Cannot thank all the staff enough for giving us the most perfect wedding day. Everything we could have wanted was done for us. Do not hesitate to use The Old Deanery for any event you have. Thank you all so much. X

We had a super visit to the Old Deanery today for Fathers Day. Warm welcome and a lovely dining room. The set menu was very good & the sharing puddings was an inspiration! Thanks for looking after us so well. It’s a stunning venue!

Excellent Father's Day lunch with very friendly service. As I was temporarily in a wheelchair following foot surgery, I particularly appreciated the way the staff took care to make sure that I was comfortable. Would certainly go again.

I arrived at The Old Deanery on Saturday afternoon. The private parking was easy to find and directly outside the venue, opposite Ripon Cathedral. The Old Deanery is a very old period property that’s used, primarily as a wedding venue. The inside has been renovated to a high standard but still oozes charm and character. AJ met me in the entrance and showed me around the building and garden and made suggestions on places to visit and eat. The bedroom was up a few flights of stairs that are in keeping with the period property. The bedroom was spacious with a big king size bed that was comfortable. The bathroom was of a good standard with original features and free cosmetics to use. The bedroom window over looked the cathedral so I could hear the bells chiming several times during my stay which was extremely pleasant. The garden at the Old Deanery was beautiful with large weeping willow trees and comfy seating - AJ was happy to serve me a drink in the garden whilst I enjoyed the sun, even though the bar was not officially open as it only opens for weddings. I ate at Silva Bells in Ripon which served amazing steak which I can highly recommend. Overall it was a relaxing pleasant over night stay - I can recommend this venue if you like period properties that hold lots of character and relaxing gardens to enjoy a drink in on a sunny afternoon. I would advise you to contact AJ in advance if you have any specific questions or requests as he’s very approachable and helpful.

when we arrived there was no one there to greet us, had to climb 3 flights of stairs to room, took 2 people to unlock the building door, breakfast was the worst ever, for a £150 a night really wasn’t worth it, AJ wasn’t clued in as to what was needed. if wed paid £60 per night would be ok. luckily we found weatherspoons and next time we’ll stay there there breakfast was lovely

I stayed for a couple of nights while visiting Ripon for a family gathering. The service was amazingly hospitable, the room stylish and bed very comfortable. I had both the full English and Veggie breakfasts and they were both excellent.

From the moment we arrived, we were made very welcome. Allowed to check in early. This residence is just wonderful. 18th Century style of building. If you want to visit the Minster, Ripon etc ...the fantastic restaurants ...walking .. it was brilliant. The bar is cosy, the homemade scones, well wonderful. Breakfast amazing....oh the room with lovely bathroom. What a lovely stay. Phil and Susan Smith.

We know The Old Deanery of old when it was a truly fine experience to visit and so perhaps our expectations were too high but we were disappointed with our 3 night stay. The place has a sad, tired feel to it and a number of little things added to the general unloved atmosphere: for example, the light pull in the bathroom came off the first time we used it which made it impossible to turn off the very bright light. We were told nobody would be able to fix it until the following day so we had to spend the night with the bathroom light on. The advertised free WiFi was intermittent in the bedroom although it always worked downstairs in the public areas. There is only one sofa in the whole place (there used to be lots) so to use the WiFi you have to sit at a dining table on a dining chair. The breakfast isn't as advertised either: it states in the bedroom blurb that it "includes continental options accompanied by a cooked breakfast." There are no continental options. There is only cooked and the options are all egg based. We phoned at time of booking and asked about vegan options and were told that it would be no problem yet when we arrive we're told we can only pick items from the menu. So, beans, a mushroom and a tomato every morning it was. Having said all this our room was clean, comfortable and quiet but as the place is closing is soon it is to be hoped that if it reopens as a hotel a full refurbishment is done and that more attention is paid to detail.

Birthday afternoon tea. In garden in sun, beautiful. Safe so very accommodating with our booking as I don’t do sugar and we had vegan gluten free person. We called ahead, they coped beautifully. Everyone felt special. Over server Olivia was fabulous. I had always ruled out afternoon tea due to sugar and really hating cake. Now....im IN! Thank you.

