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Impossible Motel

3.0 star property

Photo gallery for Impossible Motel

Design Double Room - 2 Baths (Labyrinth) | Bathroom
Reception
Reception
Luxury Room, Hot Tub (Sir Joseph Terry) | View from room
Luxury Room, Hot Tub (Sir Joseph Terry)

Reviews

8.4 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

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

Explore the area

View map
3 St. Helens Square, York, England, YO1 8QN
  • Place, Shambles
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, York Minster
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, York Christmas Market
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Airport, Leeds (LBA-Leeds Bradford)
    ‪64 min drive‬

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)

  • City view
  • 19 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

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)
  • 18 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Basic Double Room (Dungeon)

Basic Double Room (Dungeon)

Basic Double Room (Dungeon)

  • 13 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

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)

  • 9 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

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

Classic Double Room, City View (Sublime)

Classic Double Room, City View (Sublime)

  • City view
  • 17 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Deluxe Room (Superb)

Deluxe Room (Superb)

Deluxe Room (Superb)

  • City view
  • 14 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

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

Classic Room, City View (Splendid)

Classic Room, City View (Splendid)

  • City view
  • 13 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

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)
  • 15 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

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
(2 reviews)
  • 17 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

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)
  • City view
  • 13 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

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)
  • City view
  • 14 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

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)
  • 18 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

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

Economy Double Room, No Windows (Experience)

Economy Double Room, No Windows (Experience)

  • 17 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

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About the area

York

With a stay at Impossible Motel, you'll be centrally located in York, within a 5-minute walk of York Minster and Shambles. .This hotel is 1.6 mi (2.7 km) from York Racecourse and 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from York Mansion House.

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
  • York City Walls - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Jorvik Viking Centre - 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
  • ‪Northern Monk Refectory // YRK - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪House Of The Trembling Madness - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Brew & Brownie - ‬2 min walk

About this property

Impossible Motel

Impossible Motel offers 13 air-conditioned accommodations with complimentary bottled water and designer toiletries. Beds feature Egyptian cotton sheets and premium bedding. 40-inch Smart televisions come with pay movies.

Bathrooms include complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. This York hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Hypo-allergenic bedding, irons/ironing boards, and change of towels can be requested. Housekeeping is provided daily.

Make yourself at home in one of the 13 air-conditioned rooms featuring Smart televisions. Complimentary wireless internet access is available to keep you connected. Bathrooms have designer toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include phones and complimentary bottled water, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Make use of convenient amenities such as complimentary wireless internet access, concierge services, and a banquet hall.
Stop by the hotel's restaurant, Impossible Restaurant, for lunch or dinner, or grab snacks at the coffee shop/cafe. Need to unwind? Take a break with a tasty beverage at one of the 2 bars/lounges.
Featured amenities include a 24-hour front desk, multilingual staff, and luggage storage.
Impossible Restaurant - This restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar.
Impossible Tea Room - Onsite café. Guests can order drinks at the bar and enjoy alfresco dining (weather permitting). Open daily.
Pink - Onsite cocktail bar. Open daily.
Impossible Wonderbar - Onsite bar. Open daily.

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 and debit cards; cash is not accepted
Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

Property is also known as

Impossible Motel York
Impossible Motel Hotel
Impossible Motel Hotel York

Impossible Motel Reviews

Reviews

8.4

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 85 out of 146 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 25 out of 146 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 18 out of 146 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 12 out of 146 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 6 out of 146 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Amenities

8.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Tommy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Nice room. Quirky
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Scott

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

CARLA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Rooms were insane, not Thor the faint hearted mind as very dark but really funky it your looking for something different. Perfect t location, Pink venue was stunning too. Would love to come back and check out the hot tub room next
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

4/10 Poor

Ben

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
The Toilet has no door! It’s pitch black and there’s brick dust everywhere.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

6/10 Okay

Marcus

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Room comfort
Lots of noise from above. Barrels being dropped and moved. Didn’t get a good sleep
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

jess

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025

2/10 Terrible

Joanne

Travelled with partner
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

4/10 Poor

Mike

The room was smelly.. Dirty and dark I got the
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

8/10 Good

Suzanne

Liked: Staff & service
Great Location situated in center opposite Bettys tea rooms Had to change rooms due to broken toilet seat but staff were helpful and resolved issue No breakfast included but this was a plus as there are so many great places to eat breakfast / brunch only a few minutes walk away
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025

6/10 Okay

Emma

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

8/10 Good

Joanne

Travelled with family, Travelled with partner
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

4/10 Poor

Helen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

MOIRA

Travelled with family
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

6/10 Okay

Dorne

Travelled with family
I was expecting great things from the room and sadly it did not deliver. The plastic plant is in need of a good clean The battery operated candles need replacement batteries and again a good clean The room was tired The shower leaked
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

6/10 Okay

darren

The room was in the basement and was very dark, quite quirky but poor lighting and ventilation. The whole hotel is dark inside which leaves you craving daylight and fresh air
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Bradley

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

David

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

David

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Absolute amazing stay . ❤️ loved the rooms we stayed 1 night in the vault ( didnt see the ghost !! ) thankgod! And stayed in the top room with roof top tub 2nd night , the pictures dont show how big the room really is its huge ! Loved all of it do much and the tub is 40c great . Location perfect opposite bettys tearooms 10min walk away from train station would love to book again sad we had to leave , all staff so friendly and happy 😊 and the secret doors are a treat, into the bar and basement 😀
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

4/10 Poor

Jessica

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Room comfort
The hotel itself was different, receptionists were both extremely friendly and helpful. The room on appearance is lovely however after spending a few hours in the room, even with the lights on it was very dull, the club above was extremely noisy (even with headphones in) and the constant footsteps on the ceiling stopping us sleeping. whilst the room had aircon it wasn’t very good so the room was stifling all night. The bathroom being behind the bed with no door was very odd too. The shower was good and the slipper provided were helpful as the floor was concrete. The bed was comfy but the duvet was way too thick and between the bad aircon wasn’t used. The lights in the room that wouldn’t turn off were also very distracting and disturbed our sleep. For how much we paid for this room it was not worth it.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

2/10 Terrible

Beth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Wired vibe didn’t like not having a window
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

6/10 Okay

Bev

Liked: Staff & service
Staff great, room needed attention
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

8/10 Good

Gillian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The check in staff were fabulous. Friendly and helpful. The room was small but not wholly unexpected. This hotel is great location. The bath was great. The bath candles didn’t have batteries, the shower leaked all over the floor too. The main downside is by far the noise from the bar downstairs which goes on late, so if you are a light sleeper I would avoid it. Overall however, we enjoyed it and the staff made it x
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

6/10 Okay

Damian

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

10/10 Excellent

Fco

Travelled with partner
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

10/10 Excellent

Emma

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cannot fault the service from the staff who wete so friendly and were very knowledgeable about the event i was going to and the places i mentioned hoping to visit.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025