Thanks everyone, this is great information. Though I can see myself needing a lot more than a few days in that area . I might stay in Leeds for a couple of nights, before or after York. The arcades look beautiful, that's the sort of thing I love seeing. The Watergarden sounds lovely, I'll check it out online and see how to get there.

On Google Maps, Leeds looks a lot bigger than York. Is Leeds a bigger city and is it easily walkable if I stay somewhere central?

Leeds is much bigger and has a lot of unpleasant urban sprawl and poverty that comes with that. If I was visiting I'd stay roughly within the inner ring road (not circular more trilobed) (should be clear from google maps) though a few nice places to stay are opening to the west of it. Since I live here I cannot guide on hotels as I just don't use them.

Outside the inner ring road are a few great visits, (most are inside), these include the Wakefield Barbera Hepworth gallery (name escapes me) and the West Yorkshire Sculpture park, they sort of bond with the Henry Moore gallery in the centre of town (make sure you visit the Design Centre under the Henry Moore and the Victorian art gallery beside the Henry Moore). Both the first two are visitable by bus. Then there is the Armories Leeds which is full of all the stuff from the back of the cupboards in the Tower of London. Well worth 4 hours visit if you want to learn how we killed people in history. In the summer they have jousting there and actors wandering the place in costume chatting to people. Most or all are free but they all have a coffee shop/cafe (the Victorian art gallery coffee shop is extraordinary) and are plonked down in an area requiring gentrification in one way or another. You will also find Kirkstall Abbey (a ruin as per usual) and the odd industrial museum to the west.

If you can get access to the Town Hall... the main room is a fantastic display of Victorian art, with some of the most faultless decoration in praise of Industry/Agriculture I've ever seen. I was able to go to a Chick Corea concert there and it was a bit like listening to the French Horn while eating lampreys....

The Victorian art gallery coffee shop sounds right up my alley. I love the grand one at the V&A. I checked on Google and the Leeds Art Gallery is next to the Henry Moore Institute. So I guess the extraordinary coffee shop is at the Leeds Art Gallery?
I'm learning about places I've never been, and want to see, and learning new words as well. Had to look up trilobed and lamprey

So I guess the extraordinary coffee shop is at the Leeds Art Gallery?

yes, just to the left at the entrance to the LAG or from the Leeds Library, which is to the left of the Tiled Hall and itself has a wonderful, if slightly damaged staircase

I don't know if this aligns with your interest, KayF, but what I would definitely do if I was staying in York (or surroundings) longer than a day would be a day trip on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, on vintage steam or diesel trains, from Pickering to Whitby and back. It should be possible to catch a bus from York to Pickering, the heritage train to Whitby, and do the reverse journey after a couple of hours in Whitby. Whitby is really lovely, and so is the scenery of the North York Moors, and of course the heritage railway is its own attraction; I regret not finding the time to ride the train when I was in the area.

Thanks for all this information on the area, I'm busily researching and checking where things are. It's not going to be possible to fit everything in, even though I will probably extend the time spent in York and Leeds.

You asked about Coal Drops Yard; very nice shopping center, great architecture and not your average chain-stores. There are some good restaurants, such as Coal Office and the German Gymnasium. You are going in May, hopefully the weather will be good and you can enjoy some of the outdoor seating.

Re the St Pancras Renaissance hotel. - O'm not sure they do any tours -- but you don't need a tour to see the public rooms. Lobby/etc are all open to the pubic. Staying in the Historic rooms is (VERY) pricey, but the modern rooms in he Barlow wing are cheaper and depending on the specific date can be fairly 'moderate'. I got to stay in one of the amazing historic rooms (didn't pay for it -- they upgraded me from the Barlow wing -- have no idea why but it was a really special treat)

I'm not sure I'd stay in Leeds -- for visiting the gallery(s) etc you could do an easy day trip from York by train. Less than half an hour each way.

Have you thought about a day trip to Whitby (ruined Abbey, St Mary's Church, harbour, Dracula connections....) It's a lovely ride across the North York Moors and dropping down into Whitby. Timetable here.
https://bustimes.org/services/840-le...on-dale-whitby