Chris the manager created a very inviting invitation to attend the afternoon tea. My first visit was met with a warm welcome and pleasant staff. A relaxed afternoon tea awaited me at a window seat to the wonderful garden space. An old building in the process of modernisation with the delights of a modern twist.

We had afternoon tea with unlimited tea and coffee. Was lovely all food fresh and plenty of it . Old building bit decorated tastefully but homely. Staff great couldn't do enough . We got parked but not a lot of spaces

Visited for Afternoon Tea. Nicely presnented food, good location especialy if visiting Ripon as a tourist, immediately adjacent to cathedral and town centre. Enjoyed the selection of sandwiches, savoury and the sweet treats. We especialy enjoyed the Ham sandwich, Scones and Lemon posset. Good attention from staff, comfortable seating and good view over garden. Tea renewed as required.

The first impression on entering the room, was how much smaller it was compaired to the photos on the website.Great location, right next to the cathedral. Also great parking within the grounds.The building itself is very old, and has lots of character, including sloping floors in places. It is also in need of decorating in certain areas, as it is looking a bit 'tired'.We found the wifi to be very slow, and way below average for the area.Breakfast was ok, bit dry, and also no sause on the tables. Our first breakfast was a bit of a wait, 30 mins....they do warn you of this at busy periods. The staff were friendly and attentive.Overall we enjoyed our stay there.Would we stay again, yes, at the dicounted price. But not at the full price !7/10.

We were lucky enough to get married here less than 2 weeks ago, and what can we say?! Keri you have been a pleasure to work with from our very first meeting. Your attention to detail and professionalism made planning our special day perfect. We both come from a strong hospitality background and knew exactly what we wanted. We could not recommend this venue & Keri enough to anybody looking to have a special event at The Old Deanery. Nothing we asked was too much and our entire wedding went without a hitch. The food was superb and the staff were brilliant. We would particularly like to thank Olivia, she was so attentive and personable, a real gem!

We went with a big party. They served us quickly and efficiently. And almost got everything spot on!

We stayed at The Old Deanery for three nights in a second floor superior double room to celebrate my birthday. The hotel itself has lovely views of the cathedral at the front and beautiful gardens at the rear. Our room was spacious and serviced to a high standard. The staff were great and made my birthday night special with a window table for dinner which was tastefully decorated. I have stayed here on several occasions now and always had a really enjoyable break. I will certainly return again.

Having visited the restaurant before at a lunch-time, we knew the food was good. This time we had booked for an evening meal followed by an overnight bed and breakfast in the hotel. We were not disappointed on any score.Our room was spacious and comfortable, overlooking the beautiful garden. Our meal was delicious and all the staff, in the hotel and restaurant were friendly, helpful and attentive.After a peaceful night, breakfast was excellent with a full continental buffet plus hot food choices.A lovely treat!

We had dinner at the Old Deanery whilst staying overnight on a Sunday.We liked the dining room which is a light airy room which retains much of the character of this historic building. It was about half full mostly I think with hotel guests.There is a interesting and reasonably priced menu with some good vegetarian options. We both started with the wild mushrooms which were excellent. My wife had the vegetarian burger with sweet potato fries for her main course which was very good. I had the pan fried guinea fowl on a lettuce and pea fricassee. The guinea fowl was very good but the fricassee a little to sharp for my taste. We were too full for deserts. Good value gin and tonic and glass of prosecco and bottle of Chardonnay. Service was very friendly and efficient

