A BOUTIQUE hotel in York which has scooped several prestigious awards during the past year has now been included in the Michelin Guide 2021.

Grays Court, a country house hotel in the heart of the city, gained a Michelin Plate in the latest edition of the influential guide for its Bow Room Restaurant.

A Michelin Plate, introduced by the guide in 2018, showcases establishments where the inspectors have discovered very good food.

These venues are judged by the same criteria used for the starred and Bib Gourmand restaurants, and often go on to achieve a coveted star in following years.

York Press: A taster of the food on offer at The Bow Room at Grays Court.

The accolade comes on the back of a successful year for the family-run hotel, in Minster Quarter, including the Best Small Hotel in England at a time when the hospitality industry has been closed.

It comes as Roots in Marygate, York, was awarded a coveted Michelin star in the latest guide. The restaurant is owned by Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks, who owns has The Black Swan at Oldstead.

The latest success for Grays Court follows its recent planning application to convert a coach house into seven new en-suite bedrooms - it is currently awaiting a decision. 

Owner Helen Heraty, who has run the award-winning hotel since opening in 2009, said: "We opened the Bow Room in 2018, following a reimagining of our restaurant.

"Our goal was to was to focus on locally sourced and home-grown ingredients prepared in such way as to offer the very best experience for our guests.

"It is fabulous to see that our hard work has paid off and that we have earned a place in the Michelin Guide is a testament to the hard work of the whole team.”

Helen and the Grays Court team are optimistic about the future and are looking forward to welcoming people back when Covid restrictions have been lifted.

“If we’ve learnt anything during the lockdowns it is to have realised just how much there is to appreciate right here on our doorstep. York itself has so much to offer, and the whole county is out there waiting to be explored.

"Once we re-open we will certainly be drawing on our experiences to tempt local and regional residents into York and extending that welcome to visitors from the length and breadth of Great Britain, and in time to come, from the rest of the world.

"York is gaining recognition as a ‘foodie’ destination, and we will be looking to work with colleagues across the city to ensure our guests, both old and new are able to stay a little longer to in order to enjoy the best the city has to offer."

Grays Court which has unqiue access to the city's Bar Walls is aiming to open as soon as national restrictions are lifted, and is taking bookings from spring 2021 onwards for its 12 rooms and the Bow Room Restaurant.

Grays Court won the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2020 Small Hotel of the Year, Gold award, as well as Visit York Tourism Awards 2020 Best Small Hotel and White Rose Awards 2020 - Small Hotel of the Year, Gold