'We want to keep pushing boundaries' - welcome to The Vices York

Co-founders Daniel Curro and Moreno Carbone have finally opened what is arguably York's smallest hotel in what was once a Victorian police station, and latterly a B&B, after refurbishing the property.

The Vices, in Alma Terrace, Fulford, is now home to just three guest suites, a cocktail bar (bookings only), a wine library and the 14-cover Allium restaurant.

Daniel and Moreno, experts in design and hospitality, also plan to open a second venue, The Vices Puglia, in Italy, but renovation work on the historic building will take a full year.

Daniel said he was relieved The Vices York was finally open.

"For a very long time this has felt like a building site. It feels a bit surreal sometimes.

"It is very emotional. It has been a lot of work with a lot of passion and thought gone into it. We had to make some compromises, of course, but we made it happen."

He said the boutique hotel had received an incredibly positive response, and they hoped to be busy.

"We want to be busy on all fronts - the restaurant, wine tasting and hotel rooms. We have got bookings from people who live in England but hopefully we will get bookings from abroad as well which is what we want for the whole city.

"We want to keep pushing boundaries where people come in and don't know what to expect."

Daniel believes The Vices is unique in the north of England due to its intimate size and high-end design.

"Even in London there are probably very few places quite like this," he said.

"It is everything; it is the design, the number of suites we have, the amount of covers. If you take all that into account, with this high-spec design and interior, there's nothing like it."

The hotel features artwork by Victor Castillo, Alesandra Maria and Benjamin Lacombe, with Italian furniture and contemporary light installations.

Minimalist in style, the three guest suites range from £350 to £600 a night.

Individually styled, the first suite features a designer glass wardrobe and bed suspended on glass legs, and a crystal resin bathtub by Antonio Lupi.

The second has hand blown glass tables and a hand carved, herringbone oak floor by Listone Giordano while the third suite, with its own entrance, has a pure brass bed by Xam and handcrafted Japanese paper moons by Davide Groppi.

The Allium is open from Wednesday to Saturday, serving a £70 set tasting menu at 7pm with an optional wine pairing served by Daniel, a sommelier.

Guests can enjoy the six courses in the dining room which has open views into the kitchen, or in the wine library - an intimate setting, with a cooler temperature akin to a wine cellar.

All the wine, apart from the Champagne, is Italian, ranging from £50 a bottle to several thousand pounds. Some wines are not available anywhere else in the UK.

Head chef Luke Sanderson, who previously worked at The Pheasant in Harome, said the dishes changed regularly depending on the availability of luxury products such as langoustine and sea urchin. The menu has previously featured squirrel fritter and Mallard canapes.

Key dishes include burnt onion and whey broth; langoustine tartar with rosehip and juniper; and Jerusalem artichoke toffee with blood orange and fresh hazelnut, while handmade chocolates include Gjetost and Saba Ganache.

Allium is planning a plant-based takeover from May 4 to 7.