Our expectations were high when we arrived. When making the booking I checked whether access would be ok for my 90 year old mother-in-law whose birthday we would be celebrating.  I particularly asked if there were any steps and was told no there wasn't. The gentleman I spoke to also said that since it was my mother-in-law's 90th birthday they would arrange for some table decorations to be in place.  So we were looking forward to going to lunch there. As soon as we arrived we were shocked to see that the toilets were upstairs thus making it impossible for my mother-in-law to go to the toilet if she needed to which resulted in her not feeling comfortable enough to have a drink with her lunch.  Unfortunately the welcome was non-existent. Even though it was not busy we were hurried to our table which was basic with no decorations. A friendly greeting to anyone in our party especially my mother-in-law would have been all it took to make a difference. The food we ate was acceptable for what it was.  However it was the service which will really let it down. There seemed to be no awareness that you have to make people feel welcome in an establishment. A dining experience should be about more than the food.    Basic manners were lacking for example not a word of thanks when we had to pass dishes to the staff. As you can imagine we could not raise any of this at the time as we did not want to put a further damper on what should have been a very special day for my mother-in-law. Yes we paid up, yes we kept quiet about it. That is probably our mistake.  Some of the areas of the hotel were grim. For example the carpet on the way to the gent's toilet was disgusting. Whoever is in charge of housekeeping needs to review their working practices.  You can get away with mediocre food if the service is friendly, respectful and welcoming. Unfortunately this wasn't the case and it spoiled the whole experience. We wouldn't go back and we wouldn't recommend anyone else to do so either.  I've never written a negative review on TripAdvisor before but really feel strongly about this.

Visited the restaurant with my wife and mother on my mother's 90th birthday, despite when I made the booking, mentioned it was celebration of my mother's 90th birthday, the only effort was a few bits of glitter on the table. Food arrived at the table looking like pub grub, despite asking for my steak being blue, I am convinced it was done under the grill. Blue cheese sauce was tasteless, my wifes coley wasn't the biggest bit of fish, the chips were too big, My wife had baileys cheese cake,but a distinct lack of baileys taste and there was no cherry taste in my bakewell tart. Service was friendly but young and inexperienced, bit worried about the Male waiter flicking his hair as he served us.

Our whole experience of the old deanery was very positive! The room where we had our meal was set out beautifully, we were a group of 25, we were given menu choices in advance both options sounded great, I chose the beef which was cooked to perfection, quite a feat when serving so many people. Creme brulé was my dessert, again, delicious.

Cette jolie demeure du XVIIe s., située juste au nord de la cathédrale, hébergeait autrefois le doyen du chapitre. J'y ai diné un soir d'été. L'accueil est sympathique et les plats de bonne qualité pour un prix dans la moyenne. Comme il faisait très doux, je me suis ensuite un peu promené dans le jardin, où il est d'ailleurs possible de manger.

Can we just say a huge Thank You! to all the staff who were on dury on Friday night and who dealt with it on the run up to it. You guys are Fabulous! We loved the room, the tables and decorations were beautiful. The entire team of staff were attentive without being overly intrusive. The bar staff, especially the young man who served us all night, were fabulous and really got into the spirit of our party. The food was delicioys, sorry some of us left our Brussel Sprouts - it is a Christmas PTSD thing, but our compliments to the chef and team. We would love to come back again, hooefully you will have us.

Was a planned trip to see Fountains Abbey, so picked the Old Deanery for a stop over, thanks to the NT adopting its winter timetable Fountains Abbey was closed! However this gave more time to look round Ripon , nice shops and cafes, and the Cathedral. The Hotel staff are really friendly and helpful. The food in the hotel was really good, compliments to the chefs in the kitchen! Would stay here again if we pass this way in the future...

Held our annual cycling club (Moonglu CC) dinner her for 55 people recently. The food was excellent, all very professionally served, beautifully set out room, friendly and very helpful staff. Organising a large dinner can be quite stressful but the team at The Deanery made the whole thing very straight forward. We will be back again I'm sure - a big 'thank you' to Keri, Chris and the team!

We arrived early and asked if we could have our cream tea earlier than our booked time. Being assured this was no problem we were served promptly. As we had booked the champagne cream tea, we were asked at what stage we would like this served. Opting for a glass prior to receiving our cream tea. This arrived promptly. Our cream tea arrived within minutes. The waitress explained what we had been served. We had 3 small sandwiches each, smoked salmon, cheese and caramelized onion pickle and Hamm off the bone. On our second tier were 2 fruit scones, these were served with clotted cream and jam. Also on the second tier were 2 cheese tartlets, tasted like cold cheese omelettes, served with a cherry tomato. Top tier had 6 cubes of cake and 2 lemon possess with granola.

