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Staying at Beamish Hall Hotel with Red Letter Days
Are you looking for a relaxing break? Why not try staying at Beamish Hall Hotel with Red Letter Days?
The stay at Beamish Hall Hotel was a gift for the purposes of this review. Editorial control and opinions are my own.
Mother’s Day is on the way. If you are looking for a unique gift why not try a Red Letter Day experience? They have a wide range of unique gifts which will make her day.
Recently we went for an overnight stay at Beamish Hall Hotel courtesy of Red Letter Days. An evening meal and breakfast were inclusive. We had a lovely time and I know that any mum would love an experience like this.
What is a Red Letter Day experience?
A red letter day experience allows you to choose a day out that you can then gift to someone to enjoy. If you want to treat your mum to an afternoon tea, stay in a hotel or a pampering spa day you can. Choose the experience and Red Letter Days will send the voucher out.
The vouchers arrive in the post in a red envelope. Inside are the full details of the experience and the booking information. This allows the recipient to book at a time that suits them.
The vouchers are valid for ten months. If they don’t love the gift Red Letter Days allows them to swap one experience for another.
What sort of experiences do Red Letter Days offer?
Red Letter Days have a wide range of experiences. Fancy a meal out, afternoon tea or a hotel stay? There will be an experience for that. If you are more adventurous you try a bungee jump or driving a supercar.Why not learn to cook and take a cooking course? The only limit is your imagination.
Read more: Cocktail afternoon tea at Revolution Newcastle.
The experiences are UK wide so you should have no problem booking one near you.
Red Letter Days offer a great range of short breaks. These vary from hotel stays and pampering spa breaks to a two night Amsterdam cruise. We chose the hotel escape with dinner for two at Beamish County Hall Hotel which costs £149.
The hotel is not far from us and we thought it would be a nice break. The experience includes a three-course dinner in Stables restaurant on site. Breakfast is also included.
Booking our stay at Beamish Hall Hotel
Booking our stay was really easy. We rang the booking number on the Red Letter Days experience card, giving them our voucher code. After giving them some days they told us which were available and we made our booking. All that we had to do was turn up
Getting to Beamish Hall Hotel.
Beamish Hall Hotel is around 25 minutes drive from Newcastle. When we set out the February weather was unexpectedly pleasant. The sun was shining holding the promise that Spring was on the way.
We found ourselves on the scenic route, going down twisty country roads which were quite narrow. It was a pleasant drive and we eventually found the hotel nestling in the countryside.
The Best Western hotel is impressive, it is a 13th-century hall that was previously an ancestral home. Now an exclusive country house hotel, the stunning building is set in 24 acres of parkland. There is plenty of parking space available.
Checking in to Beamish Hall Hotel
You can check into Beamish Hall hotel from 3pm. Check out is before 11am.
It is a short walk from the car park to the entrance. Approaching the hotel you feel like you are walking back in time and expect a butler at the door. You enter the hotel through an impressive columned entrance
Inside the feel is imposing with plasterwork ceilings, parquet floors and grand fireplaces. The reception desk is in front of the staircase. To the side is a formal reception room. The red leather sofas and glass fronted cabinets which continue the feeling of being in a time warp.
Check in was swift. After confirming our car details and our information we got our key. Our room was on the first floor. There were lots of corridors and staircases to traverse. These are due to the additions to the original house over the years. The corridors have plenty of gilt-framed paintings to distract the eye.
Our Room
Beamish Hall Hotel has 42 rooms in total. As well as standard rooms you can book a premier room with a Jacuzzi bath or a suite.
Our room overlooked the car park. The furniture was antique and the room had a friendly feel about it. The sense of being in back in the past lingered.
The bedroom was a good size. The double bed seemed to be bigger than normal. Either side of the bed were bedside tables with reading lamps and a box of tissues.
On the other side of the room was a dressing table with a large mirror above it. There was also a TV with Freeview. A spacious wardrobe gave us room to hang our clothes. Inside it concealed a fan, a hairdryer, an iron and tea and coffee making facilities. An ironing board was beside the wardrobe and the wall.
The room had a good size en-suite bathroom with a bath. Above the bath was a waterfall shower. Fluffy white towels hung on a heated towel rail. Duck Island toiletries sat on a shelf above the sink.
