The Milner York is the grandest building you see as you step out of York railway station, and it is the best choice for a stay if you arrive by train. The hotel stands on Station Road, right next to the station, in a five-storey Victorian building of yellow Scarborough brick. The current building opened on 20 May 1878 as the second Royal Station Hotel, designed by William Peachey of the North Eastern Railway as part of the new station, replacing an earlier hotel that had opened in 1853 and was renamed after Queen Victoria visited the following year. The building was extended with a west wing in 1896, passed to the LNER in the 1920s and to British Transport Hotels after nationalisation, and later became the Royal York Hotel and then the Principal York. It was renamed The Milner York in October 2024, in honour of William Milner, a station foreman killed in 1942. The hotel is Grade II listed, which means the old building’s generous proportions, tall windows and high ceilings survive, and the original hotel was known for its large bedrooms and its high-ceilinged banqueting rooms. It is a place that still feels like a railway palace, with the station platforms at the front door and the walls a short walk away.
Location and getting around
The Milner is on Station Road, YO24 1AA, immediately beside York railway station, so there is almost no walking with luggage if you arrive by train. The City Walls are right outside, and the walk along them to Bootham Bar and the Minster takes around fifteen minutes. The National Railway Museum is a short walk behind the station, and the Ghost Bus Tour leaves from a stop on Station Road, on the south side of the hotel, which is a convenience for an evening out.
Rooms
As a large historic building, rooms differ in size and outlook, so it is worth contacting the hotel about the room type that suits you, whether you want quiet, a view over the station roofs or a room with more space. Because the hotel is so close to the station, light sleepers may want to ask for a room away from the tracks.
Who it suits
Rail travellers with early or late trains, fans of the National Railway Museum, first-time visitors who want the most convenient base, and anyone who likes a hotel with a story. It is also a good choice for visitors who prefer a larger hotel with a lively atmosphere over a small boutique stay. Those seeking a quiet atmosphere in medieval streets may prefer the Minster Quarter.
Good to know
Check the hotel’s booking page for current facilities, parking arrangements and breakfast options, as these can change with ownership and renovations. Parking in the centre of York is limited and charged, and the railway station is the best arrival point. The hotel has changed its name more than once, so you may see it called the Principal York or the Royal York in older guidebooks and on maps.
Why stay here
- ✓Next door to York station
- ✓Grade II listed 1878 building
- ✓Yellow Scarborough brick facade
- ✓Generous Victorian room proportions
- ✓Walk to the City Walls
- ✓Walk to the National Railway Museum
- ✓Ghost Bus Tour stop nearby
- ✓Direct rail links from the doorstep
Good questions
Is The Milner York the same as the Principal York?+
Yes, the Victorian hotel beside York station was the Principal York and was renamed The Milner York in October 2024. Older guidebooks and maps may still use the earlier names.
How far is The Milner York from the railway station?+
It stands on Station Road, right next to York railway station, so there is almost no walk if you arrive by train.
Is The Milner York a historic building?+
Yes, the current building opened in 1878 as the Royal Station Hotel, designed by William Peachey of the North Eastern Railway, and it is Grade II listed.
