Hotels in York

Choosing where to base yourself in York matters less than in most cities, simply because the historic core is so small. Almost anything inside or immediately outside the walls puts the Minster, the Shambles and the station within a fifteen-minute walk. What changes between areas is atmosphere, noise and price.

Couples on a short break usually do best inside the walls, particularly around Petergate, Stonegate or the Minster quarter, where you can step out of the door into the medieval streets and walk home after dinner without thinking about taxis. Micklegate suits anyone arriving by train who wants a quieter night: the townhouse hotels there are a five-minute walk from the platforms and a ten-minute walk from the centre, with the National Railway Museum in between.

Families tend to find better value slightly out. Bootham and Clifton to the north have larger Victorian B and Bs and guest houses with family rooms and, crucially, somewhere to leave the car. Bishopthorpe Road to the south has the same advantages plus a genuinely good local high street and Rowntree Park for children to burn off energy. Fulford and the villages beyond, such as Escrick and Sutton-on-the-Forest, suit drivers who plan to spend days out in the Moors, the Wolds or the Dales and only want York as an evening base.

Price expectations are straightforward. A decent double in a city-centre hotel starts around 110 to 140 pounds a night in the quieter months and climbs sharply from May onwards. Country-house hotels on the edge of the city sit closer to 200 to 280 pounds. Guest houses on Bishy Road or in Bootham typically run 80 to 120 pounds with breakfast.

Book well ahead for three periods in particular: the St Nicholas Fair from mid-November to Christmas, race meetings at York Racecourse, which fill the city several times between May and October, and the August school holidays. On race days in particular, rates can double and availability disappears months in advance. Midweek stays in January, February and early March offer the best value of the year.