The room was warm, perhaps a little too warm. There was a heater but we were not quite sure how to change the settings. It was easy enough to open the sash window and let some air in.
The bed was comfortable. Whilst you did hear water running from the other rooms on the whole the room was quiet. That night we fell asleep to the sound of owls hooting outside.
All the rooms have free wi-fi and 24-hour room service.
Things to do near Beamish Hall Hotel
There is plenty to do on the grounds of Beamish Hall Hotel. The grounds are extensive and in the summer you can visit Beamish Gardens. This is a garden centre found next to Stables restaurant.
Also on the grounds is the Beamish Hall Adventure woodland. This is an interactive adventure walk and play environment with free admission.
If you fancy something more sedate then Beamish Park Golf course is nearby. Beamish Hall Hotel is also right next door to Beamish Open Air Museum. This is well worth a visit. It gives you a glimpse into the past, telling the story of the North East during the 1820s, 1900s & 1940s. Do allow plenty of time to visit as there is so much to see.
Read more: A visit to Beamish open air museum.
We took a walk around the gardens before dinner discovering a few hidden corners of the hotel. During the summer it would be lovely to sit in the sunshine and enjoy the peace.
Dinner in Stables Restaurant
Stables restaurant is at the back of the hall. It is a short walk to the converted 18th Century stable block. Outside is a stunning cobbled courtyard with plenty of seating. Twinkly fairy lights and a murmuring fountain add to the ambience. The tables have patio heaters which we needed as the February evening progressed.
It is a lovely place to sit and enjoy a drink whilst waiting for your reserved dinner time. My eye was caught by the items for sale in the middle of the courtyard. These were stunning and made a great centrepiece.
The inside of the restaurant retains the original stable features. The floors are stone, exposed beams are on the ceiling and log fire burn in the corner. In the centre is the bar area with seating on either side. There are ploughs and equine artifacts on the walls making you almost expect a horse to walk in. The feel is homely and welcoming.
Beamish Hall Hotel Micro Brewery
In a corner of the restaurant is the micro brewery. Eight premium quality real ales are brewed and served here. The brewery uses tradiional methods to produce a range of beers to suit everyone. If you want to tour the brewery this can be arranged for a small cost.
The menu at Beamish Hall Hotel
Our stay included a three course evening meal from the menu. There was plenty to choose from. An extensive range of starters or sharing boards for two to begin the meal. There was a wide range of mains,which include traditional pub gastro menu choices, a range of items from the grill, salads or burgers
All the food is locally sourced and the menus are seasonal. Alongside the main evening menu are children’s choices, light lunch options and Sunday lunch menu. There is also a choice of the days specials.
The menu has colour coding indicating which meals are suitable for vegetarians or vegans along with gluten free, dairy free and meals containing nuts. This makes it easy if you have a specific dietary requirements.
The Drinks
Stables restaurant has a wide range of drinks and an extensive wine list.
Normally I would have a glass of wine with my meal. Spotting the names on the real ales I tried a glass of Bitter and Twisted. This is a blonde beer from Harviestoun breweries with a refreshing lemon aftertaste. It went really well with my meal.
My husband stuck to his normal pint.
The starters
Choosing our starter was difficult, there was plenty of choice. I was torn between the classic prawn cocktail and the black pudding scotch egg. In the end we both chose the sauted king prawns. These came with garlic and chilli butter on toasted focaccia with salad and a lemon wedge. (£7.95)
The starter came on a white plate, with balsamic vinegar, olive oil drizzles on the plate. Stylish drizzles on plates seem to be a thing these days.
The starter was excellent, the prawns were tender with a hint of garlic and chilli. The focaccia went really well with them. Slightly surprising was a hint of chocolate in the dish. I suspect some of the drizzles were chocolate sauce and it set the prawns off well.
The Mains
It was difficult to choose a main course but eventually I went for the steak and mushroom casserole (£10.95). This came with mash, buttered greens and a Yorkshire pudding.
The casserole was lovely, the rich taste that went well with the creamy mash. The greens were melt in the mouth and the gravy was perfect. The Yorkshire pudding sadly was still cold in the middle. It was quickly changed for me but it was still a disappointment as the rest of the dish was perfect.
