Baggergate House

York's city walls are right outside. You can walk the ramparts before breakfast, be at the Minster in ten minutes on foot, and still come back to a private garden with a hot tub by evening. Baggergate House is a three-storey terraced cottage on a residential street just south of the river, close enough to walk everywhere worth going but far enough from the tourist crowds that the house stays surprisingly quiet.

Inside, the place is bigger than it looks from the street. The living and dining room takes up much of the ground floor, with a bay window at the front that fills the room with light and patio doors at the back that open straight onto the garden decking. Leather sofas, an armchair by the window, and a dining table big enough for all six of you. It has the feel of a proper home rather than a rental, right down to the slippers and robes waiting in the bedrooms.

The kitchen earns its own paragraph. Turquoise cupboards, grey tiles, and a layout that actually works for cooking a proper meal rather than just reheating. A welcome hamper is waiting when you arrive, usually including a bottle of Prosecco, which sets the tone nicely.

Upstairs, the first floor has a double bedroom and a twin, both with their own en-suite WC and basin. The family bathroom is on this floor too, with a shower over the bath and a separate walk-in cubicle. Up another flight, the second-floor twin sits under a low, sloped ceiling. The beds are full-length and comfortable, but the headroom makes it better suited to children or shorter adults.

Out the back, the garden is a genuine surprise for a city-centre property. A decked area with outdoor furniture works for morning coffee or an afternoon glass of something cold, and the hot tub sits at the far end against the brick wall. After a full day on your feet in the city, sinking into it as the evening cools off is the kind of thing you remember long after you get home. Even if you book purely for the location, the hot tub tends to steal the show.

Bishopthorpe Road is around the corner, and it's one of the best streets in York for independent shops. A butcher, a greengrocer, a wine bar, and a decent local pub all sit within a few minutes' walk. A small Sainsbury's covers the basics, so you won't need to trek into town for milk.

Cross Skeldergate Bridge and you're into the thick of it. The Shambles, the JORVIK Viking Centre, York Castle Museum, and Clifford's Tower are all a short walk from the house. Betty's Tea Rooms has been running for over a hundred years, and the queue outside is worth joining at least once. A hop-on/hop-off sightseeing bus stops right around the corner, and York train station is a ten-minute walk. A 24-hour car park is within five minutes if you're driving, with one on-street parking permit available on request.

Board games are stacked in the living room for quieter evenings, and Heidi, the owner, is quick to reply and helpful with the small things, like storing luggage if you arrive early or leave late.