Children allowed
Pets allowed

Facilities

Fitness facilities (surcharge)
Non-smoking rooms
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Room service
Terrace
Family rooms
Pets allowed
BBQ facilities
Lift / Elevator
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Good location
Welcoming staff
Comfortable lounge area
Cons:
Poor lighting in rooms
Issues with breakfast quality
Amenities not available

Categories

Cleanliness
7.88
Some issues with room maintenance mentioned, and cleanliness could be improved.
Service
9.35
Staff were very welcoming and accommodating, providing excellent service.
Location
9.39
Good location, easily accessible to central attractions.
Room Quality
7.84
Some rooms reported as small and poorly lit, affecting comfort.
Amenities
7.37
Pool and sauna unavailable during stay, which was disappointing.
Value for Money
7.83
Breakfast was considered overpriced and of low quality.
Food and Beverage
7.38
Breakfast options did not meet expectations, and bar menu was not fully available.
Overall Experience
8.55
Overall a pleasant stay with some drawbacks, particularly in room quality and amenities.
* 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.Swimming pool: Closed from Fri, Jan 16, 2026 until Sat, Feb 28, 2026
Swimming pool: Closed from Sun, Mar 1, 2026 until Tue, Mar 31, 2026
Sauna is closed from 2026-02-28 until 2026-01-16
Sauna is closed from 2026-03-31 until 2026-03-01

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM

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 8083 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.88
Service: 9.35
Location: 9.39
Room Quality: 7.84
Amenities: 7.37
Value for Money: 7.83
Food and Beverage: 7.38
Overall Experience: 8.55
A
Arron • family_with_children • gb
8
Pros:

Beautiful hotel with very welcoming staff.

Cons:

The mattress could do with being improved

2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
A
Angela • family_with_children • gb
8
2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
P
Paul • couple • gb
8
Nice hotel
Pros:

Great location close to the train station.

Cons:

Pool and sauna not available

2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
N
Neil • family_with_children • gb
8
2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
A
Amanda • couple • gb
9
Just what we needed. Close by the station and near where we wanted to go.
Pros:

Literally just by the station. Was able to check in to one of the rooms so could dump bags and freshen up to go out.

2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
C
Crampton • solo_traveller • gb
10
Censer the Manager of the restaurant was brilliant so was all the staff
Pros:

The Milner was so grand the staff was so helpful and went about with smiles on there faces we will be back 😍

Cons:

Nothing

2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
C
Craig • family_with_children • gb
9
Worth a stint in this lovely house
Pros:

The location
Most of the staff and the relaxed atmosphere

Cons:

That it's starting to look a little tired and some people are loud in areas that echo

2026-03-20 • via Nuitee
J
Julie • couple • gb
9
Great location very welcoming all the staff were very helpful
Pros:

The location

2026-03-20 • via Nuitee
B
Bernard • couple • gb
8
Excellent service and helpful staff
Pros:

Architecture wonderful. Closeness to city. Comfy beds

Cons:

Only one lift, room and bathroom rather small. No light in door and mirror area. Window did not stay open.

2026-03-20 • via Nuitee
H
Heather • extended_group • gb
9
2026-03-19 • via Nuitee
G
garry • family_with_children • gb
1
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Room was poor for a suite dusty in places. Breakfast was chaotic poor quality staff are not attentive enough for 4 star property.

2026-03-19 • via Nuitee
G
Gemma • couple • gb
9
2026-03-19 • via Nuitee
H
Hannah • couple • gb
10
Brilliant 1 night stay
Pros:

Ideal location for walking into York (10 minutes) with convenient parking for £22 during the stay. The grounds surrounding the hotel are lovely and make the walk more enjoyable. The hotel is beautiful, very clean and well-kept. All staff were attentive and breakfast was brilliant. The views from the hotel are equally lovely.

Cons:

It was a shame the pool, sauna and steam room were closed during our visit although we had so many other things to do during our stay it did not reflect badly.

2026-03-19 • via Nuitee
C
Christine • family_with_children • gb
10
Pros:

Excellent location, staff friendly, room very clean and comfortable.

Cons:

Nothing.

2026-03-19 • via Nuitee
R
Richard • couple • gb
9
Pros:

Location

2026-03-19 • via Nuitee
S
Sigita • family_with_children • gb
10
Pros:

Beautiful hotel just outside the station. We had a swimming pool nearby for ourselves as only a couple people were there.

2026-03-18 • via Nuitee
C
Chris • couple • gb
8
2026-03-18 • via Nuitee
M
Mr • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

The ambience was great and staff welcoming

2026-03-18 • via Nuitee
N
Northwood • couple • gb
9
An excellent stay the only criticism is the price of drinks and the limited food menu
Pros:

It was lovely

Cons:

Nothing

2026-03-17 • via Nuitee
M
Maria Alison • extended_group • gb
9
We loved staying at the hotel and would definitely return.
Pros:

Beautiful hotel and close to transport and access to the city.
Staff very friendly and helpful.

Cons:

Cooked breakfast. Unfortunately, I would say this was the poorest as often in buffet breakfast style, the food sometimes had been there a while.
Example; fried eggs sitting in oil or undercooked, bacon fatty and dried up( also, smoked bacon in with non smoked), sausages undercooked sometimes.
This was the only thing that let the hotel down, in my opinion.
Other breakfast options were great.

2026-03-17 • via Nuitee