Paid
Children 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

Location

Guest Reviews

8.2
Based on 9097 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
C
Chris • extended_group • gb
9
Cons:

Breakfast could have been hotter and buffet system organised better

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
A
Atsuko • solo_traveller • jp
8
2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
H
Heike • couple • de
9
2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
L
lydia K • couple • gb
10
Perfect stay
Pros:

What a stunning building and hotel. Absolutely enjoyed our stay! We will definitely come again

Cons:

Nothing

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
G
Geir • couple • no
9
Fint rom, stort dusjavlukke, sentral beliggenhet, kort vei til jernbanestasjon og god frokost
Pros:

God frokost, fint rom med stort dusjavlukke, kort vei til sentrum og jernbanestasjon

2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
P
PETER • extended_group • gb
8
generally good but not excellent
Pros:

room, breakfast, location

Cons:

front door access for disabled person, both taps were marked with letter C (for cold) although one was hot. wasted a lot of water looking for hot water.

2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
A
Angela • solo_traveller • gb
7
Pros:

Beautiful hotel. Literally next to the train station. A fair walk to city centre. York Races were on so we didn't pick the right week to sight see. The bar staff were exceptional so were the reception staff. However a couple of the staff in the Garden room need an attitude check. If you weren't ordering ice buckets of champagne you were ignored. One even shouted across the room to me "I will get to you in a minute sit down"

Cons:

Garden room staff.

2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
R
r_grindrod2 • solo_traveller • gb
9
Pros:

Amazing staff, huge fabulous room in the Sidings which was very quiet despite being next to the station and the main post office sorting office.
The hotel is really lovely, we wouldn't hesitate to return as it was such a wonderful experience.

2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
K
Kate • couple • gb
9
Beautiful, grand hotel with excellent restaurant and super staff.
Pros:

This hotel is incredibly beautiful, with excellent public space and lovely staff. We also had excellent meals (dinner and breakfast) in the main restaurant.

Cons:

The pool and spa space was a little disappointing - not completely clean and quite cramped. There was also a very unpleasant leisure club member there who was very argumentative and clearly disliked by other members - he made that experience seriously unrelaxing!

2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
J
JOHN • couple • gb
10
Perfect .
Pros:

The location is fantastic. So convenient. Beautiful hotel

Cons:

Nothing couldn’t be better

2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
H
Hodgson • extended_group • gb
9
Lovely weekend with friends
Pros:

Welcome by reception, eas from train station.
Quite well located for city Centre

2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
I
Ian • couple • gb
7
2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
S
Stuart • couple • gb
8
2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
J
Jodie • couple • au
10
2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
T
tracy • couple • gb
10
2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
D
David • couple • gb
10
2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
K
Kay • extended_group • gb
9
Pros:

Location was good, near to train station and city centre.

Cons:

Breakfast included in price for room.

2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
A
Angela • solo_traveller • gb
9
Pros:

Location, staff friendly and approachable.
Fabulous extra large bed
Value for money
Great Breakfast

Cons:

Some areas of bedroom looked dirty, blinds, carpet
Toilet bowl
Room was very warm and air conditioner if there actually was any didn't work.

2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
C
craig • couple • gb
9
Luxurious stay
Pros:

Excellent facilities and perfect location

2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
S
Sophie • couple • gb
10
Pros:

I cannot fault this hotel in any way whatsoever. The general cleanliness of the hotel from the lobby area to the bars & restaurant, the leisure facilities, our room, everything was spotless and smelt fresh and clean. The staff are amazing and can’t do enough for you, we were treated like royalty the whole of our stay, we were made to feel very special. The quality of the food in Peachys during the evening was excellent as was the breakfast in the morning with ample choice of hot and continental options available. Staff extremely attentive and polite. Our room was fabulous we decided to pay £65 for an upgrade to a junior suite and it was worth every penny. Spotlessly clean and airy with a gorgeous view out our bedroom window of York minster. We had no trouble regarding noise from outside or inside the hotel and enjoyed a very good quality sleep. After we checked out we had a little wander round the lovely gardens of the hotel which we had to ourselves. There is a beautiful water fountain in the centre which adds to the tranquility. Overall the property offers brilliant value for money, 100% would recommend this beautiful hotel and we will most definitely be returning!

Cons:

Couldn’t find anything to dislike.

2026-09-15 • via Nuitee