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 8834 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
T
Tracy couple gb
8
Pros:

Location was great
Great choice of bars and restaurants

Cons:

Leisure centre needs some work. Multiple lockers not working. Changing facilities and shower areas seemed aged.

2026-07-25 via Nuitee
M
MICHEL solo_traveller ch
8
Pros:

Magnifique bâtiment, réfection parfaite.

Cons:

Petite chambre d'encoignure, très confortable tout de fois. Petit déjeuner quelconque.

2026-07-24 via Nuitee
L
Leo couple gb
10
Pros:

Spacious, elegant, beautiful, authentic, comfortable

Cons:

Nil

2026-07-24 via Nuitee
T
Tariq solo_traveller sa
8
2026-07-24 via Nuitee
J
Joyce solo_traveller us
10
2026-07-24 via Nuitee
E
Emily solo_traveller pa
5
Pros:

Location and bed was comfortable

Cons:

service very mediocre

2026-07-23 via Nuitee
J
Jo couple gb
10
2026-07-23 via Nuitee
C
Cheery Macleary solo_traveller gb
8
2026-07-23 via Nuitee
J
Jo couple gb
10
2026-07-23 via Nuitee
O
Oliver family_with_children gb
7
Ok, could do so much better
Pros:

Great location, good amount of space in communal areas

Cons:

Breakfast is not up to par. Staff in restaurant used for dinner and breakfast were not good, especially for the price paid. Also, please invest in a decent coffee machine, just having carafes of filter coffee at breakfast is not good enough

2026-07-23 via Nuitee
D
Dawne solo_traveller gb
7
Nice place to stay for one night, but pricey.
Pros:

Location good, next to Station. Room had been renovated. Comfortable beds and quiet.

Cons:

Aircon didn’t cool the room, only discovered at night. TV would not stay on which only discovered in the morning so not really time to ask for attention. Peachey’s seemed to be run by students. Didn’t open bottle of wine and wanted to take pasta back to kitchen to add Parmesan. Breakfast coffee was out of thermos flasks and tasteless.

2026-07-22 via Nuitee
J
Jake couple gb
10
Best weekend to date
Pros:

It was the best hotel experience I’ve ever had the different bars and restaurants the whole aesthetic of it was absolutely unreal

Cons:

Nothing

2026-07-22 via Nuitee
J
Jeff couple gb
10
2026-07-22 via Nuitee
P
Philip couple no
8
Comfortable hotel in an excellent location.
Pros:

Location very good. Room comfortable. Pool/Sauna area excellent.

Cons:

Breakfast was disappointing.

2026-07-22 via Nuitee
A
Alastair Dal Ferro solo_traveller gb
10
Pros:

All the staff were very helpful

2026-07-22 via Nuitee
C
clairegN58ZU Couples
8
Clean cosy hotel
Pros:

We came here for one night in February for my 40th birthday . Staff upgraded us and left us a voucher for a free birthday drink for me, which was very kind. Although the room was absolutely stunning and clean and comfortable it was extremely cold and there was no heating working in the room so we were moved to a smaller room very quickly without any issues. I think perhaps if it was summer it would be perfect but in winter it was too cold. I didn't want to leave it because of how fabulous it was but had to to get warm.

The room we got moved to was beautiful and very cosy and alot warmer once we'd got settled. The shower was the best shower i've ever had! Had trouble getting out of it because it was so so nice !
Really refreshing and the soaps in the bathroom were gorgeous.
The swimming pool and spa facilities were all not available due to reconstruction which was disappointing as we didn't see the email until after we arrived as it had gone into the junk email box ! but we made the most of our stay in york anyway and we hope to return and be able to use the pool etc . For an old building it was very clean and luxurious and had a posh feel to it. The location was very good . The hotel grounds are stunning . We enjoyed wrapping up and having a walk around looking at lots of pretty lights .

2026-07-21 via Tripadvisor
C
ColletteBaines Family Little Sutton, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England
10
Fantastic stay
Pros:

I love this hotel! From the beautiful surroundings. Stunning decor in the hotel and all the rooms, to the amazing friendly staff. I took my Mum for the 1st time and she was as impressed as me. Thank you for making our stay memorable, will definitely be back.

2026-07-21 via Tripadvisor
J
jonathan solo_traveller gb
8
2026-07-21 via Nuitee
A
Anastasiia couple ae
8
2026-07-21 via Nuitee
M
MERVE solo_traveller tr
10
2026-07-21 via Nuitee