About Us

We have completed a refurbishment January 2012 and it's brilliant! The Acer B&B looks absolutely gorgeous, as well as being spotlessly clean and extremely comfortable. Luxurious silks, sturdy oak, state of the art televisions and beautiful new lighting. Combine all of this with a nod to Charles Rennie Makintosh, Hercule Poirot, the first 30 years in the life of 52 Scarcroft Hill (1900 to 1930), the golden age of rail travel and seduction courtesy of Jack Vetriano, and The Acer has been transformed into a "boutique" guest house.

There are currenly circa 191 independent reviews about The Acer Guest House on TripAdvisor. Take a look, click on www.TripAdvisor.co.uk, the reviews are glowing and getting ever more complimentary after the recent redecoration of the B&B (especially for the four poster room). There is currently one review on TripAdvisor posted to the wrong establishment...I have no record of the guests having stayed at The Acer. Unfortunately TripAdvisor are refusing to resolve the matter!

This multi award winning (notably for breakfast), 4 star, Silver Accolade B&B with free parking is run by proprietor Karen Allen. Karen, who has over 28 years experience of working in the hospitality industry, offers professional, unobtusive, friendly service in a relaxed and comfortable environment.

Stay with Karen in the peace and quiet of a residential street, only minutes walk from the hustle and bustle of the city with it's many excellent bars, pubs and restaurants. Book a table at Melton's www.meltonsrestaurant.co.uk, one of York's top fine dining restaurants, and stroll a few blocks home to The Acer guest house afterwards. Alternatively try dinner in the bistro at the stylish, boutique Hotel Du Vin www.hotelduvin.com (look out for their excellent special offers in their bar and Bistro) and be back at The Acer B&B in a matter of moments. Should Italian be your food of choice go to one of Karen's favourites Delrio's ; it's well worth braving the trip down into the basement!

The Racecourse is only 10 minutes walk from the B&B.

Stuck for ideas for biirthday gifts for your nearest and dearest? How about a Gift Certificate for a stay at The Acer guest house? The Certificate can be redeemed whenever it suits the recipient ( subject to availability at the B&B) and is valid for a minimum of one year.

"INSIDER TIPS" updated February 5th.

• Want to stay somwhere newly refurbished? The Acer has just had a redecoration completed January 2012...it's fantastic if I say so myself!
• We are located only 10 minutes from both the racecourse grandstand and the city.
• Spamalot - 20th to 25th Feb at The Grand Opera House. Monty Python with an Eastenders twist and Bonny Langford. 15 minute walk from the b&b.
• Christopher Timothy in The Diary of Anne Frank at the Theatre Royal Feb 17th to March 3rd. (20 minute walk from the Guest House).
• Balletboyz - March 10th at The Grand Opera House, 15 minute walk from the B&B.
• March 19th to 24th at The Opera House, Stomp. (5 minutes in a cab from The Acer b&b).
• 16th April to 21st April, Direct from the West End, Yes Prime Minister at the Theatre Royal. (3 minutes in a cab from thr BandB).
• Chicago 16th to 21st April at The Opera House.
• Spaghetti Western Orchestra The Opera House on Feb 15th.
• Comedy with Sarah Millican March 8th and April 2nd at The Opera House.
• March 9th Hormonal Houswives at The Opera House.
• ShangHi - Wed 2nd & Thurs 3rd May at The Opera House, York.
• Steel Magnolias with Cheryl Campbell and Cherie Lunghi; 7th to 12th May at The Opera House
• February 12th - Van Morrison at The Barbican, 20 minute walk from The Acer Guest House.
• Reduced Shakespeare Company, Theatre Royal, 13th to 16th June, 20 minute walk from the b&b.
• Book your tickets for The Jorvik Viking Museum on line and avoid the queues. Only buy the joint ticket for the sister museum DIG if your children are with you and they are of primary school age. Alternatively, ask me for a 20% discount voucher.
• The Queen is in town on Thursday April 5th giving away the Maunday Money at The Minster.
• York's new Chocolate Museum is under construction. The city is hosting a chocolate festival in 2012 to celebrate. York was home to Terry's and Rowntree's and on certain days you can still get the aroma of chocolate all over the city from Nestle (especially in A&E!). Combine a visit to the museum with a guided walk, Yorkwalk, around the city's chocolate hotspots...free samples.
• Walk in the footsteps of the Vikings every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 6pm. Take the children to join author S.P. Grey ("The Last Vikings" and "The Return of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer") to find out all about our Viking history. Click on www.yorkvikingwalk.com or take your Acer key fob along for a 50% discount.
• York Dungeon - Buy your ticket from the Tourist Information Centre and save a lot of money.
• Best ice cream in York? Licc on Swinegate, a lovely, proper ice cream parlour.
• Best latte and cappuccino? D'Clare up the side of Superdrug. Try the cake!
• Best chocolate? Hotel Chocolat. Look out for the half price bargains.
• Spa discount for The Acer guests at The Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa. Discounted daily rate of £15. Amazing spa in the vaults of the old railway HQ.
• Restaurants the locals frequent :

