On a mini-break ‘up North’ – further North than Leeds that is – to visit the sprawling estate on which Slaley Hall Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort sits, our first stop on Friday evening was Newcastle upon Tyne to visit friends.
Having stayed with friends in Heaton, we woke on Saturday morning with a slightly sore head and in need of a good breakfast. So, after an amble down Newcastle’s Chillingham Road, full of quirky cafés, shops and eateries, we eventually settled for a florist-come-hipster-café. Fed and filled with plenty of coffee, it was time for the next stretch of our Northumberland road trip.
Slaying it at Slaley Hall
Slaley Hall is just a 40-minute drive from Newcastle (25 miles). This former hunting lodge set in the beautiful Northumberland Countryside is spread over 1000 acres of land, with its history dating back to Edwardian times.
Check in is at 3pm, but we decided to arrive a few hours early to take in the grounds and vastness of this beautiful mansion house. We were pleasantly surprised to find that our room was ready for us.
On arrival at Slaley Hall, you begin your experience with a rather impressive drive up to the hall. My thoughts immediately turned to weddings and, it so happened that there was a wedding happening during our stay.
A room with a view
Having checked in nice and early, it was off to the room to drop off our luggage. The room was light and spacious and boasted a wonderful view of the Championship golf course and our welcome bottle of wine on arrival was a nice touch.
All settled in, we headed down to the main bar, Tommy Craig’s, for a G&T. The bar was busy with wedding guests, so we decided to take our drinks to the Whisky Snug, a lounge boasting a very impressive collection of whiskies.
We had an urge to explore and soon found ourselves in The Claret Jug, a golf club and sports bar with views over the golf course.
Spahhh… time
With the rain lashing down outside, our planned walk of the grounds was a write off. Fortunately, Slaley Hall is home to a health club and spa, suitably named, ‘Northumberland Spa.’ As a lover of luxury treatment products such as ELEMIS (also provided as toiletries in the bedrooms) I wished I’d booked some treatments. Never mind, there’s a gym, pool (with a slide into a plunge pool no less), poolside loungers, Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna to keep you revitalized or relaxed.
A swim, followed by a Jacuzzi, followed by a very hot steam room, soon led us back to the pool, and my partner – along with the other big kids – down the slide into the one of the plunge pools.
We finished our spa time with a sauna and before we knew it, it was time to get glammed up for dinner.
Winner winner fillet steak dinner!
Feeling refreshed and ready for some good food, we headed down to Slaley Hall’s main restaurant, Mr Kennedy’s Brasserie. On arrival, we were greeted with a warm welcome and shown to our table. The brasserie has a relaxed feel and serves up a selection of classic dishes, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options too.
After a peruse of the menu, we were ready to order. For me, Moules Mariniere to start and for my partner, the Cured Salmon with Crème Fraîche. Sadly, the mariniere liquor was a little lacking in flavour, but my partner enjoyed the salmon dish.
For the main event we both chose fillet steak – I like mine almost blue and my partner went for medium rare. I know from experience that it’s not easy to cook steaks to order and get them right, but these were both perfectly cooked and bursting with flavour. With such a triumphant main course, we had soon forgotten about the starters, and thoughts quickly turned to desserts.
I don’t often go for a third course but when I do, it’s always the cheese board. This one comprised of a small selection of locally sourced cheeses; just enough for one. My partner chose the sticky toffee pudding, which came with a pot of warm, rich caramel sauce to pour over the sponge. After clearing our plates, we retired to one of the many cosy seating areas to finish our drinks and soon enough, we were back in our room and ready for a good night’s sleep.
Sunday’s at Slaley
Having slept like babies in the big comfy bed, we felt refreshed and ready for another adventure – but first, breakfast.
Breakfast is also served in Mr Kennedy’s Brasserie and as you may expect from a hotel of this size, the breakfast is a buffet breakfast serving everything you would expect from a continental and cooked breakfast. The breakfast was perfectly adequate, although some of the ‘hot’ buffet items were not so hot and leaning more towards the cooler side than I would have preferred.
After breakfast and blessed with sunshine, we decided to take a stroll out onto the terrace. The space is decked with paving, incorporating plants and trees and looks out on to one of the golf courses. We took advantage of the deckchairs, soaking up the rays and watched the golfers do their thing.
A castle by the sea
It was time for the next leg of our road trip, destination? Bamburgh Castle. Bamburgh Castle, approximately 70 miles (1 hr 40 minutes) North of Slaley Hall, has stood guard above the spectacular Northumberland coastline for over 1400 years and spans nine acres of land. It is one of the largest inhabited castles in the county.
Before embarking on our walk up to the castle, we stopped for a delicious Sunday lunch in one of the many hotel/pubs that line the road into the town of Bamburgh. The town itself is quintessentially British and with the grand castle watching over it, it’s certainly impressive.
With full bellies once again, we were glad of the upcoming ascent to the castle.
If you love history, then a visit to Bamburgh Castle is a must. However, if you’re into films, it is also where many of the scenes from the new Indian Jones movie were filmed. We got the lowdown on Harrison Ford and lots of other movie related stories, including some blunders, from the lovely ladies in the gift shop.
With our walk around the castle completed, history knowledge slightly improved and our lungs full of sea air, it was time bid fair well to beautiful Northumberland and get back on the road.
Staycation in style
With staycations more popular than ever, a trip to Northumberland is a must. We only scratched the surface, but we’ll be back to scratch some more.
One thing’s for sure, adding a little luxury to your trip can make all the difference. Our stay at Slaley Hall in the middle of our Northumberland adventure provided just the right amount. A grand hall with a spa, golf course good food and friendly staff – what more could you ask for? Slaley is the place to stay, and we will be back!
About Coxy’s Kitchen:
Coxy’s Kitchen provides a dinner party and private dining service throughout Yorkshire. If you love having dinner parties but don’t fancy the cooking, contact Coxy’s Kitchen to cook your next dinner party. To make an enquiry or for an initial consultation, please email [email protected]
Some Images and Review written by @coxys_kitchen
