The Holiday Inn at Seaton Burn has always been something of a firm favourite of mine. Located where the A1 and A19 meet - giving easy accessibility to Newcastle, Ponteland and beyond - the hotel is something of a business exec's dream for meetings, coffees and conferences.
The hotel also boasts 151 tastefully-appointed bedrooms which makes it a firm favourite for those visiting the region for business or pleasure.
The man at the helm is Norrie Oswald, seasoned general manager and business friend who invited me for an overnight stay at an exciting time for the hotel following the easing of Covid restrictions.
The four star hotel is reachable in 15 minutes from Newcastle City Centre and boasts an abundance of free parking on site for hotel guests and visitors.
The reception area – featuring 24 hour front desk- is a stylish space, stamped with that reassuringly familiar Holiday Inn hallmark of quality. Their new open lobby serving Starbucks is an ideal place to meet or relax.
This was also especially true of our deluxe guest room – all navy and teak, punctuated by pops of royal yellow.
Rooms also come very well equipped. Ours, for instance, featured a kingsize bed, a flat screen TV, tea & coffee making facilities, complimentary wifi and en-suite bathroom, not to mention a grand armchair in which to spend the afternoon kicking back with the Sunday papers.
For those feeling a little more energetic, the hotel also features a stateof-the-art leisure club complete with indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi and fitness suite packing both cardio and resistance equipment.
When the fitness demands a break, the hotel’s dedicated in-house restaurant is the perfect place to refuel with a sumptuous all-day offering, not to mention an ever-popular Sunday Lunch menu. Whilst room service is also in full-swing, this would be our choice for an evening meal after a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Lisa kicked off with the salmon & brie terrine before following up with a cajun chicken burger. Yours truly meanwhile paired the tomato and red pepper soup with the ‘Curry of the Day’ (Jalfrezi) served with a carb-y triumvirate of pilaf rice, skin-off fries and naan bread.
All of this was washed down with a really excellent bottle of ‘Da Luca’ Pinot Grigio. An easy-drinking, Southern Italian white so delicious, I hastily punched it into the Vivino app upon returning to the room to try and source a bottle for home. The following morning, we breakfasted regally on a host of cooked and continental classics before heading for home, refreshed and ready for whatever the working week would throw at us.
The love affair with the Holiday Inn at Seaton Burn continues.