Host & Stay | Captain's Retreat — Guest Reviews

A lovely property in a great location 5 minute walk into the town centre and beach! We had 2 x families staying, this pr Positive: A very modern and spacious property for 2 x families to come together for a nice weekend away! It had all the amenities required, owner has thought of everything. Negative: 1 x parking space was the only down side. Outside area needed a clear of weeds.

We had a fantastic time in Whitby. The property is excellent and I have recommended it to friends.. Positive: This self contained property is in outstanding condition, exceptionally clean and tastefully decorated. Very spacious and with three bedrooms and two shower/bathrooms is ideal for one large or two families sharing. Very close to centre, harbour and beach so excellent place to stay. Negative: I am a reasonably fit and well 62 year old but I struggled with the access to this property. Maybe an oversight of mine when booking. A short walk uphill and then a steep slope to the car park. Lots of very steep steps to the apartment and then of course, two flights of stairs to the kitchen/lounge which is rightfully sited on the top floor. Very attractive and just the way it is but I don't recall it being advertised much when we booked. You must be fit and well to stay here and certainly not suitable for many disabled people.

The place we (eventually) stayed in, at Whitby, was excellent in all respects. However, this did not fully compensate for the place we booked (in Stokesley) which was cancelled at 5 hours notice whilst we were travelling up. This caused us a number of inconveniences - 1 and a half hours in a motorway service station whilst we arranged a suitable alternative;a 90 minute round trip on the first evening to meet up with the pre-booked food delivery at the original venue; another 90 minute round trip on day 2 to attend the pre-booked football match which was an integral part of the weekend; also we were unable to meet up as planned with family members who live close to the original venue. All very frustrating, but we did make the most of a bad job. We also appreciated the help of Bethany at Host & Stay in arranging the last minute alternative accommodation. We never really found out the precise reason why the first accommodation was cancelled at such short notice - just ‘damage’.

A lovely break with the family nice property in a good location but a small amount of maintenance and a proper clean wou Positive: The property was in a good location was furnished really well suited our family of teenagers. loved the view out of the landing window beds were comfortable Negative: The property wasn’t overly clean the steps up to the property would be a problem if you have a lot of luggage and young children we only stayed overnight. it was really lovely but I would agree an overall in maintenance would get it up to scratch hooks off walls and stains on carpet would do with a rug doctor treatment just little things really. also some oven gloves would have been great

Perfect location, keeps you fit, well equipped accommodation Positive: Great location, nice and clean, comfortable beds, great for the family. Carpark is great for one car though it maybe could do with a drop down post to secure the parking space on arrival. Negative: Could do with a lick of paint to freshen the place up, especially the staircase, also carpets need a good clean, there's lots of staining which is off putting. This is our second time we've stayed last time being last year which was faultless and will only stay again if the issues are addressed.

Positive: Beds very comfy and house lovely and convenient to town centre Negative: A lot of steps to the property would be difficult to less mobile. In my opinion could have done with more comfortable seating in living area and coffee table was dangerous to children as it slipped on flooring and we had a trip to the hospital

Comfortable, warm and relaxing Positive: Walking distance to town. Beds were extremely comfortable, lovely warm house and nice fresh white towels Negative: Grass removed from side of property. Very tidy with slate but photo needs updating as I had to walk down or up the road to take the dog for a quick toliet. We didn’t mind the numerous steps but imagine it would be a struggle for some if any mobility issues

A great stay in a brilliant location Positive: Great location, good modern facilities, warm, clean, comfortable, great views, family friendly, catered well for dogs Negative: Lack of blinds / privacy in living room, not much storage in kitchen, limited outside area

The captains retreat was the perfect location for us and an absolute bonus that it allowed dogs! The bed were comfy, set up of the house was great and we made wholesome memories there.

lovely stay for 6 people max Positive: great location, well equipped Negative: only one thing which was disappointing, we were party of 7, however the property really sleep only 6, there is no 7th bed/sofa bed neither bedding prepared, even the booking said 7 people

Lovely property for 5 adults and a small do. Booked this one as had EV charger and that worked really well, nice and quick charge. Although a lot of similar houses in a small area it was quite peaceful and for us. The car park was ok , if a bit tight for todays bigger cars. The house was nicely furnished and good TV options during some rainy days!

