Children allowed
Pets allowed

Facilities

Fitness facilities
WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
Swimming pool
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Accommodating staff
Comfortable lounge area
Cons:
Poor breakfast quality
Room size issues
Inadequate amenities

Categories

Cleanliness
7.94
Some reviews mention cleanliness, but also note issues like tired paint and cracked marks.
Service
9.41
Guests highlighted the outstanding and accommodating service from the staff.
Location
9.45
The hotel's location was frequently praised for being ideal, especially for New Year celebrations.
Room Quality
7.9
Comments indicate some rooms are small and have issues with lighting and air conditioning.
Amenities
7.43
Facilities like the spa and pool were noted as unavailable, with breakfast options lacking.
Value for Money
7.89
Mixed feelings about prices versus offered services and quality (e.g., breakfast quality).
Food and Beverage
6.94
Breakfast options received poor reviews, especially concerning quality and variety.
Overall Experience
8.61
Overall sentiment is positive, with enjoyment of the stay despite some issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-10 00:36

Property Description

Luxurious Accommodation
Experience the elegance of the 4-star Principal York, with modern rooms equipped with all the amenities you need for a comfortable stay. From flat-screen Smart TVs to rain showers, we have thought of everything to make your stay unforgettable.

Gourmet Dining
Indulge in a culinary journey at The Refectory Kitchen and Terrace, where fresh and seasonal dishes are served with a local twist. Don't miss out on the traditional afternoon tea in the charming Garden Room, and start your day right with a full English buffet breakfast.

Convenient Location
Located next to York Train Station, our hotel offers easy access to transportation for your adventures in York and beyond. Explore the historic city center, visit York Shambles, or enjoy a day at York Racecourse - all just minutes away from our doorstep.

Book your stay at the Principal York now for a truly memorable experience.

Important information:

The breakfast price is for pre-booked breakfasts only. Guests will be charged extra for breakfasts that are not pre-booked.

When booking for 9 rooms or more, different policies and additional supplements will apply. Guest will be required to sign an additional form.

Please note that the credit / debit card used at the time of the booking needs to be presented upon check-in.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: LBA

Property Policies

  • Pets

    Pets are allowed on request. Charges may be applicable.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

  • Groups

    When booking more than 6 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for free when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 12 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    You haven't added any extra beds.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.

  • Parking

    Private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed) and costs GBP 19 per day.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.2
Based on 8748 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.94
Service: 9.41
Location: 9.45
Room Quality: 7.9
Amenities: 7.43
Value for Money: 7.89
Food and Beverage: 6.94
Overall Experience: 8.61
V
V6941ZOdavidh • Friends getaway
6
Very poor
Pros:

The car parking is £30 which is a complete rip off.the breakfast service is a total shambles, always running out off the hot buffet,people stood about waiting for it .and the bar snacks are not worth the money they charge.

2026-06-20 • via Tripadvisor
R
Rose • couple • au
7
Good location, overpriced
Pros:

Good location, but be careful what room you book! Annex area is quite far away and feels dated. Especially the basement rooms. Overall vibe is nice but a bit over priced.

2026-06-20 • via Nuitee
M
Matthew • couple • gb
9
Great stay good position and good attention to detail
Pros:

Everything done well

Cons:

Nothing

2026-06-20 • via Nuitee
N
Natalie • couple • gb
6
2026-06-20 • via Nuitee
C
ChinaMous • Solo travel
2
Very disappointed. First impressions are awful.
Pros:

Just arrived for two nights and first issue - no parking. Second issue - they charge for parking at £22 per night. It was not clear on booking.com when I booked that this would be the case. Third issue - having paid over £200 per night, I was expecting a room that would be better than a travel lodge but on opening the door I was hit by a stale, damp smell. The carpet is covered in stains. The wood chip ceiling has evidence of damp patches. The window is covered in bird mess. The view is of a road, which I will be listening to all night. I think the railway line runs directly behind the wall of my room. The bathroom is pokey with an old Armitsge Shanks bathroom suite. I wish I hadn’t booked this place. Was so looking forward to this weekend as well. Couldn’t be more depressed right now.

2026-06-19 • via Tripadvisor
H
howardbW6722TZ • Couples
6
Mixed experience
Pros:

Spent a couple of nights here. Not a great experience in terms of the level of service. Main reception staff failed to interact both upon checkin and checkout and whilst perfectly polite we felt for a 4 star hotel there was a general disinterest in guests.

