Grays Court Hotel and The Bow Room Restaurant in York

I've had the pleasure of shooting at Grays Court in York a few times now, and each time I'm blown away by the beautiful gardens and incredible location. It's also literally steps away from York Minster and round the corner from the Shambles, so easy to access for couple portraits. The bridal suite is perfect for photography too, with lots of daylight spilling in from the large windows that overlook the gardens and the wall beyond. The dining room is perfect for an intimate, elegant wedding. The sunset hits the rock garden at the back of the grounds, so you can escape there for evening portraits. The staff were all so kind and attentive, I felt part of the team when I was there.

Absolutely amazing hotel! Our room (the Somerset) had an outstanding view of the minster, which made it feel extra special. The food was lovely and the staff were all so friendly and kind, especially Morgan, who gave us an interesting tour and had loads of fun history facts about the building. I would recommend this place to anyone. We loved it!

The Sunday lunch was absolutely disgusting. The staff were nice and friendly, however the food was truly awful. We had a large family gathering for Sunday lunch and over half of the roast beef dishes were untouched as it was completely raw. I had to send mine back and the one that returned was even worse, literally inedible, after chewing for 5 minutes I had to go to the bathroom to spit it out as it was pure gristle. The sticky toffee pudding was also terrible. No coffee or tea was offered at the end of the meal. I will be writing a formal complaint on top of this review.

My wife and I took a whistlestop weekend away in York as a birthday treat and this hotel really was the cherry and icing on the cake. In the shadow of the Minster, it’s an ancient building full to the brim with character and lovely, warm, attentive staff. We stayed in Willoughby, with its four-poster and views of the city wall. It was undoubtedly an indulgence but one we did not regret. We didn’t eat dinner in the hotel’s restaurant - although the menu looked very special - but had the breakfast and the casual lunch and truly could not fault any of it. Delicious food in the wood panelled long gallery. Wow! When we came back in on Saturday evening having been out for dinner and a chilly walk around the city centre, we warmed our hands by the glorious fire of the log burner in the hotel reception. A act which has no doubt been done by guests to the house for the best part of a thousand years.

The Bow Room at Grays Court Hotel offers an exquisite fine dining experience in a stunning historic setting. With award winning cuisine, locally sourced ingredients, and impeccable service, it’s one of York’s finest culinary destinations.

Had an amazing time here for my partners birthday. Such a treat. Ian Doyle and his team are clearly very talented and every aspect of our meal was awesome. The attention to detail was second to none. Every dish was packed full of flavour and beautiful to look at. All the staff were wonderful and the whole experience was a pleasure. Would highly recommend.

Absolutely incredible meal. The tasting menu was exceptionally good.

Really great place to stay in york staff were very helpful and super breakfast, will be back definitely...

Me and my mum stayed here for 1 night and it's such a beautiful hotel in a fabulous location. All the staff were so friendly and helpful, the room we were in was very comfortable. It definitely felt very cosy and the Christmas decorations were lovely. The location is perfect, the minster is literally next door and it's a very short walk to all the shops and restaurants. We will hopefully be back one day!

Great location. Lovely old interior.

A quiet, cosy oasis to escape the hustle and bustle! Excellent, friendly service. Lovely tea and mince pies available.

Brilliant staff, brilliant food, brilliant service, terrible proprietor. AVOID

Absolutely perfect. The location cannot be beat. The rooms are beautiful and the staff is so lovely and friendly I was sorry to say goodbye to them. The restaurant is also top notch. We had a fabulous dinner there and our breakfasts were always delicious. I will always stay here in York.

This is a fantastic hotel, located right in the middle of York. It’s a very very old “listed building”, which means that legally it cannot be modernised in all the ways you might expect to find in a modern hotel. As long as you understand that, you understand what makes it so quaint but also so good! But the real jewel in the crown (IMO) is the Bow Room restaurant. Head chef Ian Doyle is clearly a culinary genius - the food was quite literally stunning! Not just in the tastes that delighted our palettes, but also in the textures and the understanding of how to successfully combine ingredients that complement one another so well. I’m sure it must take a huge amount of training to become a really good chef. However, there must be some magic that can’t be taught that makes the difference between a really good chef and a really great chef. Whatever the magic is, Ian appears to have it in abundance! The cherries on the icing on the cake are the restaurant staff who looked after us - they were polite, they were highly proficient and they cared. If York’s your destination, stay here and eat here!

