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Don’t get us wrong, hotels are great – but B&Bs tend to have that extra little bit of charm. They’ll only have a few rooms, are often family-run with the owners roaming about to cater to your needs, and they’re more likely to have personal touches that make it feel as though you’ve been warmly welcomed into someone’s home. So, it’s only right that, next to hotels, campsites, pubs and tourist attractions, bed and breakfasts are included in VisitEngland’s Awards for Excellence, which recognise hospitality businesses that go above and beyond for visitors.
England’s B&B and Guesthouse of the Year for 2026 is MonkBridge House in York. The accom was built in 1864 and sits a stone’s throw from some of the city’s grandest attractions. York Minster is just a 10-minute walk away and the Shambles is only 15 minutes down the road.
The MonkBridge’s eight luxe bedrooms all feature ensuites with underfloor heating, flat-screen TVs and a complimentary tea, coffee and snacks. They’re each named after former residents of the building. For instance, there’s Rymer, named after the Lord Mayor of York who lived in the house from 1883 to 1891; Sykes named after the Clerk to the Guardians of the York Workhouse who lived there from 1911 to 1943 and Powell named after a woman who was superintendent of St Mary’s Home for Girls who resided there from 1943 to 1961.
MonkBridge’s brekkie has previously been voted the best breakfast in all of York. The morning menu offers a choice of Yorkshire breakfast (all the classics of a full English plus fried bread), homemade bagels with smoked salmon, craster kippers, sourdough with avocado and daily specials ranging from game, pork and apple sausages to french toast.
One past guest wrote on TripAdvisor that the B&B is ‘beautifully restored and furnished with great services and attention to detail’ and another praised the breakfast for being ‘out of this world’.
Silver medal in the B&B and guesthouse category went to One Drake Road and Apartments in Tavistock, Devon and bronze was awarded to Holly Lodge Boutique Bed and Breakfast in Norfolk.
You can find out more and book a stay on the MonkBridge House website here.
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