We spent the night at the Doubletree before a 6:00 flight the following day. For an early flight…read morethe location can't be beat. It isn't physically connected to the airport as with other airport hotels, but it is a very short walk. It is also very close to the train station. I booked my room too late, and unfortunately paid a small fortune for it. Despite the price we had a nice stay. The staff greeted us at check-in and offered iced lollies to my two kids. We were also given warm chocolate chip walnut cookies, which I thought was a nice touch. Our room was large and the beds comfortable. One wall was floor-to-ceiling windows with a scenic view over the airport parking lot. The curtains were thick and did a good job of blocking out the light. We had fish and chips at the bar downstairs near the reception and it was decent. Overall this is a place worth staying at if your travel plans include awkward flight times.

Fantastic location, friendly & professional team, fantastic restaurant in the lobby!! Italian - we…read morehad the flatbread, pasta, and dessert. Chefs did an amazing job and you can view the kitchen from the dining room. Overall - Convenient, clean, and comfortable! I'll be back again

My husband and I stayed for one night at Matfen Hall Hotel & Spa for his birthday. The Hotel is…read moreabout 30 minutes' drive outside of Newcastle city centre and is situated in some very gorgeous countryside. The grounds are picturesque and surrounded by a very large golf course. We were upgraded upon our arrival to a premier room, which was a lovely surprise. The package I booked included dinner, bed & breakfast plus 2 spa treatments and access to the leisure centre, pool and sauna facilities. I've posted pictures of the room itself - old fashioned but HUGE and very comfy. I didn't get any photos of the leisure facilities unfortunately but they were very modern and the pool was the PERFECT temperature at all times. We had our evening meal at the Library & Print Room restaurant. They provided us with complementary champagne for my husband's birthday and some lovely canapés in the Print Room whilst we browsed the menu. My husband had the cheese soufflé and the 'Matfen Hall' Fillet. Both of his selections were out of this world - very tasty and succulent. I had the duck salad to start ( a bit too much going on there, not well balanced) and the pork belly as my main. The pork was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. I would have been completely happy with it if I hadn't tasted my husband's fillet. After a bite of his steak, everything else paled in comparison - definitely worth the £5 extra he had to pay for it over our inclusive allowance. The other great thing about the restaurant was the service was incredible - I can't say enough about how well trained and attentive the staff were. The desserts, however, lacked the same quality of the earlier entrees and we were both left wishing we had just had some cheese instead of the tall & skinny crème brulee or the too-sour lime cheese cake with chocolate rice krispies base (yes, I said rice krispies!). The next morning we had a very pleasant and yummy breakfast in the Library restaurant, followed by a day of leisure at the poolside. We took advantage of the spa treatments on both days and were very impressed with the quality of the facilities and staff. For the money you pay, the massages, facials, pedicures, etc. are luxurious and indulgent but also a good value for such high-class treatment in my opinion. This place is a golfer's paradise as well. Neither of us enjoy golf, so we didn't partake but I can see why it draws golfer's from all over - so pristine & quiet out there. There is a Go Ape obstacle course facility nearby as well, although I don't think it's open in the winter. Matfen Hall is a very quiet, serene place. I don't think it would be good for people with small children but it's excellent for couples. Definitely will return to Matfen Hall. The whole experience was class.

After visiting Alnwick Castle, we stopped for lunch at the White Swan Hotel and both ordered the…read morepie of the day: chicken, bacon, and mushroom, served with chips and seasonal vegetables. The meal was decent overall, but it wasn't particularly memorable. The pie looked great and had a nicely baked, golden crust that was easily the best part of the dish. While the filling was hearty enough, it lacked the depth of flavor we were expecting from a traditional pub pie and felt a little under-seasoned. The chips were good, and the vegetables were cooked well, making for a solid, comforting meal. The atmosphere of the hotel was pleasant and provided a nice place to relax after exploring the castle. While the food wasn't bad by any means, it didn't quite stand out among some of the other meals we had during our trip.

This rating is for the Hardy's cafe located within the hotel. I enjoyed their afternoon tea served…read morewith champagne and chocolate strawberries. Everything was tasty- the sandwiches, sweets, and biscuits. The staff even allowed me to take photos of the famous Olympic dining lounge after my meal - stunning! If you have a chance to try dinner in this place, I'd do it!

