Skip to main content

Impossible Motel

3.0 star property
Adults-only hotel with bars and a 24-hour front desk

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

8.6 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Air conditioning
  • Housekeeping
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant

Room options

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

Signature Double Room, Hot Tub (Stella Solarium) | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

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 drapes/curtains
Premium bedding
  • 213 sq ft
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

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

Design Double Room - 2 Baths (Labyrinth) | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

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 linens
Premium bedding
Hair dryer
Designer toiletries
  • 198 sq ft
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Basic Double Room (Dungeon)

Basic Double Room (Dungeon) | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Basic Double Room (Dungeon)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Egyptian cotton linens
Premium bedding
Hair dryer
Designer toiletries
  • 200 sq ft
  • 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) | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Romantic Room - Bath for 2 (The Red Room)

Highlights

Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Egyptian cotton linens
Premium bedding
Rainfall showerhead
  • 100 sq ft
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

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

Classic Double Room, City View (Sublime) | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Classic Double Room, City View (Sublime)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Blackout drapes/curtains
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton linens
Rainfall showerhead
  • 140 sq ft
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Room (Superb)

Deluxe Room (Superb) | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Deluxe Room (Superb)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Blackout drapes/curtains
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton linens
Rainfall showerhead
  • 150 sq ft
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

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

Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Classic Room, City View (Splendid)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Blackout drapes/curtains
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton linens
Rainfall showerhead
  • 150 sq ft
  • 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) | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

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 drapes/curtains
Premium bedding
  • 160 sq ft
  • 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) | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

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 linens
Premium bedding
Hair dryer
Designer toiletries
  • 210 sq ft
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

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

Elite Room - Bath for 2 (Sensational) | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Elite Room - Bath for 2 (Sensational)

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Blackout drapes/curtains
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton linens
Designer toiletries
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

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

Comfort Room, City View (Spectacular) | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Comfort Room, City View (Spectacular)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Blackout drapes/curtains
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton linens
Rainfall showerhead
  • 151 sq ft
  • 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) | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

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 linens
Premium bedding
Hair dryer
Designer toiletries
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

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

Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Economy Double Room, No Windows (Experience)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Smart TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Egyptian cotton linens
Premium bedding
Hair dryer
Designer toiletries
  • 178 sq ft
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

You may also like

Ad
Exterior

Moxy York

City Centre
  • Pet friendly
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
  • Air conditioning
9.0 out of 10, Wonderful, 1,003 reviews
$77 nightly
The price is $92
Jan 11 - Jan 12, 2026
Total with taxes and fees
Moxy York
Mod logo
Earn OneKeyCash on thousands of hotels when you sign in and book. More rewards for more adventures!
Sign inSign up, it's free

About the neighborhood

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

What's nearby

  • Shambles - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • York Minster - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • York Christmas Market - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Jorvik Viking Centre - 5 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • York City Walls - 5 min walk - 0.3 miles

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 premises
  • Luggage storage, a porter/bellhop, and multilingual staff
  • Concierge services, a water dispenser, and tour/ticket assistance
  • Guest reviews speak highly of the helpful staff
Room features
All guestrooms at Impossible Motel include thoughtful touches such as premium bedding and air conditioning, in addition to amenities like free WiFi and free bottled water.
Extra conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding and Egyptian cotton sheets
  • Designer toiletries and hair dryers
  • Heating, daily housekeeping, and electrical adapters/chargers

Similar properties

Property grounds
Judges Court
  • Free WiFi
  • Room service
  • Housekeeping
  • 24/7 front desk
8.6 out of 10, Excellent, 1,001 reviews
$110 nightly
The price is $133
Jan 11 - Jan 12, 2026
Total with taxes and fees
Judges Court

Property amenities

Internet

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

Parking and transportation

  • No onsite 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 elevator

More

  • Banquet hall
  • Smoking not allowed

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 movies

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

Property 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, 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

Frequently asked questions

Is Impossible Motel pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

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?

Check-out 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.

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Impossible Motel Reviews

Reviews

8.6

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 73 out of 123 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 22 out of 123 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 15 out of 123 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 8 out of 123 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 5 out of 123 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.8/10

Eco-friendliness

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jill

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Fabulous hotel, great decor best location in York!

