Jesmond Dene House is a luxury small hotel, within a stone’s throw of the vibrant city of Newcastle Upon Tyne. It is nestled beside a small river in a beautiful urban park but is within walking distance of the lively city centre with its great shops restaurants bars and the impressive Quayside area. The hotel became Newcastle’s first privately owned boutique hotel in 2005, after the building was restored to its original grand ambiance, having been left closed up for many years. In the wintertime, Jesmond Dene House is looking fabulously festive adorned with beautiful traditional Christmas trees lit up throughout the property.
Staying at Jesmond Dene House
The 40 bedrooms, all individually designed, have an understated elegance painted in subtle colours. The rooms at the front of the house have large stone bay windows looking out onto the garden. The sound of the small nearby waterfall will lull you to sleep. It really does feel as if you are in the middle of the countryside when in fact you are little more than a mile from the buzzing city centre.
The rooms have super comfortable beds, stylish large bathrooms most with natural light and all the usual facilities of ironing board, tea and coffee, robe and slippers and complimentary Wi-Fi.
There’s a choice of first-, second- or top-floor rooms, some of which even have roof terraces.
There is only one restaurant, which has the cosy feel of someone’s rather grand personal dining room, and there is a garden room with large windows that let you enjoy the lovely surroundings at their best while eating. Herbs and vegetables grown in the garden are used by the chef in meals prepared for guests.
History of Jesmond Dene House
The original Georgian house was designed by famous Newcastle architect John Dobson, who was responsible for many of Newcastle’s handsome streets. It was bought in 1871 by Captain Andrew Noble, a partner in Lord Armstrong’s Tyneside-based shipbuilding and armaments business. Lord Armstrong owned Jesmond Dene where the house stands and bequeathed it as a public park to the residents of Newcastle.
As the business grew, and Armstrong took a back seat, Noble needed a grander house for business entertaining. He commissioned leading Arts and Crafts architect Norman Shaw, and local architect Frank Rich, to double the size of the house adding a west wing, billiard room, Gothic porch, Great Hall and a fleet of bedrooms, all in typically grand and eclectic Arts and Crafts style. The panelling, plasterwork, stone carvings, exuberant chimneys and stained glass date from this time.
Knighted in 1902, Sir Andrew Noble moved in high society circles. Chinese ministers and Japanese princes, admirals and ambassadors, Rudyard Kipling and Arthur Conan Doyle have all stayed or dined here. After Sir Andrew’s widow died, in 1929, the house was used as a college, Civil Defence establishment (tunnels still exist under the house), seminary and, most recently, as a residential school. It took 18 months to convert the empty building, Grade ll-listed, to a luxury hotel.
Weddings and other events
Jesmond Dene House has a licence to hold civil ceremonies or you can still come here just for your wedding reception. With its beautiful setting next to the park, lovely gardens and terrace, which as a bit of a sun trap, is a great place for guests to relax and to take stunning photographs.
There are different options for different sizes of wedding parties. The Apartment is a quiet setting for a ceremony for up to 10 guests. If you’re thinking bigger — up to 120 people — you can enjoy the grandeur of the wood-panelled Great Hall. You can have just about any event here from small supper parties to grand banquets, late wedding breakfasts or evening cocktails.
Afternoon teas are now big at Jesmond Dene House and it is a real treat to sit warming yourself by the real fire in the huge grate in the billiard room while contemplating a delicious tower of small sandwiches and beautiful cakes. These sweet teas are very popular with the pubic and over 115,000 have been served since the hotel opened!
A country stay near the heart of the city
This time of year, Jesmond Dene House is looking fabulously festive adorned with beautiful Christmas trees lit up throughout the property.
The hotel has lots of points of interest and showcases art from local artists, including the lovely lifelike wire dogs by local artist Gary Tiplady who sit around the reception rooms being very well behaved. Riley, the hotel cat, has his own cat house outside the front door and he likes to greet visitors when he’s at home. He even has his own Facebook page!
You don’t need to be staying at the hotel to visit the restaurant for an evening meal or even pop in for breakfast. It’s an understated sophisticated venue, and has been visited by well known names such as Roger Moore, Ant and Dec, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell.
If you are looking for a first class venue in a unique country location close to the city centre or even just somewhere to dine in elegant surroundings or sit with a coffee beside a huge open fire, then why not call into Jesmond Dene House. Check the website for prices and packages.
History
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