So the hotel is in a great building in a great location.

We did not stay at the hotel, but enjoyed a lovely Afternoon Tea and can thoroughly recommend that. Indeed, the other meals we viewed also looked fabulous. We were served by Callum, a charming young Gentlemen, very friendly, helpful and attentive. The food was excellent - all in all a truly lovely 2 hours. We obviously had the opportunity to view other parts of the establishment, but obviously cannot comment on the bedrooms. Thank you again, we'll hopefully be back again one day - perhaps to stay as well!

Following a family birthday gift voucher we planned to include a pre-booked visit when in Ripon on holiday. We have enjoyed similar treats many times and this was the worst we had ever experienced , not helped by the fact that it was a celebration gift. We were taken to a table in a remote corner of a deserted dining room by a member of the bar staff who seemed unsure of where to seat us. A waitress brought tea of which there was no choice, and then promptly disappeared never to be seen again. It was never refreshed as promised in the brochure.. Eventually the barman appeared with a cake stand and after a rushed explanation left us on our own until we left 45 minutes later. No menu or choice seems to be available and there was no table service during the visit. There were three quarter sandwiches (3/4 of a round) each most of which were minimally filled with ordinary fillings like cheese and pickle. The bread used had stood for some time and was quite hard (stale) on one side. The cheese tartlets were bitter and tasted of anything but cheese. There was one fruit scone per person but no butter was provided, and as we were both unable to eat the minute quantity of cream included, and as there was no one available to ask, there was no option but to go without. The cake selection was limited to three small bite size squares of sickly sweet chocolate /almond /fudge cake. The strawberry topped lemon posset was probably the high point but gave only three teaspoonfuls of enjoyment. Our main concern was the service or complete lack of it. Had someone come to see us during the tea most of our concerns could have been sorted out. Secondly the quality of the food was poor and was not value for money - we were in Yorkshire after all! On leaving we mentioned our concerns to the receptionist who said "she would pass our comments on to the chef and hoped that would have a better experience when we returned in the future". We are not normally complainers but based on our experience we suggests that you avoid this place at all costs - it certainly doesn't fulfil one's idea of a Yorkshire afternoon tea.

It’s a lovely location in a beautiful building with lovely gardens and a nice ambience but personally the food is always a disappointment. It’s lacking panache, generosity and substance. It looks pretty enough but the chef really never seems quite up to the task.

Just returned from a delicious afternoon tea at The Old Deanery. We were asked beforehand for any dietary requirements and the tea was served on pretty cake stands. Three varied sandwiches each, a warm rarebit tart, a warm scone with jam and cream and three different small cakes each. Also a glass of lemon posset and as much tea as we could drink. Staff were attentive and brought extra tea and boxes to take away any treats which could not be eaten at the time. Excellent value for £12.50. Thanks

We have just returned from afternoon tea and whilst we thoroughly enjoyed if had we not liked cheese we would have struggled. Cheese and pickle sandwich, cream cheese and cucumber sandwich, cheese tart and to finish off one of the desserts was lemon cheese ( not exactly the same I know but you get my point).

I attended a dinner as part of a group of 20. We had a limited menu of 4 options for each course which we had to order a week in advance.

This is a lovely boutique hotel and restaurant. Beautifully decorated. However the dining room was amost empty and it lacked atmosphere. It also felt (authentically) cold! The food was very good

Great place very warm and welcoming we will visit here again when passing through and try the main menu

Absolutely fantastic service and food. The staff are very friendly and go the extra mile to make it a great experience. Would recommend this venue for a special occasion or just a nice lunch. Thank you team at The Old Deanery

We went with family for the Deanery’s New Years Eve. We had told the restaurant that I am vegan beforehand, and I was so happy with the effort put into my meal! Before being seated, I was given a tray of vegan nibbles as staff walked around offering others.

