Children allowed
Pets allowed

Facilities

Fitness facilities (surcharge)
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Room service
Terrace
Family rooms
Pets allowed
BBQ facilities
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 8675 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
J
John • couple • gi
6
Definitely not going back, far too noisy to get a good night’s sleep! One lift only🫣
Pros:

Clean, very pretty hotel, great location

Cons:

Very very noisy, difficult to sleep with all the noise of people walking the corridors. Doors would slam and make a loud noise! Only one lift working and shared with house staff and luggage porters, unacceptable!
Tiny bathroom, uncomfortable beds🤷🏻‍♂️

2026-06-13 • via Nuitee
D
Deshore • family_with_children • gb
7
Great
2026-06-13 • via Nuitee
A
Alexander • couple • gb
10
Great hotel for seeing the sights and having dinner.
Pros:

Really nice hotel, lovely food & a great location.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-06-13 • via Nuitee
A
Abbie • couple • gb
10
2026-06-12 • via Nuitee
M
mark • couple • de
10
Fantastic 👍
Pros:

Great location and a great place

2026-06-12 • via Nuitee
L
Ludiele • couple • gb
5
Pros:

The location is superb, making it an excellent base for exploring the area, and the rooms were spacious, well decorated, clean, and well maintained.
However, the breakfast was very average and offered very limited choice. For example, only white bread was available, which was disappointing. The pillows also seemed old and flat, and they did not have pillow protectors, which affected the overall comfort and hygiene experience.
With some improvements to the breakfast selection and bedding quality, this would be an even better place to stay.

Cons:

I wasn't very impressed with the fact that I didn't check in before 9pm, but my room hasn't been made up until then. We've been given another room straight way after refusing to wait for the same room to be cleaned.

2026-06-11 • via Nuitee
P
Peter • solo_traveller • gb
10
Three night stay in the centre of York. Ideal for everybody!
Pros:

Several of us were going. including people from other countries. A very nice gentleman called Matthew helped us arrange everything, including evening meal together.

Room was very warm!

Cons:

Nothing, everythig was excellent

2026-06-11 • via Nuitee
R
Rose • solo_traveller • au
10
Pros:

Wow! What an amazing place! Beautiful hotel with gorgeous amenities but at a price that meets the budget.
Love this place with its opulent vibes and friendly staff. And it has a garden setting and literally 10 meters from the train station..
Super close to the historic wall and you can pick up a hop on, hop off bus right outside the station if you fancy a bit of sightseeing.
We will be back!

2026-06-11 • via Nuitee
J
John • solo_traveller • gb
9
Very good overall, breakfast slightly disappointing
Pros:

Huge bedroom beautifully furnished and very luxurious

Cons:

Breakfast. It was a buffet. Even Premier do a cooked to order meal

2026-06-11 • via Nuitee
M
Miriam • couple • il
10
יוצא מהכלל. נמליץ על המלון בוודאות
Pros:

המיקום- יוצא מהכלל. הצוות אדיב מאוד.
ארוחת בוקר - טובה. כנ״ל המסעדה במלון. אין מבחר גדול של מנות אך מה שיש- מצויין.
ישנה בריכה במלון

2026-06-10 • via Nuitee
R
Rebecca • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-06-10 • via Nuitee
L
Lee • couple • gb
10
Absolutely outstanding hotel,staff are amazing so much I’ve rebooked for the following month
Pros:

Absolute perfection

Cons:

Not a bad thing to stay

2026-06-10 • via Nuitee
L
Les6928 • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-06-10 • via Nuitee
S
Shipton • couple • gb
10
Had a lovely time never been to York before hotel was in a great location and clean and comfortable staff lovely definit
Pros:

Lovely hotel clean and comfortable staff lovely will definitely go back

2026-06-10 • via Nuitee
I
Iona • couple • gb
10
2026-06-09 • via Nuitee
J
John Richard STOCKDALE • solo_traveller • gb
9
Pros:

Location, Breakfast, view, Hotel furnishings

Cons:

Swimming pool closed. No warning

2026-06-09 • via Nuitee
V
Vicki D • solo_traveller • us
8
Pros:

Beautiful hotel. Clean. Friendly staff. Good location.

Cons:

Would have liked more menu choices in the dining areas. Room was nice, but a little dated.

2026-06-09 • via Nuitee
P
pinar • couple • gb
5
While we enjoyed our visit to York, I would not choose to stay at this hotel again on a future trip.
Pros:

We loved the fact that the building was so old and full of character.

Cons:

The main building itself was full of character and charm. However, our room was located in an annex building, which felt rather plain and lacked the character of the original property. As a result, we felt somewhat misled, as the accommodation did not match the impression we had formed from the hotel's presentation.

2026-06-09 • via Nuitee
M
Meilun • couple • gb
10
下次来约克还会住这家酒店。
Pros:

地理位置非常便利，离火车站步行只需五分钟，去商业街也很方便。

Cons:

规定的退房时间有些早。

2026-06-09 • via Nuitee
J
Joan • solo_traveller • us
9
Lovely hotel in a very convenient location
Pros:

My original room assignment was on ta floor not accessible by lift. When I said that wasn't OK, I was assigned an accessible room, which was on the lower ground floor. I was not happy with that room, and the manager went to some trouble to find me a room on the second floor, served by the lift. Breakfast and dinner in the restaurant were good.

Cons:

Even the room on the second floor involved carrying my suitcase up several steps.

2026-06-08 • via Nuitee