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Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

York - hotels and things to do with a 5 year old?

19 replies

snowgirl1 · 26/09/2017 19:39

My niece is at university in York and I was thinking of visiting to take her out for dinner/take her a care package. Could anyone suggest somewhere nice to stay? And some stuff to do to keep a 5 (nearly 6) year old entertained?

OP posts:
millifiori · 26/09/2017 19:41

Not sure about where to stay but the train museum right by the station is fun if they like trains. See if there are any family shows on at the theatre. Walking round the castle ramparts/city walls is quite fun for a bit if they like castles. There are also lots of old fashioned sweet shops, I think.

BikeRunSki · 26/09/2017 19:45

Train museum
Art gallery
Castle walls

BikeRunSki · 26/09/2017 19:45

Clifford's Tower (castle)
Castle Museum

ineedwine99 · 26/09/2017 19:46

Not sure how much it is but Hampton by hilton is nice, little out of town so a walk to the centre. The Hilton over looks Cliffords Tower which is nice and right by the castle museum which is great. There is the Jorvick viking experience and also the chocolate museum near the Minster. Dean Court hotel is right by the Minster so great for town.

MarciaBlaine · 26/09/2017 19:47

The Castle Museum is fabulous. There are 2 premier inns near the station with everything within walking distance.

Level75 · 26/09/2017 19:47

I second the castle museum

Freddiewinifred10 · 26/09/2017 19:49

We went to York for the first time with our 6 and 3 year old this Easter. While the ran around the train museum and the main museum in the prison(can't remember name), they loved the Jorvik Viking Experience and Dig. I think the ride at the Jorvik viking experience was brilliant at grabbing their attention and pulling them into a different time/way of living. They were then really interested in all the artefacts in the museum section, when, if we had gone there first, they would have probably walked through, looking quickly at a few things.
We also had a brilliant day out at Castle Howard. There was a great trail for children around the house(as well as further trails in the ground which they enjoyed), as well as beautiful grounds, and an impressive adventure playground.
I cant help with hotels, as we were 30 mons away in a house.

Freddiewinifred10 · 26/09/2017 19:50

Forgot to add, they also loved walking round the city walls.

ineedwine99 · 26/09/2017 19:50

Avoid the Travelodges, in busy parts of town and popular with hen/stag parties. Park Inn is ok, on the river but if you get a river side room you may get noise from the bars over the other side if the river, though less this time of year now its cooler.
Tourist bus/boat could be good if the weather allows

MoMandaS · 26/09/2017 19:52

What about an apartment? Recently stayed one night at Clearly apartments and thought would be better than hotel if staying with children.

milkmoustache · 26/09/2017 19:53

For the best breakfast ever, you should try the Pig and Pastry on the Bishopthorpe road. I have dreams about their waffles... It's not that far out of town and they are open all day.

BarchesterFlowers · 26/09/2017 20:05

Hotel wise I can tell you not Hotel 53. We live 20 odd miles away and stay in York a few times a year as a hotel is more or less the same cost as a taxi there and back.

The hotel 53 room was minuscule, shower rubbish and bed much too hard. Staff not massively helpful and it cost double to arrange to park the car in their space in the public car park than it did to put your coins in the ticket machine.

We don’t seek posh but just clean quiet.

The Bar Convent has decent family rooms and their museum/exhibition is fab, very interactive. Has a lovely atmosphere.

NorthernLurker · 26/09/2017 20:10

I live in York so can't help with a hotel. If you're coming after mid November there will be a Christmas lights thing in the museum gardens which looks really good. You could do the railway museum then walk across the river and up to the Minster which sone children really like, depends on the child! There's a good bit of wall to walk on then from Bootham Bar to Monkgate Bar.

ineedwine99 · 26/09/2017 20:29

Staycity apartments are good, my boss stays there when she’s in York, about a 10 minuet walk to town. Depending when your coming there is illuminating York which is lovely.

Original poster
snowgirl1 · 26/09/2017 22:33

Oooh, thank you - lots of ideas of places to go. Sounds like there will be plenty to keep DD (and us) entertained. Will have a look at the apartment suggestions - thanks - but, thinking about it, might try and find a hotel with a pool for DD.

OP posts:
millifiori · 26/09/2017 23:23

I'd forgotten about Jorvik - the DC loved that. Some big hairy Viking made coins for them out of squares of metal - cut them into circles and stamped them with Viking signs. They were stunned.

ineedwine99 · 27/09/2017 10:17

The Grand and The Principal have pools but are quite expensive hotels (The Grand in particular!)

AtlanticWaves · 27/09/2017 10:25

Good thread - we're thinking of going to York with a 3 and 6 year old at the beginning of next year.

We're planning on the train museum (DS1 is obsessed), Yorvik and wlaking around the walls and just soaking up atmosphere and probably rain knowing our luck

Will look at the castle museum too.

vjg13 · 28/09/2017 15:29

The Grand is lovely, we went for my daughter's 18. Rooms are really large and quite quirky. Very close to the railway museum.

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