Modern house in Whitby Positive: A modern house in a very good position in Whitby. Perfect for a group of friends or small family. Negative: Parking was very tight. We arrived at the same time as two other families and it was quite hard getting into our space. Also, the property is over three flights of stairs and is accessed by thirty six steps, so would be unsuitable for anyone with limited mobility. There were very limited cleaning products for us to use ( not even a disposable dish cloth or a dishwasher tablet) and only one tea towel. We were only there for two nights so didn't bring any with us. Had we known, we would have.

Lovely house, exactly as the photos, staining on bathroom floor (upstairs) not sure if from a previous leak. Seal could do with being replaced on shower screen as water is getting through. Slight problem with the shower hose not fitting properly in the holder in upstairs bathroom. Everything else is perfect. As mentioned in other reviews there are a lot of steps up to the property, we managed even with slight mobility issues but can be difficult with heavy luggage. Great location, just up from Bagdale Hall. Lovely quiet area, co-op just down the road, close to train station, parking space is decent size but parking area would be quite tight for a larger car. Lovely stay and would consider booking again.

Short break The property is very well kept and spotless. The beds are very comfortable and the 2 bathrooms are a good size. The kitchen is well equipped though a bit short on cutlery. The only downside for us was the number of stairs to climb to get into the property. A member of our party is 91 and it was very tiring for her. A great place to stay, we would recommend.

Positive: Close to town centre. Negative: Not enough good parking. Too many steps to access property;37 outside steps a further 26 to get to lounge/ kitchen area. Lounge furniture uncomfortable for 6 people. Not enough storage space. Previous highlighted problems with maintainable not fixed.

Okay Positive: Room and beds Negative: We booked for 9 people we only got 6 beds No sofa bed or air beds

Really enjoyed Captains Retreat and Whitby Positive: Good use of space for 6 people although the living room/kitchen opens onto the stairs, for toddlers - there is a stair gate in the cleaning cupboard on the ground floor Negative: Shame outdoor space limited and limited seating but well provided for on the kitchen/cooking side

Favourite place I've stayed in Whitby (I've been loads!) Positive: Really smart, well-decorated and comfortable, a stone's throw from the main streets of Whitby, fast host response, clear instructions given via an app, lovely French doors on the top floor living room, good view of the abbey from the landing window, good water pressure, strong wifi connection, a perfect place to get some work done on my laptop. Negative: I would have preferred one big mattress for the double bed but honestly nitpicking!

Very nice town house. Went with another couple so there were two floors each with its own bedroom and bathroom was nice and still private. The top floor was the common space that had a nice and well equipped kitchen with a good amount of seating. The location was also great where you could walk to the main area of Whitby. Overall we had a great stay, but oddly the place didn’t have any toilet paper (which was discovered at an inconvenient time). The host was very nice and responsive but ultimately we had to buy our own which was unexpected and somewhat annoying. No one wants to be caught out!

Disgusting owners at captains retreat Positive: The location Negative: Absolutely disgusting. Arrived at the property went in .No bedding in any of the rooms .no towels .Contacted host and stay who said they would get in touch with the owners .They did the owners response was 50 pound to go out at 7pm at night to buy our own bedding and towels for 6 people .No housekeeping service. I refused to do this to which the owner responded by cancelling our stay .Grateful to host and stay for helping us find other accommodation but had to pay again for another place.A member of our group is pregnant and we were also celebrating a birthday this put a damper on our weekend..How the owner dealt with this situation Absolutely disgusting .They do not deserve repeat business. Be very wary if you book this property.

Positive: Well equipped comfortable accommodation in an excellent location.

Captains Retreat is in a great location, just a few minutes walk down to the harbour. There are steps up to the house as described, self check in easy enough and parking space was a bonus..it is tight but I managed with a Sportage fine! When entering the house it does smell of drains/sewer from the ground floor bathroom, toilet isn’t secure to the wall so not sure if that is the cause. Bedrooms have roller blinds and with street lights outside it lets a bit of light in, beds were comfy. We had some noisy neighbours, being a new house you do hear everything :-) Kitchen well equipped if you wanted it. Lovely view of the abbey from stairwell windows. A bit of the handrail on stairs at the top isn’t secure, house is looking a little tired on paintwork, black marks on laminate and some carpet stains. This was a base for us, 3 adults and 1 small dog, we didn’t cook/staying in so was fine for what we needed and brilliant location.