This is a beautiful place for weddings. A massive country house hotel the rooms are lovely with…read morecomfterable beds and large bathrooms. The hotels have a golf course and a spa. The food served at weddings is lovely but you can eat here at any time. The meals are a little expensive in the main resteraunt for for a more reasonably priced meal you can eat at the keepers lodge which is the bar. If you dont want a massive meal then I would recommend the afternoon tea for £11 you get massive of sandwiches cakes scones tarts and tea or coffee. This is a lovely place to hold a wedding

The fare at Matfen Hall is in my opinion THE best in the Newcastle area.I have dined there on a…read morenumber of occasions.To make the most of your dining experience I would forget about dining at the weekend when they can sometimes be tempted to overbook.Mid week is best.The Hall is the ancestral seat of Baronet Blackett who turned it into a hotel a few years ago.It is quite lavish and tastefully done.The Library room is the setting for the formal dining area.It has many original features and is most civilised.there is always a Table DHote menu with a fixed price of under £30 from which you can normally find some intriguing dishes to suit most pallets.There is also an a la carte menu-the only problem is that that is more expensive but really very tempting depending upon whats on offer.the wine list is extensive and lists some expensive vintage wines which are well worth paying for if you are so minded as they are excellent.Having dined at Close House and Slaley Hall as well I have to say that if country House Hotels is your thing this wins hands down.

The inn here is small and well run. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, but the beds are very…read moresoft. The restaurant is delicious. The food is fresh and there is a good selection of traditional foods. The service is excellent and everyone is very friendly.

A beautiful, comfortable inn with amazing fiod and a gracious staff. I loved staying here, and I'd…read moredo it again in an instant.

Stayed again this year. There was a wedding going on, so I was unable to book the same spacious…read moreroom as last, but what I got was clean and comfortable. Staff are enormously helpful and friendly, the beach is out the door, the view is amazing, and the hotel defines old-fashioned class. This is NOT a glitzy big-city hotel, but if you value service, comfort and old-fashioned care of the guest - this is it. Back in April, I hope.

The staff is friendly and welcoming. The hotel is furnished beautifully. The rooms are well…read moreappointed however, be prepared, the guest rooms have bathroom doors made of GLASS. Who wants to sit on the toilet in view of anyone in the room?! Whomever designed this gave zero thought to function. Terribly inconsiderate!!

All you really need in a hotel This is a comfortable hotel…read morein the best pub/hotel tradition. The old building is well restored and the plumbing arrangements are superb, and varied. Some rooms have showers and some have baths so ask if it matters to you. The tubs are wonderful large clawfoot reproductions. The décor sometimes left us amused and bemused. It was a confusing mixture of enchanted or haunted forest with hunting lodge. But the furniture was large, solid and comfortable, mostly rough and rustic. The art in one room was a bizarre mix of animal photos and Paris Soiree with non-matching outré light fixtures. Très amusant. But our stay was very comfortable and we were well cared for. Breakfast was notably superb and generous, packed lunches ample. These two items were also well organized with check of lists to be prepared early to make it efficient. My friends and I stayed two nights and were most happy with everything. Some rooms are a little stuffy if windows do not open (we were there in hot weather) so you may want to make a specific request. Number 1 High Street Bar was a delightful find, too. We had afternoon tea there twice. We had drinks at least twice. And we had Tapas one evening for a most excellent supper. They were a wonderful surprise, very high quality eats. Very highly recommended.

We stayed at the hotel for one night whilst going to a Concert at the Sage Gateshead with family in…read moretwo rooms and found the accommodation to be excellent value for money, the staff were friendly and helpful bed very clean and comfortable bathroom bright, clean and gallons of hot water, we had an excellent night's sleep and though the location in an industrial estate was at first off putting parking was easy and access to the main motorway proved simple and a taxi into town not expensive. The problems we had with our stay was when we got up next morning and went to the Wagon Team for breakfast this must be the worst breakfast I have ever, had the room was dirty and dark it was a lottery as to what food was available (even hot water, tea and coffee were in short supply) and the cooked breakfast when it arrived was practically inedible with the cheapest saddest ingredients it was possible to source. The one member of staff who was working tried her best but was not able to cope with the relatively small number of guests trying to get the most basic of items we took milk, tea bags back to our room to make a cup of tea. We would recommend the Hotel but get in the car and go elsewhere for your breakfast a complete rip off that Premier Inn need to remedy if they want our repeat business next time we are in the area.