Fifteen Kings

This apartment has an ace up its sleeve — a huge wraparound balcony that has a superb view of the most famous building in the city, York Minster. There's space to sit out here with this wonderful backdrop, but don't worry if it's too cold, as the floor-to-ceiling windows running around the length of the living space ensures that it's possible to take it in while sitting indoors.

The interior takes the best parts of 1970s design — the earthy colour palette, patterned wallpaper and natural materials — to create a space that's retro without feeling dated. For the cherry on the cake, the kitchen has plenty of surface space for cooking up a storm and a bathtub upstairs will help you relax after a long day of sightseeing, which is welcomingly easy to do from the central location. Five minutes' walk will get to Museum Gardens, while the same amount of time in the opposite direction will see you reach the medieval shopping street, York Shambles.

Home truths:
*The second bedroom can be arranged as a double bed or twin singles
*There's an allocated parking space for one car, although it's a short walk away from the building — there's also bike storage available
*Although there's a lift to reach the building, there's a flight of stairs within the apartment, so it might not be suitable for guests with reduced mobility