We visited this hotel to have an afternoon tea as a gift experience but we were very disappointed. The tea room is a dismal yellowy white and has bare floorboards which are noisy and therefore the room lacked any warmth or colour . The fire place was fitted with an unlit log stove and whilst the room wasn't cold there was no ambiance or cosiness about it. The room looked tired and was badly in need of repainting.There was only one other couple in the room when we arrived and they soon left which left us as the only couple which added to the disappointing first impression. The staff were welcoming when we arrived but disappeared from the room so we had to go find them if we needed anything. There was no offer to take our coats or anything so we just had to leave them on an adjacent chair. The tea when it arrived comprised a pot of tea and milk (we had to ask for extra hot water). and the food was served on a three tier cake stand and comprised 3 sandwiches each, One a small hard bagel with salmon, the second a small triangle of white bread with ham and a third of a very hard tasteless cheese which was well passed its sell by date which we left after tasting it. The second tier comprised two plain scones which were very tasteless and looked to be several days old and two small cold quiches which looked very unappetising and did not bother to eat. To accompany the scones we were offered cream and jam. The jam was presented in small glass jars with a screw top and it was quite apparent that these had just been refilled with a low quality jam(There was no seal on the jars) as the jam was quite thin and very poor in taste. The cakes on top of the tier comprised of three small squares of cake each which we found quite heavy, stodgy and tasteless and consequently we left the majority of them. The only enjoyable part was the pot of tea itself

The charm has been ripped out of this old house so it now looks uniformly like so many carpetless, white walled restaurant with brown seats and decor. Nice fire in the bar and comfortable sofas. The food was a strange take on "modern" with strange combinations of ingredients which did not always work. V good sticky toffee pudding. Everything was well cooked but the chef should stop trying to be original and just produce good food.

If you wish to have a meal in a restaurant with a good choice on the menu and good value for money don't visit the Old Deanery. I have waited 1 week to give them chance to respond to my feedback, given after the meal,...

La última vez que comimos en el antiguo decanato de casi hace 40 años y recuerdo con cariño desde entonces. Así que cuando queríamos un lugar especial para compartir con amigos, nos dimos seis justo donde ir. El personal no podría haber sido más servicial....

Nos altamente recomendado para probar el antiguo Decanato y lo hicimos. Nuestra decepción comenzó como llegamos el menú era extremadamente limitado. Nos costó a la orden, como la entradas llegaron los espárragos y las propinas fue quemado faltaban preguntamos y me recomendó una vinagreta lo...

El Antiguo Decanato siempre es buena para un almuerzo de negocios o una con

Tomamos un almuerzo muy agradable aquí, sólo sándwiches pero muy bonita, salmón y crema de queso con las mejores patatas fritas nunca. Sin duda volveremos, no un extenso menú de mediodía, pero para todos los gustos.

Nos fuimos a un vino espumoso inglés y Eventos comida yorkshire: tanto la comida y el vino eran excelentes. Y gracias a todas las pNick en el decanato de personal para una noche estupenda.

Llamé para reservar nuestro té de la tarde, y me dijeron que no había necesidad. Cuando llegamos nos preguntaron por qué no habíamos reservado! ! ! . La comida se sirve en una mezcla de lo de China, el té era una tetera que goteaba todo el mesa y en cuanto a la comida. Los bollos y mini quiches obviamente lo dificultarse muy rápidamente en orden para llenar nuestro stand tarta. No volvería otra vez! ! !

Noticed The Old Deanery after coming out of The Cathedral.Friendly front of house young man greeted us at the reception showed us to the bar area to be greeted with a roaring fire, we ordered tea / coffee . Very impressed when it arrived with a teapot, hot water jug ,milk jug/ sugar bowl and a caffetiera of coffee with biscuits - splendid/ good value in lovely surroundings,will be keen to sample the food and the hotel side at another visit !.Powder room very clean with hand wash / hand cream /fresh - very impressed !.

A very select number of us had a joined birthday celebration 3 course lunch. The food was excellent and plentiful. The service was first class and nothing seemed to be to much trouble. The private room was comfortable and had French doors that opened onto the garden. I would highly recommend this restaurant for that special occassion

Took my mother and sister for afternoon tea for my mother 7th birthday. The staff service and food was amazing. The staff were attentive and friendly. The food was delicious and would highly recommend.

