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A small family-run guest house has just been named the best bed and breakfast in England, clinching Gold in the prestigious 2026 Visit England National Finals.
Just an eight minute walk from the historic City Walls in York lies MonkBridge House, an eight bedroom property run by married couple Paul and Fiona Hemsley.
Dating back to 1864, the house is brimming with Victorian charm, boasting a unique interior and a welcoming atmosphere.
It’s a combination that’s earned it five-star reviews year after year, as well as back-to-back North Yorkshire Guest House of the Year titles in 2024 and 2025.
And now, the small B&B has taken home an even more impressive title, scooping up first place in Visit England’s annual Awards for Excellence.
Staycations continue to grow in popularity among Brits, with Booking.com and Airbnb both reporting spikes in demand for domestic bookings.
So, what makes MonkBridge worthy of the top spot?
Location, location, location
First off, MonkBridge’s location is arguable a big selling point for visitors.
Just a short walk from the city centre, it’s incredibly simple to access all York has to offer – most of which showcases the area’s extensive roots in Roman history.
Sights to add to your list include attractions such as York Minster, an impressive 13th-century Gothic cathedral featuring giant, colourful medieval stained-glass windows, and Clifford’s Tower, the largest surviving remnant of York Castle, northern England’s greatest medieval fortress.
There are also dozens of museums worth checking out – the JORVIK Viking Centre has been described as incredibly ‘rich in information’ online.
Alongside this, York also has some fabulous restaurants and cafés on offer. Bettys York Café Tea Rooms seems to be a fan-favourite on TikTok.
What guests love about MonkBridge House
But back to MonkBridge. A word that seems to stand out among the Guest House’s glowing reviews is ‘beautiful’.
Former guests seem to truly marvel at the property’s aesthetic, with one review describing it as ‘full of charm’ and many praising the care and attention Paul and Fiona have put into decorating every room.
The eight refurbished bedrooms in the property include double rooms, twin rooms, and three different triple options.
While every bedroom is teething with charm, the most extravagant is definitely the Rymer room, a luxurious large double bedroom on the first floor with an antique French oak Four Poster Bed.
Overlooking the River Foss at the front of the house, the Rymer room ensuite even comes with underfloor heating and a large walk-in shower with overhead and wall-mounted sprays.
Personally, I’d be quite happy to skip sightseeing altogether if it meant keeping my toes warm 24/7.
A few of the other rooms also overlook the river, while some overlook the communal garden at the back of the house.
According to the website, all of the rooms come with an ensuite, minibar/fridge, flat-screen TV, hairdryer, and USB sockets.
Guests have also praised the B&B’s cleanliness online, describing the rooms as ‘spotless, spacious and beautifully decorated.’
One visitor said the ‘little handmade touches’ dotted around the property made her feel ‘instantly at home.’
One of the biggest draws of staying at a B&B is having somewhere to relax beyond the confines of your bedroom.
At MonkBridge, alongside the garden, there is also a guest lounge with a TV, plenty of space to sit and relax, and a full licensed (and more importantly, fully stocked) honesty bar and wine fridge.
And while B&B breakfasts tend to be rather hit or miss, from the looks of the reviews – MonkBridge serves a cracking one.
One former guest, Mike Curtis, described it as ‘top notch’, while Michael Gregson added: ‘The breakfast was outstanding — genuinely one of the highlights of our stay.’
If you are planning a visit sometime soon, one Google review, penned by Dorothy Bainbridge, recommends sampling the ‘wonderful homemade marmalade.’
How much it costs to stay at MonkBridge House
Unsurprisingly, a stay at this five-star spot doesn’t come cheap. However, you can minimise the damage by opting for one of the more affordable rooms.
For two adults visiting in November, a two night stay in a standard twin – one of the cheapest rooms available – will set you back £307, approximately £150 each.
However, if you’re keen to upgrade your stay and pluck for one of the more bougie bedrooms, such as the double room with Cast Iron Kingsize bed, it’ll cost £366, or around £183 each.
Oh, and if you’re hankering for a weekend in the Luxurious Four Poster Kingsize room, you’ll be forking out £376, or £188.
One thing to remember is that availability is limited, with rooms typically being booked months in advance.
So, if you do fancy a weekend in this historic haven, I’d start organising yourself pretty quickly.
This article was originally published on July 31, 2026.
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