Hotels in Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle is small enough that no part of the centre is a bad choice, so picking a base is more about the kind of weekend you want than about distance. The centre of gravity for most visitors is Grainger Town, the grid of classical stone streets between Grey's Monument and the river. Staying on or near Grey Street means the Theatre Royal, the Grainger Market, Eldon Square and dozens of restaurants are within a few minutes on foot, and Central Station is a level ten-minute walk. The trade-off is noise: the streets around the Bigg Market stay lively until the small hours on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Quayside offers the same central position with a different atmosphere. Hotels along the river look straight at the Tyne Bridge and the Millennium Bridge, the walk east towards the Ouseburn is one of the best in the city, and once the bars close the waterfront settles down quickly. Bear in mind the topography: the Quayside sits at the bottom of a steep bank, and getting back up to Grey Street involves either a long flight of stairs or a detour.

For a quieter stay with more character, look a mile north to Jesmond. This is Newcastle's handsome Victorian suburb, all wide avenues and mature trees, with its own cluster of independent restaurants along Osborne Road, two Metro stations and the wooded valley of Jesmond Dene on the doorstep. It suits couples, families and anyone arriving by car, since parking is far less fraught than in the centre. Gosforth works in much the same way and is convenient for the airport.

Across the river, Gateshead puts you beside BALTIC and the Glasshouse with the classic view back towards the city, usually at a slightly lower nightly rate. And if the coast appeals more than the city, Tynemouth and Whitley Bay are twenty-five minutes away by Metro, which makes a beach base entirely workable. Book well ahead for Great North Run weekend in September and for home matches at St James' Park, when rates across the city rise sharply.