23 St Marys Guest House

About 23 St Marys Guest House

23 St Marys is a family-run bed and breakfast on St Mary's, a quiet residential street off Bootham on the north-west side of the city. The house is Victorian, set back behind a small front garden, and the scale is domestic rather than hotel-like, with a handful of rooms and owners who are usually on the premises. It has a long-standing reputation as one of the better small B&Bs in York.

Bedrooms are individually decorated, with light colours, statement wallpapers and deliberately uncluttered furnishing that makes the most of the available space. All are en suite, with televisions, tea and coffee trays, toiletries and free wi-fi; some have antique beds or original fireplaces. Sizes vary from singles to family rooms, and the room descriptions on the website are accurate about which are compact.

Breakfast is the part guests write about most: cooked to order with plenty of choice, a proper Yorkshire fry-up alongside lighter options, and a willingness to accommodate particular requests if you mention them the night before. There is a small sitting area downstairs. This is a bed and breakfast rather than a hotel, so there is no bar, restaurant or evening service, but plenty of places to eat are a few minutes away.

The location is one of the quietest you will find this close to the centre. The Museum Gardens, Bootham Bar and York Minster are all within a five to ten-minute walk, and the railway station is about fifteen minutes on foot. Limited on-street parking is available with a permit from the owners. It suits couples and independent travellers who prefer a small, personal place over a chain hotel.