Came here with high expectations indeed from the reviews and it did not disappoint! Quirky room de montfort with a fireplace in the ensuite? To the great staff well done and well trained reception (libby) and bar staff (izzy). The owner knows what they are doing here. Superb place.

It's an amazing hotel with superb food and very attentive service. Brilliant for a special occasion.

Centrally located, close to York Minster. Has lovely gardens to the rear with York Walls at the bottom of it. Very helpful staff. Quality hotel, and a historical building with rich decor and interesting detailing.

Delightful from beginning to end! A warm welcome, followed by champagne on the lawn in a tranquil and beautiful garden. The hotel oozes charm and authenticity and the staff were exemplary in their attention to detail and friendly efficiency. The location is perfect. We will be back!

We just stepped into the gardens café during our York "wall walk." Beautiful garden, fantastic location. Very tasty food (we had just a small bites) and good beer . Greek red wine is highly recommended.

An unforgettable experience! From the moment we arrived, Libbie made us feel perfectly welcome with her warm and friendly demeanor. The hotel’s location is excellent, nestled in the heart of York, offering stunning views and easy access to all the city's treasures. The garden is truly a hidden gem—beautifully maintained and the perfect place to unwind. The food was simply sumptuous, with each meal offering a delightful culinary experience. The homely feel of the hotel, combined with the luxurious touches, made it the perfect retreat. And to top it all off, we were treated to cuddles from Bob the dog, which added such a personal and heartwarming touch to our stay. I cannot recommend Grays Court Hotel highly enough—everything about our visit was perfection! Five stars all the way!

Excellent weekend away. Great hotel with loads of history. Great meal in the big room. Had the taster menu first class. Well worth it.

This review is just for the garden cafe. From the wall it looks exclusive and maybe posh and pricey, from the cathedral it's hidden away, so not many people venture in. They should, however, it's reasonably priced, portions are enormous, and it's amazing to sit, with a number of great youngsters serving. There is also an herbs and vegetable garden and a great townhouse hotel in the back to sit and drink, if so inclined. A fantastic venue!

Drinks in the garden with amazing service and a beautiful setting

Beautiful hotel, perfect location and top quality service from everyone we encountered. Breakfast was delicious, bed was very comfy. Possibly need to upgrade fans in rooms as it was not that effective. Lovely selection of tea/coffe etc in room. Lovely garden.

Gray’s Court was fabulous! Our favorite hotel in our three week trip to Great Britain. We especially enjoyed breakfasts and cocktails on the expansive lawn with a view of York’s walking wall around the city.

We were shown round as an option for wedding venue. Beautiful venue and wonderful staff members.

Loved it! Sat in the garden with small plates and vino. Can't fault the location, or the views (city walls and York minster). Service a bit slow but this gave us more time to take in the stunning scenery.

Absolutely incredible property. The room interior is traditional with modern, upgraded components. I’ve stayed in many luxury hotels around the world but this facility is better than many 5-star hotels I’ve been in. The customer service is top notch. It felt more like an intimate, warm, cozy guest house than a soulless hotel. Front desk service was phenomenal. We were greeted for our anniversary upon arrival and were given a small, thoughtful gift bag before checking out. The breakfast experience was thoroughly enjoyable and the bar is such a delight. Both areas are tastefully decorated and the staff is very friendly and professional. I truly cannot recommend this property enough, especially with it being extremely close to the gorgeous York Minster and old city walls. I regret booking my stay at another hotel because I would have loved to spend more days here. Thank you for the experience, Gray’s Court! We hope to be back someday.

Wonderful discovery in York. Really "Old School"! Parking for your car too.

The bar is very nice and the service and welcome is 5*.

My friend and I had popped down from the city walls into the gardens of the hotel, very quickly we were met by a lovely young lady who introduced herself and took our orders. The service was quick and the staff were lovely, I cannot recommend going to sit down and relax for a while. As for the hotel it's self, I cannot comment on the rooms as it was not a service I used, however the toilets were very clean and kept, and the hotel building itself was very tidy and neat. Overall I would recommend Grays Coury, I will hopefully be revisiting soon.

Tried to cancel my booking 6 days before as one of my party was ill. They said no as I needed to cancel 7 days before. Cost me almost £400 for nothing. DISGRACEFUL