Last month my husband turned 28. As this was a little traumatic for him (he is edging towards 30 after all!), I planned a birthday trip to Durham, where we both went to uni, to revisit old haunts. We decided to stay in the NewcastleCopthorne (a short train ride away) because back in 1997, just before my graduation, we walked past the hotel and said "Wow, this hotel looks so flash. We must come back and stay here one day!"
I booked the best deal I could find which was directly with the hotel and mentioned it was a special occasion. When we arrived (after a short walk from the station), we were pleasantly surprised when the receptionist offered us a welcome glass of Cosmopolitan (a bit warm though!)
and told us we had been upgraded to an executive room with access to the business lounge and complimentary continental breakfast.
The hotel is right on the Quayside, where many of Newcastle's coolest bars and restaurants are located. The hotel lobby is vast and fitting for a four star hotel and there was a real fire burning merrily away in the fireplace - a welcoming touch. I can't comment on the hotel restaurants as we didn't use them but the leisure facilities deserve a mention, even though we didn't use them either (Crufts was on and for some reason, I became engrossed in the best doggie final!). The pool, though small, is located right next to the Quayside so you got a great view through the floor to ceiling windows. Maybe next time, I will have a swim instead of sitting in the room willing the Old English Sheepdog to win.
The room we were given was large and looked like a typical four star UK business hotel room. Clean, warm (we turned on the aircon), a bit dated, large window looking over the Tyne, standard bathroom with good shower and the usual mini-toiletries. There's an iron and trouser press (does anyone use them? let me know if you do!) if you want to be crease-free. The bed was a comfy kingsize, covered with sheets, blankets and a floral beadspread. Nothing out of this world but nothing to complain about either. As we had an executive room, we also got free mineral water and a diddy box of chocolates (eaten in two minutes flat).
The executive lounge is usually used by business people and provides computer facilities and refreshments. As we were there on a Sunday night, the hotel was empty and we were the only people who turned up to the drinks reception in the evening. Oh well, more free booze and canapes for us then! Another guest did turn up to use the computer but struggled to connect to her emails, despite the assistance of the young lad who guarded the booze. Full marks for helpfulness, nil points for IT facilities.
We went out for dinner and found out that many of the recommended restaurants were shut on Sundays. Those which weren't shut early. Eventually, we found a new, trendy looking Italian restaurant where I overdosed on rich food.
On the way back to the hotel, we walked across the Millennium Bridge, a fantastic piece of engineering which even a lay person like me can appreciate. It's designed to tilt to let tall boats through and looks fabulously futuristic, particularly at night when it is lit in blue neon. Definitely worth a look.
For breakfast the next day, we went to the executive lounge where an uninspiring but adequate spread of cereals, pastries and toast was provided. We weren't bothered by the limited choice, it was a freebie after all, as we had eaten so much the night before. I think a full breakfast in the hotel restaurant costs over a tenner.
Did it live up to my expectations? Well, it wasn't as flash as we had thought it would be all those years ago. But that could be due to over-exposure to luxury hotels in the Far East (lucky me, I know!)
Would I stay there again? Well, the room I booked (a normal one) cost £105. For a leisure trip, I think this is quite expensive. I would stay there again as the staff were very lovely but not too often as I would have to remortgage my house. There are also other places to try out, Malmaison, for example, which has more modern rooms and the new flagship Hilton (opening soon, I've been told). For a special treat though, and especially with the complimentary upgrade, I would say it was worth the trip up north.
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Apr 26th, 2004
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