Jesmond Dene House

About Jesmond Dene House

Jesmond Dene House is the closest thing Newcastle has to a country house hotel, and it manages it barely a mile and a half from Grey Street. The building is a substantial Arts and Crafts mansion of stone and mullioned windows, remodelled at the turn of the twentieth century by the architect John Dobson's successors for a Tyneside industrial family, and it stands right on the edge of Jesmond Dene, the steep wooded valley that Lord Armstrong gave to the city. Step out of the front door and you are among waterfalls, mature trees and footpaths rather than traffic.

There are 41 bedrooms, spread between the original house and a sympathetic modern wing, and no two are laid out the same way. The older rooms have the panelling, high ceilings and deep window seats you would expect; the newer ones are lighter and squarer, several with small terraces opening onto the gardens. Family suites and interconnecting arrangements are available, which is unusual at this level in Newcastle. The hotel remains independently owned rather than part of a chain, and the service reflects that - it is attentive without being stiff.

Food is a genuine reason to come. The Fern Dining Room holds an AA Rosette and works to a seasonal menu leaning heavily on Northumbrian meat, North Sea fish and produce from the borders. Afternoon tea is something of an institution locally, and the bar is a comfortable room in its own right rather than a waiting area. Weddings and private events use the ground floor regularly, so it is worth asking what else is on when you book.

It suits couples wanting somewhere calm, families who need space, and business visitors who would rather not stay in a city centre block. Getting into town is easy - a fifteen-minute downhill walk, a short taxi, or the Metro from West Jesmond - and there is on-site parking, which in Newcastle is worth a good deal on its own.