The Met Leeds: Historic Grandeur Meets Modern Comfort

There are hotels where the building is little more than a backdrop to the stay. At The Met Hotel Leeds, it is difficult not to look up.

Arriving for a one-night stay in August, my first impression was the exterior. Originally opened as the Hotel Metropole in 1899, the Grade II listed building was designed by Leeds architects Chorley, Connon and Chorley. Its distinctive pink-red brick and terracotta exterior, Dutch gables, ornate windows and stone cupola give it a presence that immediately sets it apart from many contemporary city-centre hotels.

Historic England’s listing for the Hotel Metropole describes the architecture as loosely designed in the “French Loire” style. There is history in the detail, too: the cupola crowning the building was taken from Leeds’ demolished Fourth White Cloth Hall.

More than 125 years after the hotel first welcomed guests, The Met Hotel Leeds has entered another chapter. A £16 million transformation, completed in November 2025 following a phased programme of works, renewed the bedrooms, public areas and meeting spaces while retaining and restoring elements of the Grade II listed building’s Victorian character.

The project, delivered by RBH Management alongside owner Covivio, included £12 million of internal works and £4 million externally, with the number of bedrooms increasing from 120 to 125.

A Grand Entrance

The contrast between the historic exterior and the refurbished interior quickly becomes apparent after stepping inside.

The building may date from the Victorian era, but the hotel does not feel as though it is trying to recreate the past. Instead, the redesigned interior feels modern while retaining the proportions and grandeur that give The Met its character.

A striking lighting centrepiece immediately draws the eye on arrival and sets the tone for the spaces beyond. Warm colours, contemporary furniture, artwork and layered textures sit alongside surviving architectural features, including the hotel’s impressive staircase.

The interior scheme by Matthews Mee works with the original building rather than trying to disguise it. That approach feels particularly important here. The scale, decorative ceilings, columns and staircase are part of the experience of staying at The Met, while the refurbishment gives those features a more contemporary setting.

It is a balance that, from a guest’s perspective, works well. The hotel feels modern and newly finished without losing the sense that you are staying somewhere with a considerably longer story behind it.

A Thoughtfully Arranged Room

Upstairs, my double room continued the contemporary feel of the refurbished public spaces.

The layout had clearly been considered. The comfortable bed occupied one side of the room, while a small living area sat to the other, creating a useful degree of separation between sleeping and relaxing.

The bed itself was particularly comfortable, helped by good-quality sheets and bedding. The bathroom was similarly well presented: clean, light and modern, with good-quality toiletries adding another considered finishing touch.

It was some of the smaller details, however, that stood out.

Alongside the expected tea and coffee-making facilities was a Nespresso machine, while fudge and crisps provided a welcome extra. Bottles of Coca-Cola waiting in the fridge were also included with the room.

None of these additions is significant in isolation, but together they give the impression that thought has gone into what guests might appreciate once the door is closed.

Dinner At Gott’s

With central Leeds outside the door, there was no shortage of alternatives for dinner. Gott’s Bar & Kitchen had, however, come highly recommended, so we decided to stay in.

It proved to be the right decision.

Introduced as part of The Met’s wider transformation, Gott’s Bar & Kitchen is an all-day restaurant and bar with a menu drawing on familiar dishes, local ingredients and Yorkshire influences.

Choosing what to order was probably the most difficult part, with plenty on the menu competing for attention.

We eventually began with the crispy pork belly and grilled halloumi before moving on to two substantial mains.

The Met Pie brought together Wasedale beef shin slow cooked in red wine, signature pastry, creamy mash, jus and seasonal vegetables. It was comforting, generously flavoured and particularly well suited to the surroundings.

Our other choice was the rump steak, cooked exactly as requested and another dish that delivered.

Cocktails accompanied dinner, while the service deserves mention in its own right. The team were friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, talking us through the menu and offering recommendations when faced with several tempting choices.

There can sometimes be a temptation when staying at a city-centre hotel to automatically head elsewhere for dinner. Gott’s changed that calculation. The food was on point and, importantly, I would happily return for dinner even if I were not staying at The Met.

That may ultimately be one of the better measures of whether a hotel restaurant is working.

Leeds On The Doorstep

The location adds another dimension to a stay here.

I arrived by car, but Leeds railway station is only a short walk from the hotel, making The Met equally practical for a rail-based city break.

Once checked in, much of central Leeds can be explored on foot.

Trinity Leeds provides one of the city’s largest concentrations of retail, restaurants and leisure, while Victoria Leeds and its historic Victoria Quarter offer a very different environment beneath ornate arcades.

Leeds Corn Exchange is also worth seeking out. Its distinctive domed interior provides another dose of the city’s architecture alongside its collection of independent businesses.

For a one-night stay, that proximity matters. There is little need to spend time travelling between the hotel and the city centre; shops, restaurants, bars and some of Leeds’ most distinctive buildings are all within easy reach.

It also makes The Met a useful base for a stay that is as much about experiencing Leeds as it is about the hotel itself.

Old And New

The Met has an advantage that cannot be created through refurbishment alone: the character of a building dating back to the end of the 19th century.

Its red-brick and terracotta exterior, elaborate architectural detailing and grand internal proportions provide the backdrop. The more recent investment has given that backdrop a contemporary guest experience.

There is a noticeable contrast between standing outside this imposing Victorian building and stepping into its much more modern interior, but the two do not feel disconnected. The grandeur remains; it has simply been given a new setting.

Friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff reinforced that impression throughout the stay, while Gott’s proved considerably more than a convenient place to eat without leaving the hotel.

For a night in central Leeds, The Met brings together several things particularly well: a genuinely historic building, contemporary and comfortable accommodation, thoughtful finishing touches, a restaurant worth visiting in its own right and a location that puts much of the city within walking distance.

Five Top Tips For Staying At The Met Leeds

1. Look up when you arrive. The building is part of the experience. Take a moment to notice the terracotta detailing, Dutch gables and cupola before heading inside.
2. Consider arriving by train. We travelled by car, but Leeds railway station is only a short walk away, making The Met particularly convenient for a rail-based city break.
3. Don’t automatically head out for dinner. Leeds has no shortage of places to eat, but Gott’s deserves consideration. The food was good enough that I would return even without an overnight stay.
4. Leave time to explore Leeds on foot. Trinity Leeds, Victoria Quarter and the Corn Exchange are all easily incorporated into a city-centre stay, with plenty more to discover between them.
5. Notice the smaller touches. The Nespresso machine, complimentary snacks and drinks are modest details, but they contributed to a room that felt thoughtfully put together.

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