The Best Hotels in Leeds

A happening cosmopolitan, Leeds maintains a brand of friendliness that can only be found in Yorkshire. With the attractive grandeur of its Georgian and Victorian architecture, the city isn’t bad in the looks department either. With an excellent standard of shopping, restaurants, museums, and entertainment, Leeds also upholds a spirited nightlife. Within easy reach of Harrogate and York, as well as the Yorkshire Dales and Moors, it’s a superb city base for those that really like to get out and explore. Things to see



The West Yorkshire city is well known for its sporting links. Elland Road, the stadium and home of Leeds United FC, is a must visit for fans of the team, while Headingley sports complex is home to rugby and cricket teams. With its lively student population, the Headingley district has a particularly trendy feel, and is popular for its vast selection of watering holes and restaurants. In Clarence Dock the Royal Armouries museum displays an impressive arsenal of artefacts, whilst performances are staged in the outdoor arena. Located nearby in the city center you’ll discover Millennium Square. The cultural soul of Leeds, the plaza hosts outdoor events, including theater, concerts, and famous musical talent. A short meander away, the historic City Square is home to the Old Post Office (now a restaurant), and statues of local dignitaries. The Black Prince in bronze marks the start of the White Rose Way walking trail.

Hotels in Leeds

There are hotels in Leeds to suit every purse and wallet, including plenty of lavish retreats home to swimming pools and health spas for those after a more memorable getaway. Budget hotels in Leeds are also in reasonable supply and offer convenient amenities like WiFi, televisions, and tea and coffee making facilities. For those who prefer to dip their toes in and out of the city atmosphere when it suits, the nearby Yorkshire Dales offer sleepier alternatives including sprawling country house hotels and cosy B&Bs.

Where to stay

Booking a hotel in Leeds city center makes perfect sense, given the close proximately of the city’s major attractions. It also makes traveling by foot a viable option. The energetic city center has something that’ll appeal to all visitors, be they young, old, couples, or families. A shopaholic’s high-street heaven can be found in Briggate, whilst the nearby Victoria quarter offers many designer label boutiques. If rifling for bargains is more your style, then Kirkgate market offers 800 indoor stalls. Sensational restaurants, cafes, museums, galleries, and nightlife are also close to hand, whilst a little peace and contemplation can be found in Park Square – an immaculate Georgian park.

How to get to

Leeds-Bradford International Airport is just 10 minutes north-west of the city center, and offers direct flights from many European countries. Long haul flights can connect via Amsterdam, London Heathrow or Paris. Alternatively, you can fly to Manchester Airport and catch a train into Leeds. Trains run every half hour to the city. If you’re traveling within the UK via the train, then the well-connected Leeds Station will be your destination. Trains from London Kings Cross will take under 3 hours to get there, whilst Manchester to Leeds Station will typically take around 90 minutes.

When are the best times to travel to Leeds?

From the beginning of spring, all throughout the summer months and into autumn the city of Leeds sings with cultural activities and festivals – from the Harrogate Spring Flower Show in April and summer’s Opera In The Park to autumn’s Leeds Shakespeare Festival. In December, Leeds turns into a magical winter wonderland, with fairy lights, market stalls and carol singers sprinkled across the quaint narrow streets. For discount hotels, travel in late winter. Similarly, mid-autumn provides cheap hotels in Leeds.

What are the top must-see attractions in Leeds?

Leeds is rich with grand, historic architecture. Northwest of the city centre, see Kirkstall Abbey, a ruined 12th-century Cistercian monastery with many still standing stone and brick archways and facades. Temple Newsam is another architectural Leeds marvel – a vast red and white Tudor-Jacobean manor house surrounded by immaculate, bright green lawns and flower gardens. In central Leeds, stop by the bold, early 20th-century Neo-Gothic structure of Leeds Cathedral, commonly known as St Anne’s Cathedral, which features sheer stone walls and a small pyramid-shaped tower.

What are the best types of food and restaurants in Leeds?

Leeds champions traditional English cooking, with many inns and taverns dotted across the city serving classic, hearty pub food – think fish and chips, sausage and mash and roast dinners. In central Leeds, you’ll find a wealth of easy going chain restaurants with an international edge. There’s also an abundance of fine, authentic curry houses in the city. In recent years, Leeds’ independent café culture has bloomed, and you’ll find plenty of trendy brunch spots and small-plate eateries-cum-bars in central Leeds, particularly around the university.

What are the top things to do in Leeds?

History buffs can visit the Royal Armouries Museum, a modern glass walled structure standing beside Leeds Dock. This national museum displays a raft of rustic amour and weaponry – from models of ancient cavalrymen to medieval soldiers. For more captivating history, visit the Thackray Medical Museum, based in a redbrick former workhouse. Inside, enjoy educational exhibits which use sound and film installations to tell of medical life in Victorian Leeds. Just north of Leeds, you’ll discover Harewood House, a stately 18th-century home housing elegant art galleries and surrounded by rolling lawns.

What are some fun facts about Leeds?

The city of Leeds was long ago known by the name “Loidis”, but by the time the Domesday Book was written and published, “Loidis” had turned into the Old English “Ledes”, later evolving into Leeds. Locals in Leeds are fondly referred to as “Loiners” – it’s thought this nickname derives from the original city name “Loidis”. Leeds lays claim to a startling slice of history – the first ever film footage was recorded in Leeds in 1888, by French inventor Louis Le Prince, who mysteriously disappeared soon after.

What kinds of public transport are there in Leeds?

You can travel in Leeds with ease thanks to its extensive network of public buses, which cruise throughout the city centre, the wider metropolitan area and into the suburbs. The LeedsCityBus route is most helpful for tourists, as it loops around the city centre every 5 to 7 minutes throughout the day. If the weather’s pleasant, it’s often enjoyable to walk around the city centre – in summer, bicycle rentals are popular, too.