We had an excellent stay at Captain’s retreat. Property was clean, well presented, & is superbly located. Would stay Positive: We loved the location & that parking was available. Short walk into Whitby. Kitchen was clean, well stocked with everything you need. Towels & bedding included. WiFi was very good. House was cleaned to a high standard. Liked that dishwasher tablets, tea towels, tea, coffee, washing up liquid & soaps were available. Negative: Could have done with another small sofa. Especially if 6 people are staying. Three story living maybe impractical for some.

Very pleasant stay would stop again Positive: Nice, local and modern property. Good view of the abbey. Warm and comfortable. Free parking space Negative: Street lights outside property light up bedrooms even with blinds down.

Fantastic place and close to town centre and beach. Loads of steps to get to property but it keeps you fit Positive: Location Negative: Nothing

The house was easy to find and had the bonus of a free EV charger, which was great! Upon entering the house, there was a smell of sewage, probably caused by the downstairs toilet not being properly attached to the floor. Good space, but found the paintwork needed redoing, it was all looking a bit tired and bashed up. The bathrooms and hallways needed a deep clean, the skirtings were really dirty and the silicone and grout turning black in the bathrooms. Kitchen was well equipped, although again could’ve been cleaned better, a bit dusty on the open shelf. Beds and bedding was nice and comfy, but blinds in bedroom let in a lot of light. The house is a fairly new build, so the walls are paper thin and you can hear everything above and below you. Great location for accessing Whitby, short walk into the centre and the digital handbook they provided was very useful. The view of the abbey was fab from the hallway windows, great for sunrise views!

There are a lot of steps both inside and outside the property so not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties. However, it was perfect for our needs lovely and clean. Decoration was modern and cozy. Lots of information about the area on hand. The host was very proactive. Parking also which was a bonus. The space was small but we had a ford ranger and we managed to park that although it was only accessible from the drivers side but that’s not an issue. Also the parking is tight so recommend reversing. Overall would definitely return. We loved it.

Great location, lovely accommodation, we preferred the second bedroom with the smaller bed, the larger bed is on the ground floor. Lots of steps outside, be prepared if you have lots of baggage or have difficulty using steps. Car parking is tight, ideal for a small car only.

Location location location Positive: Fabulous location and well equipped. Negative: Some stains on carpet but otherwise clean.

Great location Perfect location, not a problem for us but there are a lot of steps to get to the house and 3 floors inside.

beautiful home, great location all facilities excellent

Great house with a fantastic view. Thanks

Thank you for staying with us. We hope that you enjoyed your stay. We would love to welcome you back in one of our property in the future.

Great location with parking for one car. Centre was in easy reach with plenty of places to eat and drink at!

Great location

Location fabulous. Negative: It smelt of dogs and the carpets were stained

AVOID this property and HOST & STAY - Dreadful property and Appalling non existent service Positive: Location close to Whitby Negative: Stained smelly carpet, awful smell in downstairs toilet, used nappy in bin there, table legs broken (wobbles and dangerous), NO internet at all, no TV either - Smart TV (they failed to pay bill) - most of this known about before our stay - see review 26th August. Host & Stay, despite multiple daily texts, messages and phone calls failed to deal with any of this and lied to us and Booking.com claiming the problems had been resolved when they had not. Only discovered bill not paid 3-4 days after our stay started and they actually contacted the owner (why not contact the owner earlier). Expected some reasonable compensation (we paid nearly £1000 for the week). Quoted terms and conditions "However, no warranty is given as to the speed of the Wifi service nor its reliability. The Wifi service is provided with the expectation that speeds/data allowance may be limited, and no compensation will be given as a consequence of slow speeds/over consumption of data usage." Service was not unreliable - There was NO service, NO Internet so NO Wifi and NO Smart TV (and they knew this before we arrived). The owner had not paid the bill so the service was disconnected. Despite multiple promises and guarantees, they offered no resolution for this, no temporary solutions, no fix to the property's poor condition, no transfer to another property (as Captains Retreat not fit for a weeks stay). I would avoid this property (the condition of this property so neglected and barely livable) and Host & Stay like the Plague. I would not take the risk. Have stayed and rented properties in UK and around the world and this is my worst ever experience and to be so disrespected, ignored and lied to by Host & Stay and the owner is unacceptable.