My husband chose the Beamish steak and ale pie (£10.95). This came with mash, chips or new potatoes and vegetables. With chips the serving of gravy was a little redundant. The pie was lovely but some of the larger bits of steak were a little tough.
The portion sizes were perfect and overall the mains were good.
The desserts
At this stage we were rather full but as dessert was included we decided to indulge. We both chose the Baileys and raspberry creme brulee (£5.95) which sounds lush. Sadly after a short wait we were told there were no more left.
My second choice was a red velvet torte with red berry compote (£5.95). This was nice, the tart red berries make a great contrast to the sweet cake. It made a lovely end to the meal. My husband decided not to bother as he was full.
After our meal we lingered for a couple of drinks in the courtyard. When it got chilly we went to our room.
Stables restaurant opening times
- Monday to Friday – 12:00 to 21:00
- Saturday – 10:00 to 21:30
- Sunday – 12:00 to 20:30
Breakfast in the Eden Room
The next morning we went to the Eden room for breakfast. The Eden room is a lovely Edwardian room in the main hotel. There are lovely views overlooking the parkland outside.
Breakfast is from 07.00 till 10.00 on weekdays and from 08:00 till 10:30 on weekends and bank holidays. There is a choice of a continental or cooked breakfast.
While we chose from the menu toast was brought to the table. There was both white and brown and a large choice of preserves to go with them..
As well as tea or coffee a range of juice is available. Whilst the continental breakfast was tempting with its range of pastries, we both had a cooked breakfast. There were several different options from Craster kippers to Eggs Benedict or a vegetarian option. We went for the full Northumberland breakfast.
We chose whether we wanted our eggs fried poached or scrambled. The plate came with bacon, eggs, tomatoes, bean, mushrooms and black pudding. Everything was delicious and the portion was just the right size. It is a lovely way to start the morning.
What we thought of our Red Letter Days Experience at Beamish Hall Hotel
If you are looking for a relaxing break Beamish Hall Hotel is perfect. Our stay was really enjoyable and the surroundings were idylic. I love the fact that with the Red Letter Days experience everything is included. All we had to pay for were our drinks. This experience would make a perfect gift.
The room was lovely and really comfortable. The surroundings were unusual and the feeling of stepping back in time to a grand country house was amazing.
While I had a couple of minor niggles with the food, overall it was lovely. Stables restaurant is an amazing space and is a great place to eat out. The breakfast could not be faulted.
We would definitely go back to Beamish Hall Hotel for a break. I would love to combine a stay with a bit more exploration of the area. There was plenty to see and do and I would love the try the woodland walk next time.
Where is Beamish Hall Hotel?
You will find Beamish Hall Hotel on the A695 between Chester le Street and Stanley, around ten miles north of Durham.
Beamish Hall Hotel,
Beamish,
Stanley,
County Durham,
DH9 0YB
Phone: 01207 233733
Is there access for guests with disabilities?
Some of the rooms are wheelchair-accessible but it is not fully adapted. The ground floor and restaurant are easily accessible. A lift is available but we found this was a little temperamental.
Is Beamish Hall Hotel Dog friendly?
Guide dogs and assistant dogs are allowed.
Why not pin for later?
Have you been to Beamish Hall Hotel? What did you think? Let me know below.
Sam | North East Family Fun Blog says
What a lovely stay. The Stables restaurant is lovely isn’t it x
Alison Maclean says
It really is, I bet its gorgeous in the summer
Galina V says
Sounds like you had a fab break at Beamsh. The restaurant in the old stables looks stylish; love all the vintage features preserved. A pity your first choice of a dessert wasn’t available, but the cake looks tasty as well.
Alison Maclean says
It was lovely and relaxing, nice to have some time to ourselves.
Yet Another Blogging Mummy says
Wow this looks amazing. I’m pretty sure that I remember my mum telling me that my grandad painted all the ceilings at Beamish Hall. That must have been a long job looking at the size of the place on your photos.
Alison Maclean says
Wow I bet that took some time. What an interesting bit of history!
Yet Another Blogging Mummy says
Yes I’ve always been interested in family history, although haven’t had time to pursue it since before my kids were born