Perfect location in York. The hotel rooms are unique and beautifully decorated in the bed is fabulous. The staff at the hotel is extraordinarily helpful and made first day that much better. If and when we come back this is the only place we will stay!
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Katrina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I loved the dark inside of the hotel and the design of the hotel lighting inside. Staff we informative and very welcoming and friendly.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Frederich

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

Superb comfort

Superb attention to detail. Excellent location for exploring the city. Beds and pillows were soo comfy. Though our room was small it had everything we needed. Other reviews mentioned noise from the bar above. We accidentally booked on a Tuesday night in January when that bar is shut and had no issues with noise. They offered to look after our bags when we checked out which was nice too.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Gemma

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

Perfect base for a York city stay

First time staying here on a Christmas shopping trip with my sister. Absolutely perfect location. The hotel itself is stunning, the decor and room was beautiful. The staff are a credit as all so friendly, welcoming and helpful. Before checking out we've already decided we want to return next year.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

null

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Easy check in and polite and friendly staff. The room was comfortable and everything we needed for a night away. Really cool atmosphere and peaceful. No noise and a real feeling of “getting away”. Shower was decent which is always a big plus. The bed was incredibly comfy. I’ll be visiting again
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sarah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing staff. We were able to drop of our bags on arrival and go explore the city. Our room was ready before check in so we were called to let us know. Love that you get to pick your own whipped soap for your room. Our room was spacious with a comfy bed. The complimentary pastries in the morning were a nice touch too
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sam

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My self and my wife stayed in the red room at the impossible motel in York. Firstly the hotel is amazing such a unique place and the rooms are incredible. If you are looking for a memorable night away you can’t beat it. The hotel is right in the centre of York so everything is right on the doorstep. The staff were amazing so friendly and helpful. I can’t say enuf good things about it. I can’t wait for our next visit.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sam

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fantastic hotel. The staff were great. The room itself was amazing with the most comfy bed I've ever slept in. The hidden door to the cocktail bar is also a nice touch. Unfortunately we didn't try the restaurant, but I can only imagine it will be as nice as everything else. The only downside the walls are paper thin, so you can hear everything your neighbours are up to and vice versa. Other than that, a truly enjoyable stay. We certainly will be back in the future.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

6/10 Okay

Matthew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Hotel was great! Staff was great! The drunk people on the streets, screaming until 04:30 were not great. Hotel was very centrally located which we loved but it resulted in many sleepless nights because of the noise. Obviously not the hotels fault, just something to be mindful of.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Honor

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

Amazingly Impossible

Had a great night at Impossible Motel, very quirky place. Room for as amazing, 4 Poster Bed and large feature fireplace, bathroom was small but functional and well designed. Had a drink downstairs in Pink, and returned back to our room through the ‘Secret Door’. Would defo stay again, as central as it gets for all of York. We where in the 1st floor near reception, looking out onto a busy high street but noise wasn’t a problem.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kelly

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

Perfect if you like something a little different

The hotel was fantastic. Quirky, unusual and atmospheric. The staff were all so friendly and helpful - we were even allowed a look at some of the empty rooms to consider for our next trip. The descriptions are true to life which we appreciated when booking - the toilets/showers are a little less private than other hotels but we were well aware of that before our stay. The location was perfect, right in the centre of York but we didn’t find it too noisy - perhaps because our stay was on a Sunday night. We used the YourParkingSpace app to find cheap parking about 10mins walk away.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ellie

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

Unique, luxury, Whimsical, Goth Paradise.

Absolutely stunning. Beautiful location. The hotel is situated in the perfect place. Staff are amazing in the hotel and restaurant. We will be back to try the other rooms. Ignore the negative reviews, this is a unique, quirky hotel and if youre a bit of a whimsical goth, you will love this place. Also the restaurant menu and interior is much better than the ivy. The kitchen was closed when we popped in for drinks but would have definitely eaten there rather than the Ivy. Staff really helpful and gave us recommendations (Cut and Craft)of where to eat which was fantastic. The White Company toiletries were gorgeous and i really loved that on arrival we were given a complimentary bathbomb and got to choose a tub of handmade whipped soap which smelt divine. Highly recommend a stay here, we are local but enjoy a night out in York so Impossible Motel will definitely be are go to hotel. I would go as far to say this is the nicest hotel we have stayed in. Well done. Loved it x
Superb Room
The Restaurant from St Helens Square
Open plan Bathroom
View from the gallery bathroom.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

4/10 Poor

Dave

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
We stayed for one night in one of the underground rooms. From the pictures the brick walls and vaulted ceilings give the impression of a solid (and presumably quiet) room. Sadly, the walls are so thin you can hear the occupants of neighbouring rooms! You can also hear footsteps and doors banging, and in case that isn't enough to keep you awake there's always the loud buzzing noise that the air conditioning unit makes every 2 minutes! On the plus side the room looked every bit as stylish as it did in the photos. What perhaps isnt clear from the photos is that there is no toilet door. This seems a massive oversight in a room with no windows! All in all our stay was a unique experience that I hope to never repeat.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024