If you set off from central London on a Friday evening, after two hours you will probably still be stuck on the M25 in gridlock. However, hop on the train and in the same time you can be in York. There you can drink in its ancient city walls, G&T in one hand, smug Instagram shot-taking in the other, with no bags to lug because your hotel has already whisked them away from the station in a rickshaw.
That’s the great thing about No.1 by Guest House York – one of York’s most stylish boutique hotels, housed in a handsome 19th-century building with a 150-year history (formerly a homeless shelter, a launderette and flats) – it’s just a skip away from the hubbub of the city.
In 1990 it became the Grange Hotel, which was sold in 2021 to brothers Tristan, James and Tom Guest, who now own similarly trendy outposts in Bath, Margate and Brighton. In December 2021, the 39-room No.1 by Guest House York opened its doors and, hardly surprising, the cool set cannot keep away from this place.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Where is it?
The hotel is in the quiet, residential suburb of Clifton, just opposite St Peter’s School (where Guy Fawkes was a pupil), just a 15-minute stroll from York train station or turn right and it’s a 10-minute jaunt to the city’s magnificent York Minster, which was completed in 1472, and the eclectic shops on Gillygate. Borrow one of the Brompton bikes in the foyer and you can pedal-power your way around the city on two wheels.
Style
You can’t help but be lured in by the fun here – if there’s one thing about No. 1 York it’s that it doesn’t take itself too seriously and we love that. The city already has its grand dame hotels so here there’s a taste of something different. The moment you walk through its Georgian facade, past the tall sash windows, there’s a sense of old-meets-new. From the glass cabinet artfully showcasing black-painted violins and the statement black staircase that sweeps up to a glass canopy ceiling, to the library of LPs in the lobby, where guests can pick out the likes of The Walker Brothers and Bowie to play on the Crosley record players in the bedrooms, there’s a surprise in every corner. In the cosy railway-themed bar, there’s a model train that clacks and whistles along its track around the room every 30 minutes – children won’t want to leave, which is handy as the cocktails are a treat.
Which room?
There are 39 rooms here, spread over three floors, all which come in milky, pared-back shades, making the most of the Georgian proportions. The larger rooms have four-poster beds, draped in wafty linen, with bare rust-red floorboards, coral ottomans and armchairs adding warmth throughout, and roll-top baths with 100 Acres products. Childen are welcomed and they’ll leave wigwams loaded with age-appropriate toys, books and cushions. There’s a minimalist feel throughout, even the Nespresso machine, cups and glasses are hidden in a white dolls house-fronted cabinet. Splash out on Clifton Suite, the top dog of rooms (dogs are, in fact, also welcome here), which has a sweeping separate sitting room, perfect for families who want to spread out.
Food & drink
The hotel’s adjacent restaurant, Pearly Cow, is already a favourite with locals (as confirmed by our taxi driver who said he and his wife had a date night there the previous week). There’s an elegant, Art Deco theme to the space, with mirrored panelling, big flouncy ceiling shades, creamy booths and dark wooden floorboards, with washes of fresh linen and pistachio green dotted throughout. There’s a fire and ice theme to the menu that is big on locally sourced produce – think loin of Yorkshire lamb and half-roasted Yorkshire Dales chicken, or oysters or coal-roasted prawns supplied from the nearby port of Hartlepool. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, the pudding menu, featuring the likes of baked alaska and cloud-like rhubarb crumble souffle, is unmissable. There’s also Pearly Calves children’s menu (prawn cocktail, sausage and mash, roast chicken, jelly and ice cream).
Breakfast is served here for guests where locally made pastries, sausage baps, brown butter waffles and a full Yorkshire is on offer, alongside fresh smoothies and punchy Bloody Marys.
There’s also a complimentary pantry full of ice-cream, Yorkshire crisps and snacks, chocolate bars, pick and mix and soft drinks for guests to help themselves to upstairs, whenever you want and as much as you fancy. It is open 24 hours a day so those middle-of-the-night hunger pangs are well and truly catered for.
Facilities
Beneath the hotel’s arches, there’s a small haven-like spa where soothing treatment rooms await. Book in for the signature Herbal Healer, a 90-minute treatment for two, which includes a Yorkshire lavender-infused scrub, knot-melting massage and nourishing facial or the Ease Your Tension massage that will tackle stressed-out shoulders, necks and backs, topped off with a scalp massage that will send you to the land of nod.
Best for?
Couples, friends and families looking for a fun, personable and luxurious experience in York that’s close to everything the city has to offer. Join a walking ghost tour outside York Minster or visit the world-renowned National Railway Museum. There’s plenty of quaint shops and cafés, including Betty’s Tea Room (famous for its afternoon tea), or cruises along the River Ouse.
How to get there
There is a direct train from King’s Cross to York station that takes just under two hours. The station is slap bang in the middle of the city and a 15-minute walk from the hotel. No.1 York can pick up your luggage on a rickshaw so you’re free to explore as soon as you arrive. For those driving, there is a small car park behind the hotel – you’ll need to book ahead and it’s £20 per car, per night.
When should I go?
York is an all-year-round destination. Summer is an excellent time to enjoy the hop-on-hop-off buses or river cruises and amble along the city’s cobbled streets or enjoy a picnic in the gorgeous gardens of the medieval cathedral. In winter, York is famous for its Christmas markets, especially The Shambles, supposedly the inspiration for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter, that’s prettily lit up like a Christmas tree.
Details
Rooms from £170 including breakfast, 1 Clifton, York YO30 6AA, guesthousehotels.co.uk
