Hotels in Leeds, the United Kingdom

Best time to visit Leeds

The temperature in Leeds does not go far beyond 20 degrees Celsius at any time of the year. May – September are the slightly warmer months with average temperature of 15 – 18 degrees Celsius. This is also the time when Leeds hosts several events and festivals making it a good time to visit. Winter temperatures range between 7 – 11 degrees Celsius. Rain, fog, and thunderstorms occur all year round, so remember to bring your rain boots, raincoats, and umbrellas whenever you visit Leeds.

Getting around Leeds

Leeds is a compact city and you can easily cover most of the sights and attractions on foot. The city is also well-connected by Leeds CityBus which links all key locations around the City Centre at £1.00 GBP per journey. You can also hail the black and white taxis which are easily available all over the city.

Best places to stay in Leeds

A perfect mix of classic and contemporary, urban and Victorian, Leeds is a lively city and an important industrial hub in the UK. While most of the landmarks and attractions as well as hotels are clustered around the City Centre, the suburbs offer a more relaxed country-side ambience and relatively cheaper accommodation.

City Centre

Home to some of UK’s best shops, restaurants, nightlife, and all the major sights and attractions in Leeds, the City Centre is the ideal location to stay during your Leeds visit. For comfortable, modern accommodation, consider the Dakota Deluxe Leeds which is surrounded by restaurants and cafes, and is a short 4-minute walk from Leeds train station. Alternatively, enjoy the Art Deco-style and elegant ambience of The Queens, a landmark hotel located in the City Square. At the heart of the City Centre on River Aire, 42 the Calls is a corn mill renovated to a boutique luxury hotel. It offers riverside rooms featuring handmade furniture, original artworks, and even fishing rods for the hobby travellers!

Headingley

Less than 5 kilometres outside the City Centre, the suburb of Headingley is the heart of sports in Leeds. The Headingley Stadium is home to the Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Leeds Rhinos rugby league team. With a host of continental restaurants, classic pubs, beer gardens and cafés, this area is an interesting alternative if you wish to stay slightly away from the hustle and bustle of the City Centre. Consider the Haley’s Hotel & Restaurant, a privately-owned Victorian mansion-turned-hotel on a quiet, tree-lined street. Or you can enjoy a comfortable stay at the Village Leeds North hotel, just a short walk from the Headingley Stadium.

Holbeck Urban Village

An inner-city area on the southern edge of the City Centre, Holbeck is home to upscale apartments, office buildings, and a major hub of the digital and media industries. You will find a number of boutique pubs and restaurants catering to the creative and quirky people living and working in this neighbourhood. Book the Clayton Hotel Leeds, for a contemporary stay just a short distance away from the Leeds Royal Armouries Museum.

Bramhope

The neighbourhood of Bramhope offers an interesting mix of the charming Leeds countryside, beautiful woodlands, and urban amenities within a short distance of the City Centre. Enjoy the Alpine style self-catering lodges, and an on-site spa that blend seamlessly into the Yorkshire woodland setting of gardens, lakes and walkways when you stay at the Chevin Country Park Hotel & Spa.

Cheap hotels in Leeds

There are several options for cheap accommodation in Leeds. Many of the Victorian homes and country cottages converted into family-run bed and breakfast accommodations offer budget-friendly alternatives to regular hotels. You can consider Avalon Guest House, a family-run hotel that is walking distance from the City Centre or the Glengarth Guest House which is closer to the University of Leeds. You also have Storm Jameson Court, the award-winning 4-star campus accommodation of the University of Leeds. All rooms feature and en-suite with shower, floor-to-ceiling windows, in-room safes, tea / coffee trays and free internet access.

Whether you are looking to soak up the tea and crumpet culture, indulge in retail therapy, or enjoy a weekend getaway, Leeds is sure to cater to every requirement. The city’s covered arcades and cobbled alleyways will entice you to wander around the streets, and take in the Victorian architecture as you explore this interesting city.

• Visit the Royal Armouries Museum and learn about 3,000 years of warfare through its interesting displays and exhibits.
• Explore the medieval Cistercian Kirkstall Abbey near the banks of River Aire and also make a stop at the interactive Abbey House Museum.
• Relax or enjoy a picnic in the 179 acres of mature woodland at Golden Acre Park.
• Spend the day at the 700-acre Roundhay Park which has a host of family-friendly attractions at Tropical World, an island filled with tropical birds and wildlife. Roundhay Park is also home to Alhambra Gardens (modelled on the world-famous gardens at Alhambra Spain), and the Monet Garden (based on the gardens planted by Monet at Giverny, France).
• Art lovers, don’t miss a visit to the airy white galleries of The Henry Moore Institute which houses one of the largest collections of sculptures in Europe. You can also admire the fine works of 19th and 20th-century British painters at the Leeds City Art Gallery.
• Enjoy a drive in the countryside landscape and visit the Temple Newsam Home Farm located in the great country house of Temple Newsam House and Farm. Interact freely with the friendly farm animals, such as pigs, sheep, goats, cattle, and ducks.
• Explore boutique shops offering vintage clothing, handmade jewellery, and organic soaps at the Corn Exchange, an erstwhile grain market converted into a shopping centre. The grand Victorian building features wrought-iron balconies and a spectacular dome. Later, head to the Piazza by Anthony, a celebrity-chef run gastronomic heaven located in the lower level of this building.
• Indulge in the high-end branded stores of the buzzing Victoria Quarter which boasts of arcaded streets with stained-glass ceilings, mosaic, and marble flooring.
• If you happen to be in Leeds on a Wednesday, head to glass-domed Kirkgate Market which is home to over 800 stalls, including Polish delicacies, Chinese supermarkets, and Asian bazaars.
• Enjoy the best Yorkshire beers, classic fish and chips, and delicious Sunday roasts served with Yorkshire pudding at Whitelocks, the oldest pub in Leeds featuring Victorian brass and copper counters and engraved mirrors inside a row of Georgian artisan cottages.