Written by Gemma Hall
Jesmond (a residential suburb of Newcastle and connected to Newcastle city centre by the Metro) is crammed with mid-range and budget B&Bs, particularly on Osborne Road, making this a popular choice with some visitors, but keep in mind that the bars below many of the hotels and guesthouses can be rowdy during university term times and at weekends.
Another affordable option is to hire a studio apartment with a kitchenette. Kensington House Aparthotel (5 Osborne Rd, Jesmond, NE2 2AA; 0191 281 8175; www.kensingtonaparthotel.com) is more luxurious than your average suite. In Newcastle city centre, try one of the following:
Staybridge Suites (Buxton St, NE1 6NL; www.ihg.com/staybridge) near the Ouseburn and quayside are quiet but it’s a 15-minute walk to central Newcastle. Sleeperz Hotel (15 Westgate Rd, NE1 1SE; www.sleeperz.com/Newcastle) is a stone’s throw from Central Station. Both offer clean, contemporary rooms that are wheelchair accessible. Family rooms at Sleeperz cost little more than a hostel but if noise is a problem (rooms either overlook the railway or are on the street side where there are many bars), try Roomzzz (Clavering Pl, NE1 3NG; www.roomzzz.co.uk), which is set back from the railway line on a quiet street. Ground-floor suites have very high ceilings and are more spacious than upstairs.
A scattering of unremarkable hotels are found in the centre of Newcastle, particularly around Dean Street and on the quayside. A couple of the better ones on Newcastle’s waterfront are listed below, as well as accommodation options at the coast.
Hotels
Hotel du Vin Allan Hse, City Rd, Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle NE1 2BE 0191 389 8628; www.hotelduvin.com. The sister hotel to the rather more hip Malmaison (Quayside; www.malmaison.com) opposite the Millennium Bridge is similarly housed in a building with heritage appeal, in this case a former redbrick Edwardian shipping company office. Rooms are for the most part contemporary and stylish with feature walls, solid furniture and free-standing baths and are surprisingly not extortionate (expect to pay around £80–100 for a standard double). Hotel du Vin is a little out of the way at the head of the Ouseburn Valley (not far from the quayside) where there’s a good selection of alternative pubs, but you might want to stay put and sample the wines on offer here and enjoy a meal in the upmarket hotel restaurant. ‘Contemporary French dishes with a British twist’ is how the manager described their food. Wheelchair accessible.
Jesmond Dene House Jesmond Dene Rd, Newcastle NE2 2EY; 0191 212 3000; https://jesmonddenehouse.co.uk. One of Jesmond’s finest 19th-century mansion houses is now an independent boutique hotel and restaurant. The house overlooks the wooded valley of Jesmond Dene (one of the most beautiful urban woodlands in the North East) and is detached from the main residential area so it’s wonderfully peaceful. It may seem somewhat out of the way but it’s actually only a 15-minute walk to the nearest Metro (Ilford Rd) and, from there, the same time direct to the centre of Newcastle and Central Station. While not particularly characterful given the history of the building, the rooms are furnished to a high standard with thick curtains and solid furniture. Elsewhere in the hotel, arts-and-crafts detailing will catch the eye in many places (ask to see the impressive oak-panelled Great Hall). Craster kippers for breakfast on the outside terrace are a treat on a sunny morning. Wheelchair accessible.
B&Bs
Martineau House 57 Front St, Tynemouth NE30 4BX; 0191 257 9038; http://martineau-house.co.uk. B&B right in the centre of Tynemouth and just a couple of minutes’ walk from the Metro in one direction and the priory in the other. Cosy rooms with a cottage touch, original features (fireplaces, sash windows, etc) and sea views. Above-average prices for the standard of rooms but the location is very convenient. Breakfasts are quite something: Sally, the owner, makes her own sausages and bread and a good number of ingredients are sourced from Tyneside and Northumberland farms. Taylors at the Fish Quay supply the smoked fish, for example.
Number 61 61 Front St, Tynemouth NE30 4BT; 0191 257 3687; www.no61.co.uk. Modern rooms in the heart of Tynemouth; somewhat mismatched in style and slightly higher than average prices because of the central location. The Collingwood suite is popular on account of the view (you can actually see the admiral’s statue at the mouth of the Tyne from the window) and sleigh bed. Rooms at the rear are quieter (beware of staying at the front on a Friday or Saturday night if you’re a light sleeper). Downstairs, there’s a pleasant tea room and peaceful rear garden.
Self-catering
Southcliff Apartments 4 Southcliff, Cullercoats NE26 2PB; 0191 290 3978; http://southcliffapartments.co.uk. Situated on an attractive Victorian pedestrian terrace with direct views across the North Sea, and close to Tynemouth, is this homely large house with four self-catering apartments. Here you’ll find Victorian rooms with original features (fireplaces, high ceilings, etc), average prices and a friendly welcome.
If you want to find out more about accommodation options in Northumberland, check out our guide:
