The Royal York Hotel is an historic Grade II listed building adjacent to York railway station. It is a five-storey building of yellow Scarborough brick and was completed in 1878, a year after the present station opened. The architect was William Peachey of the North Eastern Railway. It featured elegant, high-ceilinged banqueting rooms and 100 large bedrooms costing 14 shillings a night.
A 27-room west wing was added in 1896, named Klondyke after the US gold rush of the time.
It was originally called The Royal Station Hotel and took its name from the hotel erected as part of York old railway station, which closed when the new station opened.