Positive: Comfortable accommodation. Very handy location. Well equipped kitchen Negative: Wi fi and television not working no reply to calls or emails whilst there over weekend to help. Sofa seemed very unsteady and creaky.

Great location with parking. Positive: Great location near centre with parking which is a must in Whitby. View of Whitby Abbey from landing window. Love coffee machine but take your own pods. Attractive apartment and well fitted. A lovely stay. Negative: Take note - 40 steps to apartment and another 26 steps to the top floor - not great for some people.

Do not use. Positive: Good location Negative: Stained carpets strong smell of urine. Broken bed . Broken settee. No internet or TV. Very poor service from host and stay.

Positive: Really nice, modern townhouse in an excellent location, just 5 mins walk from Whitby harbour. Excellent kitchen facilities with all the mod cons you would expect and a very good sizes fridge/freezer. Guests here need to be physically fit due to the substantial number of steps you need to climb to gain access to the property. All in all had a really good stay here and would use again if we return to Whitby in the future.

a great location for a short break in Whitby Positive: Well located and clean accommodation. Very well equipped. Accommodation on three floors with two double beds and bunk beds [three bedrooms] so very comfortable to sleep six. Parking space included with additional on street [free] spaces just a short walk away. We would use this company again! Negative: Be aware that there are steps to access the property. Just one parking space but free on street parking not far away!

Deep clean needed!! Positive: House was light and spacious. Nice decor. Negative: No cupboard space to store any food. Huge dark stains in entrance hall. Used tissues under ground floor bed and grubby make up dresser. Filthy shower seal. In desperate need of a deep clean. No oven glove... Asked daily and was never rectified by Host and stay staff. Sofa v uncomfortable. Beds lumpy. Outside was dirty...only needed a sweep and clean wouldn't have taken staff long. Properly opposite looked directly into ours in the evenings so no privacy.

Good sized apartment for a few nights, lovely view of the abbey and in walking distance to local shops, harbour and sights. In general the apartment was fairly clean but the fridge smelt of fish, the downstairs toilet smelt of sewage, the towels had some stains/smelt and there were some crumbs/spills in the living area. Overall we enjoyed our stay, check in and check out were easy and there was clear communication throughout.

Positive: Fantastic holiday, great place to stay, clean, well equipped kitchen, bathrooms are excellent Negative: Lots of stairs getting to the accommodation, plus more stairs getting to the kitchen and living room, on the top floor

Nice getaway and away from all noises but close to all local events Positive: Nice location, quiet area Negative: Everything was good

Positive: Location was excellent and bonus with a parking space Negative: The mattress on one of the double beds was very lumpy I think the springs had gone. A lot of steps up to the property.

Lovely stay beyond our expectations, and impromptu fireworks display added to a great stay Positive: Modern, clean town house in the centre of Whitby. Excellent parking. Negative: Need curtains in bedrooms as blinds did not block outside light.

Whitby stay Positive: Very close to the centre of Whitby. Negative: Some lack of amenities such as no oven gloves and one kitchen towel.

Positive: Location, Car charger Negative: Bady stained entrance hall carpet, No shower mat downstairs, no place for toiletries, no storage place for food, table was wonky, not enough cutlery, cheap and nasty rusting toilet paper holders and bins. General cleanliness, dusty skirtings and greasy filthy kitchen cupboard tops. No wastepaper bins. Stained chair in lounge. Dining table and chairs were of very poor quality.

Lovely modern house in a great location. Positive: Location of the property is superb & it was modern & clean. Has its own parking space which is a bonus in Whitby Negative: Lots of steps up to the property. The communal area outside and around the property are not well kept and don’t reflect the standard of the accommodation. This however may be beyond the control of the accommodation owner.

Whitby is beautiful, there’s so much to do and this property was an amazing base to allow us to explore, Positive: The facilities where lovely, clean, beautifully furnished and in an amazing location. There’s a lovely view from the property. Not suitable for anyone who can’t walk up stairs very well. Negative: N/A

Good location to walk into Whitby Negative: Unfortunately l didn’t realise how many steps up to the property Need to highlight more info

Positive: Great location and property decoration was very good Negative: The cleanliness of property was not a high standard

Great house great location.

