Newcastle Marriott Hotel Gosforth Park, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Author's product rating:   

Advantages:	Excellent location, service and facilities
Disadvantages:	Quite expensive; hardly a thrill - seeker's paradise

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Set as it is in acres of woodland, adjacent to Newcastle Racecourse and about 4 miles north of Newcastle city centre, the Marriott Gosforth Park's location is unrivalled for space and sheer greenery. Literally 30 seconds' drive from the A1, it is nevertheless so far removed from hustle and bustle that you could be in the middle of the Yorkshire dales.

The building itself is some way short of spectacular, viewed externally. It is grey brick, very angular, functional and utterly uninspiring - if you ignore the surroundings, it looks like a well-kept housing scheme. Not that great then, really. Built during the mid 60s - hardly a purple patch for British architecture as Newcastle City Council have recently realised, looking on in dismay as the cost of demolishing the bulk of the abysmal John Dobson Street skyrockets. T. Dan Smith's legacy is finally being put to rest at long last and you'll be hard-pushed to find someone in Newcastle who's crying about it.

Inside the hotel is a wholly different matter; the marble floors of the reception area are elegant and beautifully polished - likewise the dark wood of the fittings. The adjacent lounge is much the same and is a perfect spot for a coffee - or in my case, a beer and two double vodkas - while you wait for your room to be ready. The drinks are expensive here, but that's to be expected - any hotel that sells Remy Martin Louis XIII cognac at £clawyoureyesout.00 per measure is hardly likely to have neon BOGOF signs hanging outside. On the plus side, it's hardly likely to have legions of screeching, staggering chavs clutching bottles of blue WKD either, which is a welcome bonus.

The room itself was bright and airy though a little cramped - perhaps this wasn't quite the case and I was having visual trouble after a little visit to the minibar, but I don't think so. Again, nothing brilliant here, but everything perfectly satisfactory if not overly salubrious. The room rates can vary greatly, with special deals on offer all year round - I'd advise checking online or phoning the hotel to see what is on offer.

Having decided to eat dinner in the hotel restaurant, we were immediately struck by how formal it was when we walked in. Called simply The Park Restaurant, it has what I call a Mayfair gentlemen's club feel to it - not that I've been to a gentlemen's club, but I'm sure you get the picture. Pillars, brass fittings, silver cutlery; no hearty welcome from a teenage waiter here, more a brisk smile from the maitre'd, a terse "This way please, sir" and lots of pomp and splendour. The food itself was delicious and French based, just as you would expect from a restaurant like this. I had Monkfish with scallops which was beautiful, my girlfriend ordered the fillet steak with peppercorn sauce which was also considered a winner. At around £20 per main course the menu is reasonably expensive, but you do get what you pay for and the restaurant is AA-rated - this is hardly Michelin star food, but it is of an excellent standard all the same. Expect to pay upwards of £20 a bottle for any decent wine here - we didn't partake but I did have a glance at the list which is quite comprehensive, though there is little in the way of truly expensive wines. The service was excellent and unobtrusive; apart from a perfunctory "Is everything alright, sir / madam" we were left alone, which is just how I like it.

The next morning we ordered toast and coffee from room service so I couldn't comment on the breakfast - however, I can't imagine the standard of the food dropping horrifically overnight, so I dare say there'd have been no problems.

Before we left we also paid a visit to the Gosforth Park Leisure Club which is free for all guests to use; this is very well equipped with gym, swimming pool, sauna, steam room, cold plunge pool, squash courts, outdoor tennis courts, sunbeds and snack bar.

The Gosforth Park also boasts extensive conference & banqueting facilities, and is locally well-known for it's Christmas parties and lunches. Other facilities on-site include a hair salon and a hotel shop selling papers, cigarettes and confectionery.

In summary then, a perfect hotel for a quiet weekend away, with the added bonus of having Newcastle city centre so near if you change your mind and fancy something a bit more lively.