MonkBridge House, a family-run guest house in York, has been crowned the best bed and breakfast in England after winning Gold in the England's B&B and Guest House of the Year category at the 2026 VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
The eight-bedroom Victorian property is run by husband-and-wife team Paul and Fiona Hemsley, who beat guest houses from across the country in the national finals. Silver in the category went to One Drake Road and Apartments in Tavistock, Devon, while Holly Lodge Boutique Bed and Breakfast in Norfolk took bronze.
The Gold award adds to a run of accolades for the Hemsleys, who previously won North Yorkshire Guest House of the Year in both 2024 and 2025.
MonkBridge House is an eight-minute walk from York's historic City Walls and dates back to 1864, retaining much of its Victorian character. York Minster is a 10-minute stroll away, while The Shambles, the city's famous medieval street, is 15 minutes on foot, making the property a base for exploring the city.
Rooms named after former residents
Each of the eight en suite bedrooms is individually designed and named after a former resident of the building. The Rymer Room is named after a former occupant who served as Lord Mayor of York between 1883 and 1891, while other rooms honour Sykes, a former clerk to the Guardians of the York Workhouse, and Powell, who was superintendent of St Mary's Home for Girls.
Every room has underfloor heating in the en suite, a television, USB sockets, a minibar fridge and complimentary tea, coffee and snacks. The Rymer Room also has an antique French oak four-poster bed, a walk-in shower and views across the River Foss.
Breakfast rated among the best in York
One of the guest house's biggest draws is its breakfast, which has previously been voted the best in York, according to Time Out. Guests can choose a traditional Yorkshire breakfast with fried bread, homemade bagels topped with smoked salmon, Craster kippers, avocado on sourdough toast and marmalade, alongside a rotating selection of daily specials.
MonkBridge House has amassed hundreds of glowing online reviews and holds a 4.9-star rating on TripAdvisor. One guest who stayed last month wrote: "Perfect. It's a great location for visiting York. The B&B is beautiful and spotlessly clean. Amenities - they have thought of everything, great attention to detail. The breakfast is amazing - don't miss it."
Another reviewer, on their third stay within a year, wrote: "It has been exceptional and would not stay anywhere else. The room is spotless, has everything you need, Paul and Fiona have thought of every small detail to make your stay so comfortable. We stayed in the Thompson room which overlooks the garden, it's a very quiet room."
In June, another reviewer described their stay as a "better experience than most five-star hotels." On Google, reviewer Mike Curtis called the breakfast "top notch," while Michael Gregson said it was "one of the highlights of our stay." Another guest recommended visitors try the homemade marmalade.
Prices and booking
Away from the bedrooms, guests can use a communal lounge and garden, along with a fully licensed honesty bar and wine fridge.
A two-night stay for two adults in a standard twin room starts from around £307 during quieter periods, while upgraded king rooms cost approximately £366. The four-poster Rymer Room is available from around £376 for a two-night stay, according to Metro. With only eight bedrooms and a new national title, rooms are often booked months in advance.
England's 2025 winner
The B&B named England's best in 2025, Sunnyside Bed and Breakfast, charges around £65 a night. It is owned by husband-and-wife team Anthony, 39, and Larissa Duffey, 37, who won Best B&B in England along with a commendation for Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism at VisitEngland's 2025 tourism awards.
Anthony opened the business with his mother nearly 18 years ago, when he was 20. He told the Daily Mail: "We've actually got less rooms than when we first opened. We've found that what guests expect from their stay has completely changed over the last 18 years. It's unbelievable."
Two rooms that originally had no bathroom have since been removed to make other bedrooms larger, and all rooms now have en suites, leaving the guest house with ten bedrooms. Anthony and Larissa source their breakfast ingredients locally, make their own honey and jam using fruit from a nearby farm, and decorate the walls with work from local artists. Anthony said it was "not just about the kind of room and kind of fixtures and fittings in the room" but the "whole experience of their stay."