The same could be said of the staff at breakfast where on both days we were kept waiting to be seated and again no interaction. The table was not cleared between courses which was odd as there were plenty of staff available. We were surprised that the breakfast was self service but the food was of a decent standard.

The bar staff on the other hand were fantastic!

We had a superior deluxe room which was clean and the bed was comfortable. I would not rely on the Wifi as the service kept dropping out

2026-06-19 • via Tripadvisor
N
Nehemia • couple • il
9
המלון היה פשוט נהדר
Pros:

ארוחת בוקר אנגלית מלאה עם שיפור של תוספת גבינה צהובה ונקניק פרוס, הצוות היה נהדר , אדיב מסביר פנים ומאוד עוזר , החדר שהזמנו היה מעט קטן ושדורגנו תמורת סכום סמלי ביותר לסוויטה מפנקת למחרת כשהתפנתה.

Cons:

כדאי להוסיף ידית אחיזה במקלחת לאורחים מבוגרים

2026-06-19 • via Nuitee
J
Jose Augusto • couple • br
10
Gostei
Pros:

A suíte é muito boa. Grande e com ótimas instalações

2026-06-19 • via Nuitee
D
David • family_with_children • gb
9
Cons:

The breakfast was a bit cold bad fitting lids on the food

2026-06-19 • via Nuitee
W
Wynter • family_with_children • gb
4
2026-06-19 • via Nuitee
J
James • extended_group • gb
10
2026-06-18 • via Nuitee
F
Frances • solo_traveller • us
7
Pros:

Beautiful location, stunningly decorated, comfortable, tasteful... kind staff.

Cons:

We did not have a decent night's sleep because we were awoken by false alarm fire alarms three times on our three nights there. My kids were sleeping in a room where there was construction outside so they basically got no sleep the entire time. There were no accommodations made for any of the above.

2026-06-18 • via Nuitee
L
Leanne • couple • gb
10
Beautiful hotel
Pros:

Great location, next to the train station and a short walk into town. Very friendly, helpful staff. The room was very spacious, comfortable and impeccably clean. The leisure facilities were clean and well maintained and the breakfast was really good

Cons:

Nothing

2026-06-18 • via Nuitee
T
theboltonwanderer • Business
6
Should be a lovely place, but isn’t
Pros:

My organisation had booked a meeting in the conference centre, so I want to start this by saying how great the staff in the conference centre were, could not do enough for us, very good.
Hotel itself was another matter. I was “upgraded” to a minster view room, which was a room on the third floor with no character, no nice touches, plain walls .. it was stark, the paint on the window frame was peeling, it was like a budget hotel room .. and I didn’t book a budget hotel.
None of us had great rooms, I however got off lightly as two of my colleagues were in rooms directly overlooking roadworks, that went on and off until 1am - can’t understand why the hotel didn’t move people from those rooms, or, provide earphones, my colleagues hardly slept.
We then met for breakfast at 7, as we needed to set up the meeting at 8, However breakfast was not open, we had 2 apologies, and then it opened at 7:15 .. half stocked. Honestly, the breakfast was like something from a travel lodge. The self service stuff was late coming out, as was the coffee, the quality was not great - and we had to pay £19 for the privilege.
None of us has a decent nights sleep, or a decent breakfast.
The corridors on the way to the conference centre smelled of damp & a sewer smell .. really needs sorting out.

2026-06-17 • via Tripadvisor
H
Hisae • couple • jp
9
駅近のリーズナブルな宿
Pros:

とにかく駅の目の前で重いスーツケース用のリフトが駅側に完備されていたので助かりました。
バスタブ希望というと地下階になるよと言われました。地下階と言っても日本でいう1階でしたし、荷物を預けて観光に行ってる間に大きい部屋にアップグレードして頂いていたのでとっても快適でした。

Cons:

特にありません。
ちょっとホテルの入り口が分かりにくかったけど、駅側のリフトのあるところからもアクセス可能です。

2026-06-17 • via Nuitee
K
KEVIN • family_with_children • gb
9
2026-06-17 • via Nuitee
E
Elizabeth • couple • gb
8
Very enjoyable stay, good location, friendly staff.
Pros:

Lovely decor, period features of the hotel nicely incorporated with modern additions. Friendly reception staff. Good location, onsite parking was very handy.

Cons:

Bed was very hard and pillows were too soft. No extra pillows in the room.

2026-06-17 • via Nuitee
P
Patricia • couple • au
10
2026-06-17 • via Nuitee
D
Denys • couple • gb
6
2026-06-17 • via Nuitee
D
Dwight • couple • gb
9
2026-06-16 • via Nuitee