You get both at the Durham Radisson Blu Hotel. You'll have heard the saying that location, location, location is the most important thing when looking for a property of any sort...
Well, when it comes to the Radisson Blu Hotel in Durham City, the location could not be any better. The hotel lies on the banks of the River Wear and is just a 5 minute walk from the historic city centre. It’s a brisk 15 minute walk from the main East Coast railway line or a two minute taxi ride. Newcastle airport is only half an hour away…much the same as Teesside airport. In other words, if your idea of a city break is to find a hotel which has a peaceful semi-rural location yet is within a stone’s throw of city amenities and rail links, then the Durham Radisson Blu Hotel hits the spot.
Oh, and don’t be fooled by the gloom and doom surrounding the travel industry; tourism is alive and kicking in Durham. In fact, the Radisson Blu has just enjoyed its best ever August since the hotel opened 12 years ago.
“We’re extremely fortunate in that we are ideally situated for business and travel visitors,” said General Manager, Stuart Lloyd. “The hotel is a favourite for family and friends who are visiting students at Durham University. Most of the colleges are a short stroll from our front door. The centre of Durham is also increasing in popularity as a place for offices. Durham County Council is moving its headquarters onto the riverbank directly opposite, and very shortly a new office complex will be opening next to our hotel which can accommodate up to 500 people. The ground floor of the complex will feature a range of shops, restaurants and bars which are new to Durham and offer our visitors an even greater choice of places to visit.”
Of course, Durham is a UNESCO World Heritage site with the cathedral and castle high on the list of visitor attractions. The Radisson Blu is Durham’s leading hotel and not only offers 207 rooms (which will shortly undergo a full refurbishment) but it has its own large yet intimate restaurant called The Collage, a really smart bar and a stunning leisure centre with swimming pool and fully equipped gym. It’s the only hotel in Durham to have a pool.
“We’re especially busy when it comes to companies holding meetings at the hotel, adds Stuart. “We’ve recently updated all of the AV equipment in each of our nine meeting rooms which can hold everything between 400 delegates for major conferences or just 3 or 4 for small, discreet meetings. ClickShare is available in each room, we’ve installed high definition TV screens and upgraded all of the connectivity. Our catering facilities mean we can offer a full banqueting service for up to 250 people which makes us ideal for Christmas parties and weddings.”
It’s also interesting to note that Stuart has more than doubled the number of staff at his hotel. He’s proud of the fact that he has links with local schools and colleges who can use the hotel as part of the training given to young students who are interested in the hospitality industry. A large number of the Radisson Blu team are from Durham and have been trained at the hotel.
“We frequently have students from New College in Durham or from the local secondary schools, who come here to discover what working in a top class hotel is all about…and a surprising number end up returning here to begin their careers. It’s always handy having team members who are from the local region because they can invariably help our guests with directions of give suggestions of places to visit.”
And there’s one final thing which makes the Radisson Blu Hotel in Durham City stand out; it has a wonderful friendly atmosphere as soon as you step into the foyer. The staff are attentive and efficient yet manage to do it with an informal smile and a cheery nature. Perfect. Durham City’s top hotel…brilliant location and whole lot of sophistication.