The Northeast of England has always been a very special area to us, somewhere we always jump at the chance to visit. It’s full of history, dramatic landscapes, immersive cultural attractions, and the beautiful Headlam Hall Hotel & Rural Retreat.
Headlam Hall is a luxurious 17th-century country house hotel, set at the foot of the Durham Dales near Darlington and Barnard Castle. Privately owned by the Robinson family, it offers 38 rooms, an award-winning restaurant, a modern spa, and a 9-hole golf course.
Everything about this place was ticking our boxes and we couldn’t wait to visit.
Arrival
Driving along a stunning country lane, with nothing but green fields, cattle and sheep, the entrance to Headlam Hall suddenly appears. We found it to be one of those places where you feel yourself totally relax even before getting out of the car.
The hotel is beautiful, but on a day like the one we arrived, with nothing but clear blue sky and warm sunshine, it looked simply breathtaking. In fact it was one of the hottest days in June, so we ordered a couple of cooling drinks and sat under one of the large umbrellas on the front lawn, just taking it all in.
Our Room
Drinks finished, we forced ourselves to move from our idyllic spot, remove our luggage from the car and check into our room. In truth, we could have sat there all day.
We were staying in one of the Deluxe Rooms, in the 17th century Main Hall. We had gorgeous views over the gardens and surrounding countryside, the décor was elegant, combined with period features and some antique furnishings, and the bathroom was lovely and spacious, with a large bath and separate walk-in shower.
But the bed! That bed was so comfortable, and let’s face it, an uncomfortable bed and a poor night’s sleep can ruin the whole experience. Not the case here. I can highly recommend one of these rooms.
The Spa
The Spa at Headlam Hall is a standalone, purpose built building, and the atmosphere of calm hits you as soon as you enter. It’s very quiet with relaxing sounds and music being played, and the smell of aromatherapy oils fills the air.
We were booked in for back massages, and couldn’t wait. Spending hours a day sat at a desk, working on a computer takes its toll!
We sat in the comfortable lounge area with another cooling drink, and were soon called through by our therapists. My therapist checked how firm I wanted the massage and applied the perfect pressure for me. I literally floated out of that room.
The treatment list here is includes an extensive selection of massages and facials, and with their team of expert therapists, we wished we had booked more treatments.
Golf
For golfers there’s a 9 Hole Course, and with a driving range and tuition available, it makes a great place for a golfing break.
Set over rolling pastureland around the Hall gardens, this enjoyable and challenging course features an abundance of natural features including rig and fur, woodland, and streams and ponds, making it a test for the most experienced of golfers. There’s a wide variety of holes – from the daunting 116 yard ‘Pond Hole’ to the long 523 yard ‘Sleeters’ par 5.
My golfing husband is already looking at taking a group of golfing buddies!
The Restaurant
We dined in the bright and airy Orangery, an elegant restaurant with friendly service, and a delicious menu of modern British food, using fabulous local produce, including fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables from their own kitchen garden.
What We Ate:
Fresh Crab and Crayfish – sourdough crumpet, brown crab with lime chilli butter, pink grapefruit salad, lemon gel. We both chose this starter and it did not disappoint. Light, fresh and full of delicious summer flavours. Could have eaten two it was so good!
Roasted Loin of Cod – salt and vinegar potato terrine, crushed peas, samphire, curry sauce, scraps. I chose this as I don’t eat enough fish and it sounded interesting. It was fabulous! What a dish. The fish was cooked to perfection, every element worked perfectly together and those scraps…I want the recipe!
Herb-Roasted Rack of Mutton – herb crust, braised belly, baby carrot, bok choi, cabbage, sweet potato puree, mint, basil and anchovy salsa, lamb jus. This was my husbands choice, I knew as soon as I saw it on the menu, this would be the dish he chose. His verdict? Perfectly cooked, mouth-wateringly tender and he had to stop himself from asking for bread to wipe the plate clean!
Sticky toffee pudding, toffee sauce, popcorn, vanilla ice-cream and Affogato – pistachio gelato, Lonton’s espresso, biscotti were our desserts of choice. Two dishes we can always rely on to be spot on, and they were. The perfect ending to a delicious meal.
The Hospitality
Everything about Headlam Hall is fabulous, one night is not long enough to fully appreciate how special this place is. The people, the atmosphere, the care and attention to detail and of course, the location.
It doesn’t get any better.
Review and images by Angela Riches and Dave Riches
Some images supplied