Delrio's Sardinian (Italian mainly) in a basement on Micklegate. The food and service are excellent but you need to be brave like the locals to go down those stairs into this cellar restaurant. Full of extremely cosy nooks and crannies...you will overhear and be overheard!

If you like authentic south east asian food, and you don't mind scruffy, a bit grubby and students get yourself to The Evil Eye on Stonegate. The food is fantastic, in huge portions but slow to arrive. The best cocktails, not the best cocktail lounge, in York.

Saffron Indian on Micklegate. Join Willie Wales at his (allegedly) favourite York Indian restaurant (you won't bump into him here now he is stationed on The Falklands though).

Noodles? York now has a choice...Tokyo Joe on Swinegate (we once sat next to Carlos Acosta here for all you ballet aficionados) or Waggamamma on Goodramgate.

Thai, the Old Siam on Micklegate.

A stunning place to eat lunch is Grey's Court behind the Treasure's House. Used in the filming of Eternal Law with Sam West. Drop down off the walls into their beautiful garden and if it's too cold to sit outside aim for a sofa in the gallery. It's like having your lunch in a stately home and the food is lovely. Be warned, the service can be appalling.

• Where to find the best chefs in the city?

Ate O'clock up the ginnel by Fat Face and Costa Coffee. Not too fancy and really well thought through menu. Go B4 Ate for some very good deals.

J Baker on Fossgate. This chef came from a Michelin starred restaurant and whilst his York eatery does not have any stars the food is Michelin style, quality and prices. It's fancy, expensive, but brilliant food.

Melton's, 5 minutes walk from The Acer B&B where Michael cooks his socks off (worked with the Roux brothers)...my tip for the best food in York. Not to be confused with Melton's Too.

Bistro at Hotel du Vin, another 5 minute walk from The Acer Guest House. Look out for their outstanding deals in the bar and restaurant. Sommeliers who really, really know their stuff. The place for celeb spotting (Glen Campbell and Prunella Scales were our latest). A word of advice, always check your bill.

• Overseas visitors - You will miss out if you treat York as simply a convenient overnight stop (which it undoubtedly is) between London and Edinburgh. York is 2 hours by train from King's Cross London and 2.5 hours by train from Edinburgh (5 hours and 4.5 hours by car respectivley). York has a lot for you to see and do...spend some time with us because "we're worth it"! Come see The Queen, in town one night only April 5th.
• City Screen Cinema off Coney Street has a good, licensed cafe with fantastic views of the river and an out door terrace. Ladies, if you need to feel comfortable sitting having a drink alone this is the place to go.
• Great offers in the Bistro at Hotel du Vin. The sommeliers here know there stuff.
• A Yorkshire institution not to be missed? Betty's...remember to take a full wallet to this beautiful Edwardian tea room and bakery. Tourists should make sure they get to Betty's rather than Litte Betty's for the full experience.
• My tip for restaurants in the UK...do not pay the service charge. Have the charge taken off the bill (if you ask them to remove it they legally must) and leave the tip of your choice in cash.
• Be careful when you look at internet review sites. Read the reviews by all means but any ranking system they use includes how much money the site owners (e.g. Expedia, Thomas Cook) can earn indirectly from bookings made at the establishments.
• If you use internet booking sites apply the "filters" which will really help you. "Most popular" may well mean most popular with the owners of the site i.e. those establishments paying the most commission to the site owner for your booking rather than most popular with previous guests. Get internet savvy guys!
• When writing reviews on the internet only put what you would have been prepared to say direct to the face of the hotelier. (This is my tip for any e mail writing too).
• Accommodation providers really, really appreciate bookings made direct rather than through the internet. Give me a call, 01904 653839, and speak direct to me...