The Bootham Tavern - York

We were HKR fans who happened to wander in after the York v HKR rugby match, only to find it was the York Knights supporters pub. Everyone there, staff and customers alike, was happy to chat and made us feel completely welcome. The atmosphere was excellent, and it was a pleasure to share in their team's victory. Best wishes to the pub and team for the future. See you next season!

There’s a good range of drinks, and the TVs are on for sports. Food looked tempting, though I haven’t tried it. It’s an old-school sort of pub with live music on many weekends. Most of the staff are friendly and helpful. It can get packed, depending on the day and time.

The location worked really well for getting to the Minster, Shambles and station, and I liked that the street felt neither deserted nor crowded as a solo female traveller. I was there on a Wednesday and it was quiet, though I can’t speak for weekends. My room was clean and fairly spacious, with comfortable, clean sheets. The mini-bar had instant coffee, tea, chocolate and snacks, plus an electric kettle, which you don't often find in modern 3- or 4-star hotels these days. The shower room was clean and pleasant too, with soap, shampoo, moisturizers, fresh towels, a heated drying rack and a hairdryer. I’d tempered my expectations after reading the reviews, but the stay turned out much pleasanter than I expected. The staff were welcoming and very nice, even if they weren’t the friendliest in manner. I enjoyed my stay and would recommend it.

The bar staff were fab, the breakfast was great, and the live entertainment was awesome. Amazing service too. I'll definitely be back.