Chose the hotel for the easy access to the cathedral and market square. Had a lovely big room, with a four poster bed.Room was lovely and warm, comfortable though some of the furnishings were a little worn. Lovely big bathroom.Thought the meals were reasonably priced and we enjoyed the meals.Staff were helpful and attentive.

The Deanery afternoon tea , great choice of sandwiches, warm scones, beautiful little cakes, very freindly and helpful staff. Roaring fire in the bar, very welcome on a dreary Saturday. We looked at their dinner menu which also looked very inviting.We will be back!

Booked afternoon tea for a family celebration in person a number of weeks in advance. Told the hotel the reason for the celebration and requested a table overlooking the garden. Arrived at the hotel to be shown a table right in the corner of the room so 2 of us had our backs against the wall, and 2 of us were facing it. My husband was very disappointed with the table particularly as we had made a point of travelling to the hotel weeks earlier to look at the room and asked to sit in the window. He went back to reception and mentioned that we had asked for a specific table and could we move. The staff were fine about it and moved 2 small tables together making a larger table and re laid it all for us so we could see the garden from in front of the fireplace. Not in the window but at least we weren't squashed in the corner and could see the garden view from where we were.The afternoon tea itself was nice, and at £12.50 I didn't expect an endless supply of cakes and sandwiches. The sandwiches were fresh and tasty and the cakes were lovely.When we left the card machine wouldn't work in the room as it was too far from the hub so we went into the reception area to pay. My husband thanked the staff for making up a new table for us at which point they informed us that it was fine because our table had actually been the one in prime position right in front of the window that we had initially chosen but the people who arrived just before us for lunch wanted it so they had let them move!!!!!!I have no clue how I managed to be civilised after that but I have to say I was extremely angry. The hotel knew that we were celebrating my Mum's (substantial!) birthday and I couldn't believe that they actually did that and didn't tell the people that the table had already been booked. Had we turned up on spec we would have just taken whatever table was available but I was thoroughly disappointed at this lack of thought. Needless to say, we won't be going back or recommending The Old Deanery for afternoon tea.

This was our second visit to this lovely hotel and we were absolutely delighted with the service and attentiveness of all the staff even down to the cleaners. We had a lovely room upgrade which was nice touch and the room no 5 did not disappoint it was spotless and very quiet even though it faced the cathedral. I think this is definitely one of my favourite hotels for a restful retreat at a weekend. The food and surroundings are just the best.

A nice place in nice surroundings but its a bit "posh" for some folk, drinks are reasonably priced, service is good but the bar is really small and when we were there they had an art & craft stalls inside which made it really tight for space.Strangely they did have Estrella on draught which you just don't find in many places, nice place, worth a visit but not for long.

Brilliant afternoon tea, great choice of food, a large pot of tea for two and lovely courteous and helpful staff, would highly recommend!

Received a birthday voucher & chose this as our venue. After spending the night in Ripon we arrived to find a beautiful building with amazing views of the cathedral. The afternoon tea was really lovely with a good choice on offer. As we had to take our young daughter along, the chef even sent out an extra piece of every cake for her to try which was extremely thoughtful. The members of staff who served us were attentive & friendly. On our next visit to Ripon we intend to stay here at the hotel.

We moved to Ripon earlier this year and although we have walked past The Old Deanery on a number of occasions, this was the first time we had visited. As others have already commented - what a delightful building in a superb location. The reception, bar and dining area are full of character and although perhaps in need of a little TLC in parts, are still a very comfortable and welcoming location with attentive and friendly staff. The bar lunch menu was varied and appealing and our choices of whitebait followed by the Yorkshire Board of cheeses, ham & pork pie was simply delicious. My only suggestion might be to offer a broader selection of bottled beers, given that, as it's not a pub, keeping cask ales is probably not an option. All in all, a real find for us and only a quarter of a mile from home! We have already booked to sample their tasting menu on an evening later in November!

