Where to stay

North Yorkshire is a large county, and where you stay changes what kind of trip you get. The moors and dales villages — Hawes, Leyburn, Pickering, Thirsk, Masham, Helmsley — put you among hills, sheep fields and long walks, with market towns and abbeys close by. The coast is a different world: Whitby, Scarborough and Filey have sandy bays, harbour walls, cliff paths and a strong seaside feel, and they are the busiest choices in summer. York is the historic heart, walled and compact, with its Minster, narrow streets and riverside walks; it is the easiest base if you want museums, shops and restaurants on foot. Town bases such as Harrogate, Ripon, Skipton and Northallerton mix shopping and eating with quick access to the countryside.

Use the numbers on each place page to narrow things down. York, Scarborough, Whitby, Leyburn and Skipton each have 45 places to stay, and Harrogate 41, so those are the deepest pools for choice. Hawes has 30 with 6 of them 5-star, and York, Scarborough, Whitby, Leyburn and Llandudno each have 15 5-star places. Whitby, Scarborough, Leyburn, Skipton and Settle all show 36 or more places with parking, which helps if you are driving. There are also smaller bases like Malton, Thirsk, Ingleton, Ripon, Helmsley and Bedale, where 3-star and 4-star places sit alongside each other.

3-star places suit walkers, cyclists and anyone who wants a simple base for the moors and coast; they are common in Hawes, Malton, Thirsk, Ingleton, Ripon, Helmsley, Masham, Northallerton, Bedale, Selby, Grassington, Filey, Knaresborough and Richmond, often with parking. 4- and 5-star places give more space, service and extras and cluster in York, Scarborough, Whitby, Leyburn, Skipton, Llandudno and Harrogate; York, Scarborough, Whitby, Leyburn and Llandudno each hold 15 5-star places. Choose 3-star if you plan to be out all day; go up a tier for a special occasion or if you want to spend more time at the hotel.