Positive: The location, the view, the cleanliness and most definitely the pillows! Comfiest pillows ever.

we would definitely stay again overall it was amazing thank you so much x Positive: it was lovely and clean, welcoming and spacious. Negative: not enough cupboard space in kitchen, no lightbulb for the lamp in living area, ran out of toilet paper.

excellent location nice house but most suitable for fit and able people Positive: location and modern and there was some good basic supplies Negative: there was a lot of steps up to the house then a lot of stairs. the patio was tiny.

Pleasant Positive: N/A Negative: Warned about the 62 stairs from the car park to the kitchen/living area. Main bedroom needs curtains

Amazing Stay!!! The house is big and clean with full-equiped housing tools and furnitures. The location is also near the bus and train station. Highly Recommend!

Clean and modern apartment with all facilities needed. Positive: Self contained apartment Negative: All excellent!

Good 👍 👍

Positive: Great location warm and friendly Negative: Maybe another parking bay but understand space is at a premium

very good and would recommend for another stay Positive: location was perfect, stylish modern house with everything you need , home from home really 😊 Negative: on initial arrival it seemed okay , but later noticed the dust on stairwells and grubby carpet in hallway and a sock under the bunk beds !

Whitby centre Lovely property great central location

Positive: Good location for central Whitby. Very modern and spacious accommodation. Negative: The back door did not open leaving us unable to access the outdoor space throughout our stay.

fantastic 2day break in a fabulous house in a fabulous town. we cannot wait to visit again Positive: beautiful, modern and amazing location Negative: there was nothing not to like 😊

Lovely accomodation in general. Host and Stay (the holiday let company) provide a great guide for visitors. Customer ser Positive: Very clean, well furnished and comfortable. Great location. Negative: Lots of steps up to the property. Tight parking. Not for disabled, elderly or young children due to steps and the living area being located on the second floor, where the stairs are open to the living space, and is not safe for babies/toddlers as there is no safety gate.

good

Positive: Great location and nice house Negative: The courtyard with other properties balconies facing each other can get noisy with the neighbours yelling and swearing at each other, this is not something the property owner can address. Few minor things need fixing like the back door is hard to lock and the top floor banister is loose.

Positive: Accommodation good, facilities within good ie. Many unpected untities. + however couldn't get the Internet to work to which TV was connected to, so no TV and no WiFi, contacted host which were helpful but couldn't rectify!, so we had no use of TV and WiFi. A bit frustrating but we filled our days....! Negative: ....As above.. No TV at all or WiFi

After booking and paying (non refundable) we got an email that a scan of my passport plus a selfie was required... Having uploaded these, after a few days I received a 2nd request for this scan and selfie. (We were worried about the safety of my personal documents within this organisation.. ) Sending the scan of my passport would be rewarded by a 500 pounds worth in case of damage to the property.. (Later they let us know we'd first had to pay an extra 35 pounds for insurance..) We would have to upload a video of the property directly after entering, to prove the state of the property at the beginning of our stay. It did not help enjoying our holiday and the house. This house is not suitable for anybody with restricted mobility (lots of stairs in and outside). A little less accessoires would have given more space to live. The park and city center were at walking distance.

Perfect place for family and friends Positive: Beautiful views, very comfortable Beds, everything you need is provided

clean and comfortable upside house Positive: very clean and comfortable Negative: rather a lot of steps both outside and in.

Stressful to find and park,40 stairs up we’re exhausting and impossible for older person Positive: It was clean and well equipped. Negative: Problem with parking totally disorganized An hourDriving around we were given wrong postal code. townhouse was at the top of 40 steep concrete steps, from the parking bay totally inaccessible for my 94 year old Mum,and a real struggle for us with two small children and luggage.... this was not mentioned at all in booking.com Description!.. Three phone calls to yourselves to get the correct Info! The parking was very tight. The cleaners didn't have anywhere to park and took our space when we vacated it on Saturday morning. We couldn't leave my mother in the place by herself so had to leave on Saturday lunch time ! All in all a total disaster and extremely stressful time !