Fodor's Expert Review Gray's Court Hotel

Close to York Minster yet with its own half-acre garden, Gray's Court is an oasis of country house peacefulness in the city center and the oldest inhabited house in York. The only privately owned building with direct access to the City Walls, this period gem dates back to 1080 and retains atmospheric features like leaded-glass windows, limestone fireplaces, and a wood-paneled Jacobean Long Gallery. Bathrooms, however, are modern, with walk-in showers. The Bow Restaurant emphasizes local produce, and meals can be taken in the garden.