I received a tea for two voucher as a birthday gift and chose the Old Deanery as the venue. First impressions were good, a lovely old building full of character. We were shown to our table and offered a pot of tea. Then our food arrived. The quiche was delicious if cold in the middle, sandwiches were lovely but the cakes were very disappointing. We had a warm scone with clotted cream which was delicious but the chocolate brownie was very dense, Bakewell tart was tasteless and fruit cake was ok. I was expecting more fancy cakes not something I'd bake at home every day. It wasn't what I expected in terms of choice of cakes. On a positive note the two staff members who served us were lovely, very friendly and attentive. The voucher I received cost £34, tea for two was advertised as £12.50 each! Not sure why there's a big difference.

Arrived early for our booking for afternoon tea but it was no problem for us to be seated a little early, The young waiter who was very pleasant asked if we wanted Tea or Coffee which was brought promptly. Followed by the afternoon tea which was a selection of finger sandwiches and a small quiche which was a nice touch. Then we had four small pieces of cake and a warm cream scone. Overall the food was very nice. What totally spoiled this for us was for the whole time we were seated in the restaurant there was a man on the table behind us conducting a business meeting on his phone - very loudly. This totally spoiled what should have been a very pleasant afternoon. I appreciate this was down to the rudeness of this man who clearly showed no thought to anyone else in the restaurant, but also in part to the hotel staff who had seen him but made no attempt to ask him to conduct his call elsewhere and not in such a public place.

Visited today after our first choice was closed. First impressions were really good. The building from the outside is beautiful. We got in and sat down at some odd table with 2 tiny couches and ordered drinks. When we ordered our starters and mains we was asked of we wanted to go into the restaurant when the food was ready which we agreed to. 40 minutes later we were told our starters were ready so we popped through to the restaurant. The food looked really good, the crockery was very nice. 40 minute wait for some houmous and white bait which we thought was excessive. The fish were so burnt they were just like fish crisps. When we finished and had the table cleared it was another half hour before the mains came. I had to wait an extra 5 minutes to everybody else for my food for some reason and also had to ask for fresh cutlery. My friend had the duck meatballs. Vile. She couldn't eat them. It was as if they had made liver meatballs, boiled them in water and just added bisto. It was just swimming with grease and the bowl was just filled with peas. She couldn't eat it. I myself had the ox cheek with waffle. The waffle was so soggy and my on cheek was burnt on one side and dry as old boots. No gravy, no veg, nothing. It had literally no taste. U couldn't eat it. My 3 friends had burgers which I am positive were not fresh and came with frozen chips. Finally my other friend had the chicken Flatbread. The portion was so small and even still you couldn't see a flatbread on the plate. One person got a checkback and that was when the meatballs were returned and it was as if the waiters knew the standard of food was poor. When the waiter cleared the take he saw the amount of food I had left and was hesitant to take it. He never asked we had finished nor did he ask what was wrong but we told him. Terrible experience from the moment we entered the doors. It's a real shame such a nice building can't fulfil its potential because of the awful food and poor customer service. The best part of our visit was definitely the crockery

Booked Afternoon Tea with a voucher my mother in law received for her birthday. The food was absolutely brilliant, we had caramelised onion and cheese quiche which was served warm, salmon and cucumber, cheese and pickle and real ham sandwiches. Lemon posset, baked cheesecake, chocolate brownie and fruit cake. Scone with jam and clotted cream. Every thing was home made including the Jam for the scone and everything was delicious I know I keep saying that but it is the best traditional afternoon tea I have had. The staff were lovely the waiter and waitress who served us were very professional and nothing was too much trouble. The Deanery is a lovely building built in 1799 and was a pleasure to visit.

I'm sure we caught this place at a bad time, but on this occasion the service was pretty poor... The staff tried their best to make a coffee and a tea between them... But not getting seated, general confusion of who should make the drinks.. Not knowing how much to charge at the end .. Just made it slightly more annoying than it should have.

