I am ever so proud to call York my hometown. Born and bred in this city, I beam when I tell someone this little piece of news.
It’s steeped in so much rich history that it’s hard not to get lost down cobbled streets and find yourself in old castles and towers that are within a few hundred yards of one another. It’s so different to your usual UK city break because you feel like you’ve stepped back in time ever so slightly, it provides that sort of escapism I think we all need from time to time.
With bars, hotels and more popping up all over the place I wanted to let you in on some of the best kept secrets that are hidden behind those city walls!
We stayed the night at the Hotel Indigo York which is perfectly located on Walmgate so it’s close to lots of quirky bars and restaurants (as well as being home to the No.88 signature restaurant too which we are at the evening we arrived)
Although it’s part of the IHG chain of hotels you really would think you’d walked in to a quirky, independent hotel with its very own charm and dedication to the city of York.
We arrived around 7pm on a Friday evening and check in was a breeze, the kind receptionist organised a parking space for us at the car park that is situated about a two-minute walk away from the hotel, which is only £12.50 for 24 hours – that’s a very reasonable rate for parking in the area! After we parked up, we walked back to the hotel with our luggage and finished checking in.
The Hotel Indigo boasts 101 rooms and we stayed in one of the Standard King Rooms which was extremely comfortable. The fact it had air con (and was on when we entered the room) was a massive bonus for me as I find I get far too hot when I’m away from home and staying in Hotels – it’s almost like they knew I needed it!
I absolutely ADORED the decor of the room too. Every bit of detail was in homage to the city we were staying in. From the big “Y” for York sign, the old photographs from days gone by on the cobbled streets, even the list of names of workers at the chocolate factory lined on the lampshades, it was totally eccentric and out there, but oh-so in keeping with this beautiful place.
The room had a rather large, 40 inch, top of the range TV so it meant when we came back from having drinks we could watch an episode or two of Family Guy! Plus a cold bottle of water each and kit kat was waiting in our mini bar which was complimentary too, a very nice touch.
The only downside was that the bed seemed smaller than a king-size. Although the booking mentioned it was a king sized bed, I have to say it felt more like a queen sized bed (and smaller than our king sized bed at home.) Although not as roomy as we had have liked, the mattress was very comfortable. I found myself fall asleep very quickly, with no interruptions and I didn’t wake up till just after 8am (thanks to the gorgeously thick curtains blocking out the daylight – something we lack in our own bedroom at home!)
After a powerful, waterfall shower we made our way down to breakfast. It was very busy around 9.30am and we managed to just bag one of the last remaining tables. Which sadly meant I missed out on smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for breakfast! So, I went with pancakes with streaky bacon & maple syrup, it was nice but there was an awful lot to eat! James went for a Full English (as always!) and again, he said it was good value. I was more in awe of the breakfast tables. It laid on an amazing spread and to be honest, one of the best I’ve ever seen! They even had a gluten-free table of it’s very own which was certainly a bonus for those who require it.
We headed back up to our room to finish packing so we could head in to York to enjoy a spot of brunch at the Ivy!
Overall I loved the quirky interiors of this hotel and it’s in a perfect spot for some great spots to eat & drink at as well. I would thoroughly recommend a stay here for a long weekend in York.
Ever since the Ivy establishments started popping up over the North, it’s finally made it accessible for us northerners! Having been to the branch in Leeds to test-drive the evening menu, I was really looking forward to trying out the brunch menu this time.
It’s on the lovely, St Helen’s Square (just a few doors down from Betty’s!) – it’s a prime spot and great for people watching. It was a Saturday so it was extremely busy and filling up fast, it’s always a sure sign that somewhere’s good when it starts getting packed to the rafters!
The one thing about the Ivy is the incredible decor. What I hadn’t noticed in Leeds that I had observed at the York restaurant. There was a lot of wall art dedicated to York’s history which I think was a lovely way to honour the city (just like the hotel Indigo had!)
The service, as always, was second to none. I love how the staff can always recommend things from the menu!
However, I have to say the menu is rather different to your usual brunch options. Eggs Benedict comes with chips once it reaches 11am and there’s duck salad or fish & chips. I’m used to seeing pancakes or smashed avocado on toast, so this was all new to me.
After looking through the menu, for some reason I went a bit off-piste and went for the Steak Tartare. This might not have been my finest hour, and whilst it was tasty it had a little bit too much mustard blended in to it for a mid morning dish! I think if I had my time again with the brunch options I may go with something different.
James on the other hand opted for the signature dish of Shepherds’ Pie which was i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-e! The gravy was perfectly seasoned and you could tell the meat was of good quality (the joys of marrying in to a farming family allows you to make bold statements like that!) and once again we ordered a side of the perfectly salted broccoli that I have fallen in love with.
To finish we had coffee’s, James went for a flat white and I treated myself to the fresh coffee and cream – my favourite. And, I may have ordered some of the salted caramel truffle balls too, which were dreamy to compensate for the fact that we decided not to get deserts (we were stuffed!)
For opulence and atmosphere, the Ivy on St Helen’s Square is a must – just make sure you choose wisely with your choice of dish.
If you like, no wait scrap that, if you LOVE coffee, then you need to head to Divine Coffee Roasters on Micklegate. Okay, we might be slightly biased as this place is owned & run by James’ very own cousin, but seriously, YOU NEED TO GO HERE.
I adore the minimalistic, scandi vibes that they’ve got going on and their nod to the farming roots with wooden, picking boxes on the walls as shelves and a handmade counter area made from wood on the farm too.
Alex hand roasts the coffee himself every day to create the perfect cup of coffee. My flat white was incredible – so much so, I didn’t even need to put sugar in it, which is a first for me!
The drop in visit was also pretty awesome because of the cute doggo that came in which loved to be stroked AND I got to have cuddles with my little nephew too.
If you’re looking for an independent coffee shop to work from or relax in, small it may be in size, but it’s perfectly formed so you can take a breather from the office or let your mind get creative away from the inner city buzz.
So, what are you waiting for? GO GO GO.
If you’re looking for something a little off-the-wall, say, of the Catholic/religious theme for a night of drinking, then this is the place for you.
The House of Trembling Madness sure provides the madness in its quirky decor! There’s actually two in the city, but we’d been told to head to the new one on Lendall Bridge!
Mr C is a huge IPA fan so wherever we go he has to find a bar that sells more than your usual lagers, but also accommodates someone like me who doesn’t drink those hazy beers. Well, this place has as many IPA’s as it does gins, but feeling ever so slightly risky, I ordered a fruity, sour gose which I was indeed, very pleasantly surprised so I stuck to them all night and let’s just say, with them ranging from 4.5% to 8% it was very easy to feel a little squiffy after one and a half pints of the stuff.
They also have a shop downstairs so before we headed home before 11pm, James went to pick out a few beers to take home with him, so he was a happy camper!
Our stay at the Hotel Indigo and meal at the Ivy were provided to us free of charge for an honest review.
Bee
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