It has already gained 5-stars for food hygiene from City of York Council and the New Holgate Hotel in York is certainly 5-stars in my book.

Of all the hotels I have stayed in, it is certainly up there with the best, a view shared by many online.

I loved its indulgent luxury, so much so, I did not want to leave.

The New Holgate at 106-108 Holgate Road was previously a tired old B&B known as the Holgate Bridge Bed and Breakfast.

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But York businessman Nick Bradley, who specialises in hospitality and real estate, has splashed out £2m on smartening it up and relaunching it as a 12-bed boutique hotel.

Nick has certainly delivered something posh and special at the four-storey Grade II-listed hotel, originally two Victorian townhouses, built in 1846.

There are King Suites, Double Suites, and Luxury Suites, with the ground floor dog friendly.

The hotel has opening offers too, until December 29.

York Press: New Holgate Suite- bedroom

For my midweek stay, I was in the Holgate Suite, which featured two facing settees (I heard was used for interviews) and a most comfortable King-sized Hypnos bed, with spotlessly clean white bedding.

There was a large flat-screen tv, the fluffiest of white towels, a large, sparkling bathroom with rainfall shower, and reliable, fast wi-fi. There were also tea and coffee-making facilities too.

Downstairs is a small, private boardroom, just perfect for little business meetings or even a private dinner. There’s a restaurant area too, where I met Nick, who told me of his future plans for the venue, which include offering a daytime menu from the Spring when the garden is opened.

At present, it’s just sharing boards and breakfast, but the mixture of local cheeses and dried meats shows Yorkshire can produce some of the finest charcuterie.

Nick opened a bottle of white and very pleasant it was too. It came from the Yorkshire Heart Vineyard, just a few miles west of York at Nun Monkton. Their other wines include red, rose, and sparkling, which are also stocked, and understandably highly-rated.

The hotel is keen to support local suppliers, who include Filey Bay whisky, Coopers Creek spirits and the Ellers Farm Distillery. Beers are from Wold Top, due to the brewery being linked to Filey Bay.

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The toiletries are from H2K of Harrogate and we must mention the rooms are designed by Zoe Wheatley of Studio Interiors of Harrogate, who has done a cracking job mixing tradition, heritage, modernity and contemporary design inspired by New York and Amsterdam.

Well, York is noted for its pubs and just around the corner in Watson Street is the Volunteer Arms, a favourite of York CAMRA. I had never been before, so I had to give it a go and was delighted with the choice of five real ales, which included a most well-behaved Bad Kitty porter from Brass Castle of Malton. There was an extensive range of craft/keg beers too. Despite bumping into some CAMRA buddies, I felt I had to return to the New Holgate to enjoy the delights of the boutique hotel.

Nick is a big fan of Filey Bay whisky so I just had to try a dram.

Downstairs in the basement is a whisky lounge. Now, I fail to see how this might disturb anyone, so I am at a loss how anyone could have opposed such a luxurious feature and the premises license it has received. It must be said, the New Holgate is aimed at the discerning visitor, not the riff-raff.

Anyway, I was left with a bottle of Filey Bay “to play with” but I resisted temptation until the lovely night manager encouraged me to have another drop. It seemed rude to refuse him before heading back to my room.

It was barely 9pm, but within minutes of switching on the laptop, I was sound asleep, having my best night sleep in ages.

Breakfast was back downstairs and I tucked into orange juice, croissant and marmalade before a generous Full English was served. That was cooked beautifully with tender bacon and tasty sausage. Other options, including cereals, were also available.

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Now, normally, with it been a weekday, I might have headed straight to the office, but I wanted to stay longer to enjoy the luxurious surroundings. Yes, you can (WFH) Work From Hotel as much as you can Work From Home so I stayed a couple of hours longer, before heading back to the city.

Now, the hotel does have parking for 12 vehicles, with EV charging, and despite overlooking the busy A59, the venue is quiet, allowing a good night’s sleep, and you won’t be disturbed by passing traffic.

It is also a short 10-15 minute walk to the city centre, with other bars, shops and restaurants, cinema, KFC, even closer, such as in Blossom Street and Micklegate.

Announcing the hotel, when it opened a few weeks back, Nick said he was proud to have delivered “a quirky, unique and luxurious townhouse” to York’s hotel scene, with a team “dedicated to giving our guests..warm, welcoming and personal service.”

Nick and his friendly and efficient team most certainly have done this.

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As I said earlier, the New Holgate is certainly 5 stars in my book and judging by it’s reviews on Tripadvisor, that is the consensus of other happy guests.

Google gives the hotel 4.8 stars out of five, while Booking.Com says 'superb', awarding it nine out of ten.

Go and try it for yourself too. I can’t wait to try the day menu in the garden, when the Spring comes.

For details, go to: www.newholgate.com.