Review: Jesmond Dene House Hotel and Restaurant, Newcastle

by Adam Jupp, The Journal

SOMETIMES, you just need a break away from it all. We’ve all been there, in need of time away from the office but without the inclination or budget to head overseas.

But therein lies the problem because, especially in our game, time off work that is spent at home is often more stressful.

Invariably, there’s nothing you can do to stop your mind wandering back to the email you forgot to send, the voicemail you didn’t leave and, speaking personally, the orange you’ve left to go mouldy in your drawer which will by now be omitting an rather unpleasant odour for your colleagues.

But there must be a happy medium, somewhere you can go within 10 miles of your home that still enables you to switch off and that is why I checked myself and the better half into Jesmond Dene House in Newcastle for a night.

For those who don’t know, the four-star hotel is a former Georgian house designed by Geordie architect John Dobson, which was bought in 1871 by Captain Andrew Noble, a partner in Lord Armstrong’s shipbuilding and armaments company.

Noble, who was knighted in 1902, expanded the building for the purposes of entertaining business contacts, adding a west wing, billiard room, Gothic porch, Great Hall and a fleet of bedrooms after commissioning Norman Shaw, of Cragside and New Scotland Yard fame, to design them.

These renovations saw stunning panelling, plasterwork, stone carvings, and stained glass added to the house, all features that remain today.

Over the years, a quite remarkable mix of guests stayed with Sir Andrew, including Rudyard Kipling, Lord Baden-Powell, Admiral Togo, Chinese ministers and Japanese princes.

After Sir Andrew’s widow died in 1929, the house had a number of uses, including a college, a civil defence establishment (tunnels still exist under the house) and until relatively recently, a residential school.

It had fallen into a bit of a state of disrepair in the 1990s until award-winning developer Peter Candler and Michelin-starred chef Terry Laybourne identified it as their next project and set to work converting it into Jesmond Dene House.

The Grade II-listed building was transformed into the hotel it is today through a £7m project, which was completed in 2005, but as was evident from the moment we stepped into our bedroom for the night, the charm of the historic building has very much been retained through its original features.

Rewinding a few minutes, though, it’s fair to say we felt the stresses of our daily lives start to drain away the moment we dropped down into the Dene from the busy Matthew Bank at South Gosforth.

And the tone of the experience we would enjoy was set when we were met at the door by the friendly concierge, who immediately smashed any preconceptions we might have had about the venue, billed as Tyneside’s top hotel, being pretentious and snooty.

We were led to our ground- floor suite, which was simply stunning. To our right, was a giant bathroom, with standalone tub and a shower big enough for an entire football team. Having immediately kicked my shoes off, I was pleasantly surprised to find my tootsies being kept warm by under-floor heating, the perfect illustration of how Jesmond Dene House manages to maintain its classic feel while adding the odd ultra-modern touch.

The original wood-panelled ceiling was intact in our room and I could have spent all day by the giant bay window looking out over the Dene.

However, the one thing more appealing than this was sitting outside in the garden and when we spotted fellow guests being served afternoon tea, we were there within seconds.

It was while we sat on the patio, with the calming sound of the Dene in the background, we realised our mission had already been accomplished. We felt a million miles away from our normal lives, despite being less than five miles away from the hustle and bustle of Newcastle city centre.

We enjoyed a short walk, before heading back to the room to smarten up, then it was into the restaurant to sample its delights.

It was clear from the moment we glanced at the menu, this is a place that prides itself in sourcing the very best and, wherever possible, local ingredients.

And the friendly yet professional atmosphere created by the staff really shone through, as they invited us to quiz them about the dishes and really aided the rather difficult decision-
making process.

In the end, I opted for Kielder venison carpaccio, with roasted beetroot and blueberry chutney, which was a delightfully light but refreshing starter, followed by grilled lobster with rosemary, seasonal vegetables, nora pepper and lobster béarnaise.

The lobster was perfectly cooked and thankfully required no cracking of shells, as our table neighbours may have caught some shrapnel in the cross-fire.

After dinner, we retired to the billiard room for coffee, settling down in front of the grand fireplace and, I have to confess, after about an hour, found it rather hard to muster the energy to head back to our suite for the night.

Morning came before we knew it and we were back in the restaurant for breakfast, for which there is a buffet table set up, boasting everything from a full smoked salmon, champagne and orange juice to fresh fruits, cereals and yoghurts.

To follow, there’s an extensive cooked menu to choose from and our waiter informed us it is becoming increasingly popular for businesspeople to book in for breakfast meetings, even if not staying overnight – and we could see why.

As we checked out, the overwhelming feeling we had been left with was of a friendly venue, where all the usual negative aspects of staying in a top-notch hotel were not present.

Staff were knowledgeable and professional throughout, while creating an informal, welcoming and friendly atmosphere that made Jesmond Dene House feel like a luxury home from home.

With reasonably-priced offers knocking about at the moment, we could think of nowhere better within an hour’s drive to get away from it all.

ROOM RATES

UNTIL October 31, room rates start at £60pp per night sharing a double room, including breakfast.

In the restaurant, a three-course dinner Monday-Friday is £25pp.