We just returned from a ten-day trip to England in late May. Here are the highlights.
We spent three nights in London, staying at the Rick-Steves-recommended Henley House Hotel in Earl's Court. The hotel was on a quiet street close to the tube station; an easy tube ride from Heathrow, and convenient to central London. A continental breakfast was served in a nice morning room. (One small downside is that there was only one electrical outlet in each room, requiring some careful strategy to charge electronic devices.) Pubs and a very nice pizzeria (Pizza Piccolo) are nearby. The Chelsea Flower Show was happening, and several businesses in Chelsea had nice outdoor decorations. We visited Westminster Abbey, the Churchill War Rooms, and the British Museum, and did the "Rock and Roll London" walking tour - all worthwhile.
We spent two nights in York, staying at the Rick-Steves-recommended Arnot House, which was a great example of a warm and homey bed and breakfast. The owner, Kim, was a dedicated host and went out of her way to make us feel welcome. She provided a wonderful breakfast each morning, and her home is comfortable and spotlessly clean. The location is quiet and a five-minute walk into town. It is a 10-15-minute walk from the train station (although those with luggage may prefer a short and inexpensive Uber or cab ride). We visited York Minster - it was impressive, but we visited on a Sunday afternoon and there were no guided tours available. We did the free walking tour with York Volunteer Guides and thoroughly enjoyed that. York is a fine example of a Roman walled city.
We spent four nights in Sheffield, which is not covered in the Rick Steves guidebook. We were there for a family reunion and stayed at the IHG Voco Hotel in the city centre. Sheffield was an important industrial city in the production of steel and cutlery. There are good pubs and the Abbeyvale Industrial Hamlet is an interesting one-to-two-hour visit.
We spent our last night at the Radisson Blu hotel near Heathrow Airport. The Pheasant Inn is a very nice pub within an easy ten-minute walk of the hotel. The hotel provides a shuttle (at a cost of six pounds per person) to your terminal at Heathrow. I would stay there again if I needed to spend a night near the airport.
Allow plenty of time at Heathrow on your departure day - the British Airways bag drop area became very crowded and the staff had to pivot (which they did nicely) after closing the computerized bag-drop lanes. We allowed three hours, which was sufficient for our 11 am departure.
As you may know, the weather in England can vary widely in May. The forecast of 65-degree days with rain, right before we left, turned into 80-to-85-degree days with plenty of sun. Expect the unexpected!