There's nothing quite like being whisked away for a romantic city break by your partner. If you're planning to do just that for your other half, consider making a beeline for Newcastle. This vibrant destination is the ideal setting for some quality time together - read on to find out more.
Newcastle's most romantic hotels
You'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing the perfect hotel for a romantic break in Newcastle. If you want to stay conveniently close to the shops, restaurants and bars of the city centre, consider booking a room at one of the following:
• Hotel du Vin (City Road) - This tastefully decorated boutique hotel is located in what used to be the home of the Tyne Tees Steam Shipping Company. Whether you opt for a generously-sized double room or splash out on a stay in a large open plan suite, your break is definitely sure to be both romantic and luxurious.
• Jesmond Dene House (Jesmond Dene Road) - Surprisingly, Newcastle's bustling city centre is home to a stretch of magnificent woodland in which you'll find Jesmond Dene House. Popular for its extravagant afternoon teas, this hotel offers the perfect escape through its well-appointed rooms and award-winning restaurant.
• Malmaison (104 Quayside) - The rich, dark interior of this modern hotel creates the ideal setting for a romantic break. The huge bathtubs are definitely a highlight, as is the shipbuilding theme that runs throughout the decor.
If you want to escape to the countryside but remain within driving distance of Newcastle, stay at one of these rural hotels:
• Matfen Hall (Matfen) - If one (or both of you!) love a good round of golf, this is the place to go thanks to its 27-hole golf course. The hotel itself is in a magnificent country house and includes the much-praised Library and Print Room Restaurant.
• Seaham Hall (Lord Byron's Walk, Seaham) - Spa breaks are fantastic for fostering romance, which is why Seaham
Hall is a great place to stay for loved-up couples. With 20 suites, two restaurants and a whole host of treatments to enjoy at the Serenity Spa, this hotel is a serious contender for the best romantic accommodation in the north-east.
Great restaurants to try
Of course, no romantic holiday would be complete without at least one special meal at a quality restaurant.
Luckily, there are many potential establishments to choose from in Newcastle. Highlights include:
• Raval (Gateshead Quays) - You might not think there's anything romantic about curry, but Raval isn't your typical Indian restaurant. This luxurious establishment serves some wonderfully cooked high-end dishes that have been praised by everyone from the Guardian to renowned chefs like Paul Gaylor and Cyrus Todiwala. Sample menu items include lightly spiced lobster and coconut soup, monkfish cooked in chilli and lemon juice, and fennel lamb served with potato dumplings and a creamy sauce.
• Blackfriars (Friars Street) - This Michelin-recommended and AA rosette-winning restaurant not only serves up some truly delicious traditional cuisine, but also does so in a stunning historic setting. Housed in a 13th century Dominican friary, Blackfriars prides itself on its extensive use of British ingredients. Highlights of the menu include Gressingham duck served with a cauliflower and chestnut puree, pheasant casserole and spiced plum crumble.
• Silk Room (Trinity Gardens) - This restaurant offers a relaxed, intimate setting in which to enjoy simple yet fantastically cooked dishes such as slow cooked braised shank of lamb, dry-aged fillet steak in a peppercorn and brandy sauce, and the delicacy that is the Kobe Wagyu burger. However, it's the champagne bar that will really impress - not only is there a wide range of champagnes to choose from, but there's also a host of cocktails with bubbly as the main ingredient.
Newcastle's most romantic hotels
You'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing the perfect hotel for a romantic break in Newcastle. If you want to stay conveniently close to the shops, restaurants and bars of the city centre, consider booking a room at one of the following:
• Hotel du Vin (City Road) - This tastefully decorated boutique hotel is located in what used to be the home of the Tyne Tees Steam Shipping Company. Whether you opt for a generously-sized double room or splash out on a stay in a large open plan suite, your break is definitely sure to be both romantic and luxurious.
• Jesmond Dene House (Jesmond Dene Road) - Surprisingly, Newcastle's bustling city centre is home to a stretch of magnificent woodland in which you'll find Jesmond Dene House. Popular for its extravagant afternoon teas, this hotel offers the perfect escape through its well-appointed rooms and award-winning restaurant.
• Malmaison (104 Quayside) - The rich, dark interior of this modern hotel creates the ideal setting for a romantic break. The huge bathtubs are definitely a highlight, as is the shipbuilding theme that runs throughout the decor.
If you want to escape to the countryside but remain within driving distance of Newcastle, stay at one of these rural hotels:
• Matfen Hall (Matfen) - If one (or both of you!) love a good round of golf, this is the place to go thanks to its 27-hole golf course. The hotel itself is in a magnificent country house and includes the much-praised Library and Print Room Restaurant.
• Seaham Hall (Lord Byron's Walk, Seaham) - Spa breaks are fantastic for fostering romance, which is why Seaham
Hall is a great place to stay for loved-up couples. With 20 suites, two restaurants and a whole host of treatments to enjoy at the Serenity Spa, this hotel is a serious contender for the best romantic accommodation in the north-east.
Great restaurants to try
Of course, no romantic holiday would be complete without at least one special meal at a quality restaurant.
Luckily, there are many potential establishments to choose from in Newcastle. Highlights include:
• Raval (Gateshead Quays) - You might not think there's anything romantic about curry, but Raval isn't your typical Indian restaurant. This luxurious establishment serves some wonderfully cooked high-end dishes that have been praised by everyone from the Guardian to renowned chefs like Paul Gaylor and Cyrus Todiwala. Sample menu items include lightly spiced lobster and coconut soup, monkfish cooked in chilli and lemon juice, and fennel lamb served with potato dumplings and a creamy sauce.
• Blackfriars (Friars Street) - This Michelin-recommended and AA rosette-winning restaurant not only serves up some truly delicious traditional cuisine, but also does so in a stunning historic setting. Housed in a 13th century Dominican friary, Blackfriars prides itself on its extensive use of British ingredients. Highlights of the menu include Gressingham duck served with a cauliflower and chestnut puree, pheasant casserole and spiced plum crumble.
• Silk Room (Trinity Gardens) - This restaurant offers a relaxed, intimate setting in which to enjoy simple yet fantastically cooked dishes such as slow cooked braised shank of lamb, dry-aged fillet steak in a peppercorn and brandy sauce, and the delicacy that is the Kobe Wagyu burger. However, it's the champagne bar that will really impress - not only is there a wide range of champagnes to choose from, but there's also a host of cocktails with bubbly as the main ingredient.