HOTEL OF THE WEEK
Rooms are sleek
WHERE AND WHY: In a city as well visited as York, providing guests with great facilities as well as a central location is paramount to their experience.
Here the central lobby has a funky industrial look with open ceilings exposing ducts and pipework. Leather sofas, lounge chairs and 1950s lighting evoke a mid-century feel.
A bar serves teas and coffees – and there’s even an impossible-to-resist ice-cream bar. Plus, there’s a gorgeous pool to take a dip in.
Our spacious suite at the four-star Novotel overlooked the terrace next to the River Foss. The sizeable bathroom featured two sinks, a luxurious rainfall shower, and a separate bathtub.
Food is served in the Gourmet Bar, a bright, modern area with an eclectic design and a mix of tables and booths.
ON THE MENU: The Gourmet Bar serves food from noon till 10pm. Its extensive menu features salads, pizzas and a crowd-pleasing selection of mains, plus imaginative desserts. Our starters of hot piri-piri wings (£6.95) and sweet potato falafel bites (£5.95) were perfectly flavoursome.
Mains of succulent 10oz British 21-day aged rib-eye steak (£28.50) came with lashings of peppercorn sauce, and chef Loretta’s butter chicken with rice, naan and poppadoms was melt in the mouth (£16.95). Lemon mousse cake with raspberry coulis was a zesty choice to finish, matched by a decadent chocolate brownie (both £6.95).
Breakfast is served in the bar too. It’s a generous, self-serve affair featuring a hot, full
English buffet as well as pastries, cereals, fruit, yogurts and hot beverages.
York Minster, northern Europe’s second largest medieval Gothic cathedral, is just 15 minutes or so from the hotel on foot. WAKE-UP CALL: Prices at Novotel York Centre start from £71 per night (based on two sharing). all.accor.com