A New Chapter At Jesmond Dene House

I have always admired venues who consistently tinker with their offering and one such place seemingly not content to rest on its laurels is Jesmond Dene House.

The independently-owned luxury hotel continues to shake things up with refurbishments to its deluxe accommodation as well its much-revered conservatory restaurant. To lead the design process, Jesmond Dene House have drafted in the expertise of award-winning local designer, Karen Walker, who was actually responsible for the initial design of the hotel in 2005. Nestled on the banks of the Dene, the hotel’s location is quite unique in the respect that it has the feel of a traditional country house property yet is in such close proximity to Newcastle City Centre. The hotel boasts 40 bedrooms in total, each individually decorated in true boutique style.

Clearly with some great things afoot, I booked in with my wife Lisa to check out the hotel’s all-new look. We’d landed a lovely junior suite in the new house which has recently been refurbished alongside the hotel’s apartment and noble suites. These junior suites are complete with their own private entrance, away from the main hotel and are a great spot to switch off and escape from the world.

Big beds and bigger seating areas make this a spacious environment which is also laden with mod cons. Our room included complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, flat screen TVs, a fully stocked mini -bar and swish rain shower. With its own private entrance away from the main hotel, the New House appeals to both business and leisure dwellers seeking that extra bit of space and privacy. We revelled in being in our private bolthole which seemed the perfect spot to enjoy some quality time together. Some of the rooms have private patios, perfect for a balmy Summer’s eve, whilst many afford some great views across the Dene and surrounding woodland.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon soaking all of this in before having a quick blast in the shower and changing for dinner. For when you get hungry, Jesmond Dene House’s restaurant has a fine reputation and is often frequented by non-residents. Much like the new rooms, the restaurant has had a stunning new facelift with the objective of “bringing the garden into the restaurant”. As a result, the dining area is bathed in floral shades and rich greens and punctuated by pops of colour such as golds. Fresh plants and flowers are also placed throughout the room creating a luxurious and contemporary setting.

In addition to these aesthetic refinements, the restaurant’s menu is changing too. The kitchen cooks to a 2AA rosette standard what Head Chef, Danny Parker, best describes as “ingredient-led, generous dishes that are cooked consistently.” This all sounded marvellous, so we had a quick toast to our new surroundings before ordering “the works!”. Lisa kicked off with the salmon & cod fish cake, roasted garlic and fresh lime whilst I polished off the scorched mackerel with gooseberry puree and elderflower pickled cucumber. Dishes at Jesmond Dene often feature many unique combinations and this different shone through here.

Following up, Lisa opted for the suitably-hearty, Slow Cooked Yorkshire Pork Belly with Roasted Hispi Cabbage, Candied Aubergine Puree & Confit Potato. I meanwhile tucked into the braised shoulder of beef with triple cooked chips and tender stem broccoli. All was cooked to perfection and further evidence of why Jesmond Dene House remains a haven for foodies throughout the region.

Following a round of coffees and liqueurs, we retired to our room for a full eight hours sleep. The following morning, we breakfasted regally on all of our cooked and continental favourites again in the salubriousness of the new hotel restaurant.

It would appear that – from this visit – some things never change. The décor may have changed but Jesmond remains committed to luxury accommodation, warm service and high-quality food and drink.

A sage choice for both the business and leisure traveller.