It had been a while since we visited one of our favourite places in England, and it was time to go back! We were heading to Seaham Hall Hotel and Spa in the northeast, and we couldn’t wait – the place, the people and the history are second to none.
We love a trip to Seaham Hall because we are constantly blown away by the luxury, attention to detail, the service and customer care. They should bottle it, they would make a fortune!
The hotel itself has a striking clifftop location on the Durham Coast, overlooking the sea, this is a view their new luxury Bungalow Suites take full advantage of, and this new accommodation offering was the reason for our latest visit. We couldn’t wait to check them out.
Having previously stayed in the hotel, we knew these bungalows would be the height of luxury and our expectations were high, but we were not ready for just how fabulous they actually are.
There are currently two Bungalow Suites, each has floor to ceiling windows, a large terrace with a pergola covering extensive outdoor furniture and a stone firepit. There is also a large hot tub and the pièce de résistance – a BBQ kitchen! If that has not already sparked your interest, there is more because all of this looks out to stunning views towards Durham’s glorious heritage coastline. We sat for hours admiring that view!
Inside, the bungalows are open plan and beautifully furnished, with everything finished to the highest standard. Each has two very spacious bedrooms with its own ensuite bathroom and lots of wardrobe space. We instantly commented they make the perfect getaway for couples and families alike.
We don’t usually travel as a family, but this time there were four of us and our aim was to use every facility and especially to thoroughly road test the al fresco dining with a BBQ and sundowners around that firepit!
However, we were there for two nights and there was a lot to pack in, so let’s start at the beginning.
Day one, we settled into our beautiful surroundings and decided to explore a local beach called Blast Beach, which turned out to be possibly the most interesting beach we have set foot on!
Blast Beach is a great place for a coastal adventure and kids of every age will love it.
This stretch of the Durham Coast was once home to the biggest coal mine in Europe, and to some of the worst coastline pollution in the world. Buried under no less than two and a half million tonnes of colliery waste every year, this beach was a no-go area for people, animals and birds.
However, thanks to a massive clean-up project involving the National Trust and 13 partner organisations the vast majority of the waste has now been removed and wildlife and people are able to use this stunning coastline again.
There are also remnants of a WW2 Pillbox Bunker, a rock dashed beach, orange rust hued rocks and pools, wildflowers and an abundance of wildlife which has returned since the clean-up operation.
This apocalyptic beach has been a filming location for Alien 3 and many other film and TV productions. It’s a fascinating place.
This was a fleeting visit to Blast Beach as we had treatments booked in the award-winning Serenity Spa back at the hotel, and we were more than ready to be pampered and rid our bodies of the aches and pains of constantly sitting at a desk!
Serenity Spa is magnificent! It takes your breath away. Nothing has been left to chance when designing this tranquil, calming and inspiring space which engages the senses and nurtures the mind, body and soul.
Drawing influence from Far Eastern healing and wellness rituals, their award-winning facilities and holistic treatments are designed to help you achieve a sense of harmony. You can feel the zen entering your body immediately.
We each chose the full body Temple Spa Drift Away Massage. This deeply relaxing full-body massage, formulated with a dreamy blend of Mediterranean essential oils including frankincense, lavender and patchouli, had us drifting away in no time. OK we went through the pain first to iron out those knots, but once our aches had disappeared, we were thoroughly relaxed and full of those feel good endorphins.
When staying in the Bungalow Suites, you have full access to all the spa facilities, make sure you use them they are outstanding, and book a treatment too, the therapists are first class!
On our first evening, we were booked into The Dining Room, the hotel restaurant where you can sample the best of modern British fare in a fabulous setting. There are glittering 14 carat gold plated chandeliers, deep chairs, cosy booths and gorgeous Georgian windows – all watched over by former resident Lord Byron, whose portrait hangs proudly on the wall.
A new six course tasting menu had just been introduced and we were the first to try it! By now you will know how much we love a tasting menu and our earlier walk on the beach and the sea air had made us very hungry.
We started with Beef – Hand Chopped Old Park Farm of Renwick’s Beef, seasoned with fermented mushroom and sourdough reduction, confit yolk – bottarga. Wow! What a dish to start with, full of flavour, totally delicious and perfectly balanced. The beef melted in the mouth and we both loved it!
Next was a lovely light and beautifully presented dish. Tomato – I.O.W. Tomatoes, whipped organic mozzarella, rye cracker, raspberry pickle jam, foraged herbs and flowers. A perfect balance of delicate flavours that left you wanting more.