We called in here for afternoon tea in between a choir rehearsal in the Cathedral, opposite, and choral evensong.Service was very slow - taking a very long time to take the order, still longer to serve. Although the setting was excellent, the service very much let the side down (not to mention very smelly toilets, hidden away up several staircases).

My friend & I were very lucky as it was a lovely hot summers day, so we sat in the stunning gardens for our lunch. We had a lovely sandwich & elderflower water x 2 which was very thirst quenching for two drivers! The staff were extremely pleasant & would certainly love to go back & enjoy an outdoor lunch there anytime.

We were staying in Ripon and walked past the Old Deanery which is across from the cathedral. It was closed for a private function but on the way back it had a sign saying it was open so we dropped in. That night only bar food was available but it was excellent, very tasty and well presented. The staff were extremely friendly and made us feel very welcome. During our chat with the waiter we found out that the restaurant called 1625 would be open later that week so booked a table to sample their tasting menu. We had 8 amazing courses for £38 pp. They also offer a 2 or 3 course menu for £20 and £25. The food was well presented and gives you the opportunity to try dishes you probably would never order. Our 10 year old nephew thoroughly enjoyed it. He was even asked if he would like to meet the chef in his kitchen which he did and came out full of excitement. The bar is quite small but well stocked and we spent a pleasant time chatting to the staff. I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough and am looking forward to returning at the earliest opportunity.

Fabulous location right opposite the cathedral in a quiet road. Everything was to a good standard from greet to departure. Comfy room with lots of space and a great view of the garden with its weeping willow. The hotel dates back to 1799 when it housed the Deans of the Cathedral. Free parking and simple but tasty menu plus a well stocked bar. Only reason I didn't award 5* was the breakfast which didn't present too well (small portion of scrambled egg plonked on its own on a large white plate, just looked a little lack lustre) and the toast came out some time later when the brekky was almost finished. A tad picky perhaps but the rest of the experience was lovely. Very friendly staff. Note: no dinner available on Monday evenings but that turned out to be a blessing as we found La Grillade ( see seperate review )

We were made very welcome and in a very attractive room with excellent view of the garden. Strange to take about the chairs but the seating arrangements were uncomfortable. They tried to make the food interesting by using old English recipes. Ended up being terribly disappointing.

My wife and I stayed here for 5 nights as I was singing services in the cathedral. The room was spacious, comfortable and had new carpet and modern furnishings. It is a very old building, so don't expect anything to be vertical or level - but that's part of the charm of staying in such a building! The cooked Yorkshire breakfast was also very tasty - but see comments below.There were some problems however: The first was the kettle in the room. It was very worn to the extent that when pouring from it, steam escaped from the lid and could have scolded the pourer. Fortunately I was able to put it down safely but it could have resulted in the kettle being dropped. This was obviously potentially extremely dangerous. It was reported to reception and was immediately replaced with a new travel kettle. We received a letter of apology - which was fine - but it shouldn't have been like that in the first place.The other problem was service at breakfast. It was fine and professional on the Tuesday morning, but on Wednesday and Thursday, the service was extremely slow and unprofessional (one young chap who clearly needed more training) waiting ages for toast and coffee (others had to wait ages for other items to be delivered and had to continually remind the waiter.) This improved on Friday morning with a change of staff. Whilst our Yorkshire breakfast was fine, there was only a very poor "continental" selection. On one day only did we see such things as croissants. I suspect they only put out a limited number to start with and when they were gone, that was it! I did point out all of these shortcomings to reception before leaving so I feel comfortable putting them in this review.I have given the hotel a rating of 4 as overall it was comfortable, clean and convenient for our purposes and probably the best hotel in the centre of Ripon. I would stay there again if visiting on a future occasion.One other tip: We had a superior room at the back of the hotel overlooking their lovely garden and it was quiet, allowing us to sleep with the window open. However, a friend was staying in a room at the front and told us that it was noisy with the window open.

Lovely hotel right next to the cathedral, had Afternoon Tea there as a gift experience. Friendly service, they remembered us from the booking we had made the previous week, good tea and coffee. Sandwiches were very generous and the scones lovely with far too much clotted cream :-)