Victoria Inn in Durham, England

The Victoria Inn offers free private parking on-site, a rare find so close to Durham city centre. The public bar, original snug, and rear sitting room each have coal fires and period decor that has remained unchanged since the 1890s. Pets are allowed throughout the property, and the inn provides a separate guest entrance for added privacy.

Each of the six rooms includes a private bathroom with a bath or shower, a television, and an electric kettle with generous tea and coffee supplies. Rooms are furnished with comfortable beds, wardrobes, and free toiletries, and some offer views of the quiet residential street. The property does not serve breakfast, but the staff provide a list of nearby cafes and restaurants within a 5-minute walk.

The inn sits 500 metres from Durham Cathedral, a 6-minute walk across Kingsgate Bridge to Palace Green. Durham Castle and the Durham World Heritage Site are within a 10-minute walk, and the city centre's shops and restaurants are easily reached on foot. Beamish Museum and Lumley Castle are a short drive away, and the River Wear offers boating in the surroundings.

The ground-floor pub has three distinct drinking rooms: the public bar with a curved mahogany counter, a front sitting room with Victorian porcelain figurines, and a rear snug with original service bell-pushes. A selection of local ales is available, and the bar is regularly featured in the Good Beer Guide and Alastair Sawday Pub Guide. There is no music, fruit machine, or television in the bar, encouraging conversation among locals, students, and visitors.