A fish course of Halibut – Gigha Halibut, nage of sparl brae mussels was my personal favourite. The meaty fish had such a delicate, fresh flavour, it was incredibly light in texture and was just utterly gorgeous. I could have eaten two of those!
Then came Lamb – Saddle of Salt Aged Cumbrian Lamb – truffled ewes curd, jus gras. There is just something spectacular about the flavour of Cumbrian lamb and the way it melts in the mouth like butter – it’s delicious. This was my husband’s favourite course and I have to admit, it gave the halibut a run for its money!
Two more courses were to come; Cheese – Stichelton, Eccles Pie, port reduction and Raspberry – Tulameen Raspberries, arlettes, bergamot, oxalis. The pastry on the Eccles Pie was a little hard but packed with flavour and paired perfectly with the cheese. By this time we were felling quite full so shared it with our cheese loving family as we were saving the last space for dessert. The raspberry dessert was sublime! A perfect ending to a stunning meal, which was accompanied by a superbly matched wine flight. Bravo to this wonderful team once again.
The others in our party have much smaller appetites and decided to eat from the a la carte menu, but also tasting everything we had! The great thing about a tasting menu is that you have the opportunity to try lots of dishes from the main menu, but in much smaller portion sizes.
After a couple of nightcaps around the firepit, listening to the waves crashing far below us, it goes without saying – we slept like babies. Happy, full and totally relaxed. Although the bungalows have full self-catering facilities, breakfast is included in the hotel restaurant, and as the food at Seaham Hall is so good, this makes life easy and makes for a more enjoyable stay when you don’t have to cook breakfast yourself!
Day two and we were out all day, exploring the area, walking for miles, breathing in that wonderful salty sea air and building an appetite for our much-anticipated BBQ!
Of course, you might choose to bring all your own ingredients, but Seaham Hall kitchen can also provide them for you, as they did with us. We had our food hamper delivered and it was packed full of lamb cutlets, steak, kebabs, sausage, salads – you name it, and it was in that hamper!
The BBQ kitchen (complete with wine cooler), made for a wonderful theatrical cooking experience and the end result was unbelievably delicious! When you stay here, don’t bother bringing your own food for the BBQ – let Seaham Hall provide everything. You will thank us for it!
You might be wondering how that can be topped! How about a cheese and a chocolate fondue! Yes, Seaham Hall supplied the most delicious, entertaining, dessert experience imaginable. With chunks of crusty bread and crudité to dip into the cheese and huge strawberries, marshmallows and brownies for the chocolate. AMAZING!!!
All too soon it was time to leave – it goes without saying, we wanted to stay and we bet you will too.
There is always the option to purchase one of the Bungalow Suites, either as a holiday home for yourself or as an investment, allowing it to be used as a place for others to visit for a short break and providing you with an income.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to take part in any of the hotel’s special activities, but what better reason for a return visit! In the meantime, here’s a snapshot of a couple of the latest activities on offer.
Seaham Hall New Activities
Nordic Walking:
Take a paced walk along the Seaham coastline, where you can take in all the sights of the seaside whilst building up your stamina and leg strength. Burn up to 500 calories in 1 session and clock up over 4000 steps!
Hypnotherapy:
Hypnotherapy has a long-standing reputation for aiding day-to-day difficulties which are hard to overcome such as weight loss, quitting smoking and much more.
This is now available within Serenity Spa, so make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to experience this remarkable treatment and explore how it can benefit your mind, body, soul and have a positive impact on your day-to-day health and well-being.
– Hypnotherapy 60m (Focus, anxiety, weight loss, stress)
– Hypnotherapy 120m (Stop smoking session)
Our lasting thoughts:
An incredible place with outstanding staff, superb food, excellent spa and stunning grounds! Seaham Hall Hotel & Spa has it all and each time we go back, we are reminded just how special it is.
We can’t wait to go back again and expect to see you there! Remember to tell them we sent you.
Seaham Hall (0191 516 1400, (www.seaham-hall.co.uk).
Stays in the new Bungalow Suites cost from £1,190 (minimum of two sharing) including two nights’ accommodation, breakfast daily in The Dining Room and full access to the stunning hotel spa facilities, from 12 noon on day of arrival until 12 noon on day of departure. Opportunity to add on spa and wellness experiences, including Temple Spa and ishga therapies (from £95pp), meditation and hypnotherapy (from £70 pp), or yoga and Nordic Walking (from £30 pp). Additional Bungalow Suite hampers and hotel experiences available on request.
