Judge’s Lodging

In the centre of York is a handsome Georgian townhouse with a strikingly luxurious interior. In the cellar: vaulted rooms, cool tunes, stone floors and charmingly mismatched furniture. Upstairs: a pair of dining rooms, grand, elegant and eye-catching. Vintage panelling, tall sash windows, semi-circular sofas, illuminated sculptures. All is cosy but classy, and the service is informal but attentive. The award-winning food is impressive too, and packed with flavour so tuck into the likes of Thwaites ale and mushroom pie, a smoked aubergine seitan burger or a warming helping of moules frites, freshly landed and cooked in the flavour of the day. The wines are wide-ranging and the beers are Thwaites. Join the punters on the galleried decked terrace and unwind, then treat yourself to a stay in one of the wonderfully made-over rooms with feature wallpapers and fabulous beds. The garden rooms in the courtyard are small and can be noisy, so pay more for the smartest and quietest at the top of the house, one with an original marble fireplace and a York Minster view. Breakfasts are generous.