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Impossible Motel

3.0 star property
Travelers find themselves in the vibrant heart of York, where historic landmarks wait just steps away and friendly staff serve perfect coffees and cocktails

Choose dates to view prices

The Impossible Motel in York's City Centre blends modern amenities with historic surroundings. Guests can unwind in two bars, grab coffee at the on-site shop, or walk to York Minster and the Shambles. Multilingual staff and in-room WiFi keep everyone connected.

Reviews

8.4 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Restaurant
  • Air-conditioning
  • Bar
  • Housekeeping
  • 24/7 front desk

Room options

View all photos for Signature Double Room, Hot Tub (Stella Solarium)

Signature Double Room, Hot Tub (Stella Solarium)

Signature Double Room, Hot Tub (Stella Solarium)

Highlights

Furnished balcony or patio
Private rooftop hot tub
Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Blackout curtains
Premium bedding
  • 19 sq m
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Design Double Room - 2 Baths (Labyrinth)

Design Double Room - 2 Baths (Labyrinth)

Design Double Room - 2 Baths (Labyrinth)

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Premium bedding
Hairdryer
Designer toiletries
  • 18 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Basic Double Room (Dungeon)

Basic Double Room (Dungeon)

Basic Double Room (Dungeon)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Premium bedding
Hairdryer
Designer toiletries
  • 13 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Romantic Room - Bath for 2 (The Red Room)

Romantic Room - Bath for 2 (The Red Room)

Romantic Room - Bath for 2 (The Red Room)

Highlights

Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Premium bedding
Rainfall showerhead
  • 9 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Classic Double Room, City View (Sublime)

Classic Double Room, City View (Sublime)

Classic Double Room, City View (Sublime)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Blackout curtains
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Rainfall showerhead
  • 17 sq m
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Room (Superb)

Deluxe Room (Superb)

Deluxe Room (Superb)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Blackout curtains
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Rainfall showerhead
  • 14 sq m
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Classic Room, City View (Splendid)

Classic Room, City View (Splendid)

Classic Room, City View (Splendid)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Blackout curtains
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Rainfall showerhead
  • 13 sq m
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Luxury Room, Hot Tub (Sir Joseph Terry)

Luxury Room, Hot Tub (Sir Joseph Terry)

Luxury Room, Hot Tub (Sir Joseph Terry)

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)

Highlights

Furnished balcony or patio
Private rooftop hot tub
Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Blackout curtains
Premium bedding
  • 15 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Economy Double Room, No Windows (The Bank Vault)

Economy Double Room, No Windows (The Bank Vault)

Economy Double Room, No Windows (The Bank Vault)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Premium bedding
Hairdryer
Designer toiletries
  • 17 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Elite Room - Bath for 2 (Sensational)

Elite Room - Bath for 2 (Sensational)

Elite Room - Bath for 2 (Sensational)

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Blackout curtains
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Designer toiletries
  • 13 sq m
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Comfort Room, City View (Spectacular)

Comfort Room, City View (Spectacular)

Comfort Room, City View (Spectacular)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Blackout curtains
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Rainfall showerhead
  • 14 sq m
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Economy Double Room, No Windows (Mail Room)

Economy Double Room, No Windows (Mail Room)

Economy Double Room, No Windows (Mail Room)

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Premium bedding
Hairdryer
Designer toiletries
  • 18 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Economy Double Room, No Windows (Experience)

Economy Double Room, No Windows (Experience)

Economy Double Room, No Windows (Experience)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Premium bedding
Hairdryer
Designer toiletries
  • 17 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
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About the area

Map
3 St. Helens Square, York, England, YO1 8QN

What's nearby

  • Shambles - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • York Minster - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • York Christmas Market - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Jorvik Viking Centre - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • York City Walls - 5 min walk - 0.4 km

Getting around

  • York Station - 8 min walk
  • Leeds (LBA-Leeds Bradford) - 61 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Bettys Café Tea Rooms - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Caffè Nero - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪House Of The Trembling Madness - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Brew & Brownie - ‬2 min walk

About this property

Impossible Motel

Hotel near York Minster
Near Shambles, Impossible Motel provides a coffee shop/cafe, 2 bars and a restaurant. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
Additional perks include:
  • A banquet hall, a 24-hour front desk and smoke-free property
  • Luggage storage, a porter/bellboy and multilingual staff
  • Concierge services, a water dispenser and tour/ticket information
  • Guest reviews give top marks for the helpful staff
Room features
All guest rooms at Impossible Motel offer perks, such as premium bedding and air conditioning, in addition to amenities, such as free WiFi and free bottled water.
Other conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding and Egyptian cotton sheets
  • Designer toiletries and hairdryers
  • Heating, daily housekeeping and electrical adapters/chargers

Similar properties

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Judges Court
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  • Room service
  • Housekeeping
  • 24/7 front desk
8.6 out of 10, Excellent, 1,002 reviews
The price is NZ$222
includes taxes & fees
4 Jan - 5 Jan 2026
Judges Court

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • No on-site parking available

Food and drink

  • 2 bars/lounges
  • A coffee shop/cafe
  • A restaurant

Restaurants on site

  • Impossible Restaurant
  • Impossible Tea Room
  • Impossible Wonderbar
  • Pink

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Water dispenser

Guest services

  • Change of bedsheets (on request)
  • Change of towels on request
  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Porter/bellhop
  • Proposal/romance packages
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Accessibility

  • No lift

More

  • Banquet hall
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Egyptian cotton sheets
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding

Bathroom

  • Designer toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste (on request)
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 40-inch smart TV
  • Pay films

Food and drink

  • Champagne service
  • Free bottled water

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Electrical adapters
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Mobile key entry
  • Phone

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

Guests will receive an email within 72 hours before arrival with check-in instructions; front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

This property welcomes adults only

Payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Deposit is payable by bank transfer and is due within 24 hours of booking the reservation.

