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
D
Diana couple gb
10
The level of customer service fell far below what we expected!
Pros:

Beautiful place and very close to all the amenities.

Cons:

Unfortunately, the level of customer service fell far below what we expected, particularly considering the price of almost £400 per night.

Both the reception and restaurant appeared severely understaffed and the staff we encountered did not seem particularly attentive or willing to assist. At times, it genuinely felt as though asking for help was an inconvenience to them.

When we arrived, we wanted to have dinner in the restaurant but were told this would not be possible because they were short-staffed and that we should eat in the bar instead. However, the bar was also clearly understaffed, with two members of staff trying to manage everything and they were struggling to cope.

Overall, the hotel felt noticeably short-staffed and there was a real lack of customer service throughout our stay. For a hotel charging almost £400 per night, I would have expected a significantly higher standard of service, attentiveness and overall guest experience.

2026-08-29 via Nuitee
W
Winston couple pa
10
2026-08-29 via Nuitee
M
Mandy family_with_children gb
10
Pros:

Lovely Hotel, staff very friendly and proffesional.

Cons:

Hair dryer in room didn't work, syaff brought me another one and that one broke as well.

2026-08-29 via Nuitee
S
Stuart couple gb
8
Nice place to stay
Pros:

Location and room was lovely

Cons:

The only thing the breakfast buffet was a bit cold sausages and the eggs particularly

2026-08-29 via Nuitee
R
Robert solo_traveller gb
8
2026-08-29 via Nuitee
J
James couple gb
9
2026-08-29 via Nuitee
S
Susan couple gb
7
2026-08-29 via Nuitee
K
kevin solo_traveller gb
10
Pros:

hotel amazing location great staff so help full yes would stay there again

Cons:

every thing was great

2026-08-28 via Nuitee
J
Jayne couple gb
9
2026-08-28 via Nuitee
A
Agustina couple uy
9
Excelente ubicación, vistas y comodidad
Pros:

Muy buena experiencia. La ubicación es excelente, con una vista muy linda, y la cama fue especialmente cómoda. También destacamos el desayuno, que estuvo muy bien. En general, una estadía muy agradable.

Cons:

Todo estuvo muy bien.

2026-08-28 via Nuitee
E
Elizabeth family_with_children gb
10
A delightful stay a stones throw away from York Atatuon.
Pros:

The staff were welcoming and helpful. My room was upgraded as they noticed that my grandson was travelling with me and gave him a ‘goodie’ bag which he was delighted with.

Cons:

That I didn’t stay there longer!
Absolutely nothing.

2026-08-28 via Nuitee
E
Elise solo_traveller gb
10
2026-08-28 via Nuitee
D
Deborah solo_traveller gb
9
A great place for a short city break good fascilites and close to station and city
Pros:

Location great near train station,clean and spacious double room to myself,friendly staff

Cons:

Liked everything, perhaps a long walk and 2 lifts to my room as a woman on my own a little concerning

2026-08-28 via Nuitee
L
Lorrie solo_traveller au
7
Pros:

Great room. Beautiful location

Cons:

Quite expensive which I was fine with but then you also had to pay for parking and after you've paid, if you go out there's no guarantee of a carpark still being available when you get back.
The staff in the fitness/pool area were extremely rude. Female staff member was sitting on the desk flirting with the male staff member and our presence was clearly unwanted

2026-08-28 via Nuitee
H
Holliday solo_traveller gb
9
2026-08-27 via Nuitee
R
Ryan solo_traveller us
8
2026-08-27 via Nuitee
T
Trevor solo_traveller gb
10
2026-08-27 via Nuitee
M
Marina couple ca
6
Pros:

The property was right next to the train station so perfectly located.

Cons:

We selected a less expensive room and ended up on the third floor that was very warm. The vendor did open which helped. We could not get sufficient cooling from the air conditioning but did not report the issue . Other than the room being warm, it was a great room.. clean, comfortable and quiet.All the staff we dealt with were great.

2026-08-27 via Nuitee
P
Paul solo_traveller nl
9
2026-08-27 via Nuitee
J
jorge couple br
8
2026-08-27 via Nuitee