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards and cash
Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

Property is also known as

Impossible Motel York
Impossible Motel Hotel
Impossible Motel Hotel York

Frequently asked questions

Is Impossible Motel pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Impossible Motel?

This property doesn't offer parking.

What time is check-in at Impossible Motel?

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime.

What time is check-out at Impossible Motel?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Impossible Motel located?

Located in City Centre, this hotel is within a 5-minute walk of St. Helen's Square, York Minster and Shambles. York Mansion House and Stonegate are just steps away. York Station is 8 minutes by foot and York (QQY-York Train Station) is 8 minutes.

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Reviews

Impossible Motel Reviews

8.4

Very good

9.0

Cleanliness

8.2

Amenities

9.2

Staff & service

8.8

Eco-friendliness

8.6

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 75 out of 127 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 22 out of 127 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 15 out of 127 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 9 out of 127 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 6 out of 127 reviews

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Damian

Excellent location. Beautiful decor. We stayed in the
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Fco

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The place is on an ideal location. The staff was friendly and very helpful, and the overall design of the hotel and rooms is beautiful!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

8/10 Good

Joanne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Gorgeous quirky hotel just a bit of a maze to navigate. Also we were in basement and a lot of noise above. Chairs scraping on floors etc other than that staff cleanliness location etc all perfect.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

MOIRA

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff were very helpful especially carrying our bags to and from our room. The room was very clean and the bed was soft and extremely comfortable. The room was in the basement and there are steps but they are broken up not continuous so weren’t too problematic for some one with slight mobility issues. The music and noise from the bar ended at 11pm and we didn’t experience any noise from outside or other guests.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Valeri

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good location, nice staff and great rooms
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Olivia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Becky

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Perfect stay!

Amazing stay for my partners birthday - had the option to add surprise balloons and gifts into the room prior arrival- wonderful option! Also upgraded us to the terrace + hot tub room for our second night and it really made the stay special - staff were wonderful, super thoughtful with the smaller touches, and couldn’t do enough for us, would stay here again in a heartbeat!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tracy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay, beautiful hotel with very welcoming and helpful staff
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Karen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Amazing stay at Impossible Motel.

Was amazing. The room was beautiful with the extras and the hot tub topped the weekend off for our 30th wedding anniversary. Going to come every year. Staff was amazing. Highly recommend this hotel it’s an amazing experience. Thank you😍
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Our 3rd time staying, great customer service and a great place!
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kate

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful and unusual hotel! We had such fun
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

8/10 Good

Allan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Unique and intersting decor, loved it. Some of the bed cannopy needs some attention. You neex to be very friendly with anyone your sharing the room with a bathroom open plan to room and can hear everthing.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Paula

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Impossible not to love this hotel

Beautiful, quirky hotel slap bang in the city centre. Couldn’t get a better location. Staff were extremely helpful & polite. Would definitely recommend a stay here.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

4/10 Poor

Lilli

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Our room was OK. The staff were helpful. Our room lost power at 10pm and ended up being the fan was tripping out the power. We weren’t able to shower because of this as the fan wouldn’t work and it was underground. The bar upstairs was quite loud. Overall pretty dissapointing because of the issue with the room.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Philippa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Quirky hotel

Hotel was really nice and clean and the staff were lovely. The downside for me was the toilet. It was very exposed. I stayed with my husband of 26yrs so I'd say we know each other pretty well. That being said, i still like my visits to the loo slightly more private so to only have a piece of frosted glass to just about cover me if i leaned back, left me feeling over exposed. The other slight downside is for light sleepers in the basement rooms...they are noisy. You can hear the water through the exposed pipes so every shower, toilet flush and tap in adjacent rooms woke me up. My husband though slept like a log.....the beds are so comfy.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fabulous place!!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

2/10 Terrible

Joanne

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We were extremely disappointed with our stay and ultimately had to leave shortly after checking in. On entering the room, there was an immediate and overwhelming foul smell, particularly from the bathroom. We reported this promptly and were told there were no alternative rooms available but that someone would look into the issue while we went to dinner. We waited, but the smell worsened to the point that the room felt unhygienic and unusable — I did not even feel comfortable using the toilet. A member of staff attended and immediately acknowledged the severity of the issue, dismantling the shower drain and attempting a repair involving chemicals and an elastic band. This made the smell even stronger. At that point, we made it clear we could not stay and left the property. We were in the room for approximately an hour only because we were waiting for the promised fix, not because the room was usable. The staff member involved was excellent and should never have been put in that position; however, this appeared to be a long-standing maintenance issue rather than an isolated incident, something that is also reflected in previous guest reviews. For a hotel marketed as “luxury,” and a room described as “Sublime,” the standard was wholly unacceptable. The air conditioning also failed to provide the advertised heating options. Sadly, this was not the experience we expected or paid for, and we would not stay again.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Emma

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Quirky & fun

This was a really fun place to stay. Very helpful staff and lovwd the quirkyness of it all.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Christian

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Interesting and eclectic hotel in an ideal location in the wonderful city of York. Parking was a challenge though, and warnings about street noise were warranted. not recommended for anyone with accessibility challenges.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Andrew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Clean hotel in a good location.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

sally

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stylish Stay, great staff.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Christopher

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I personally loved the motel, unfortunately it was too dark for the wife. The noise from the bar/club was loud, but not bad enough to worry about. Location is amazing. Lots near by .
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Joe

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff were really nice, friendly and helpful and the hotel and rooms were nice and clean.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Simon

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great Stay

Had a lovely stay. Room was in a `vault'. Unique and I loved it! Would definitely recommend
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Aled

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Awesome place

Amazing service, quirky room. Would highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024