Macdonald Linden Hall Golf and Country Club is a very picturesque country house hotel and golf course nestled in its own beautiful private estate. It is in a very good location just outside the village of Longhorsley, in Northumberland, UK and is only a few minutes from the main North-South A1 road. It is easily accessible from Newcastle upon Tyne from the South or from the border to Scotland to the North. It is now part of the prestigious Macdonald group of hotels although it has had a very interesting history before that too.
The hotel has a friendly relaxed atmosphere and the staff are chatty and helpful with many of them living in the local area.
Features include a stunning 18 hole landscaped golf course and a spa with a heated pool, hot tub and a full range of beauty treatments, which can be booked ahead of your visit. The conference facilities can cater for up to 300 people and this is also a very popular wedding venue.
The history of Linden Hall
Linden Hall was originally a mansion house and the family home of Charles William Bigge. It is of historical significance as it is a fine example of Georgian architecture and a Grade II listed building. Bigge was a successful Newcastle banker and he bought a large estate from the family of the Earl of Carlisle and set about building his stately home. The house was designed by Sir Charles Monck who had a keen interest in the Greek revival style and he was aided by the newly qualified architect John Dobson. John Dobson was a very significant figure in the history of the Newcastle area as he designed much of the beautiful Georgian city centre of Newcastle, including Grey Street, and other stately homes in the area such as Belsay Hall. The new hall was named after an adjacent stream. Financial problems later caused his descendants to sell the estate and Hall, which were sold in 1861 to H M Ames for 72,500 GBP, about 94,000 USD. The house provided a home for the Liddell, Ames and Adamson families until 1963. In 1978 it became a hotel. It also served a military hospital during the First World War as many country houses did.
Dining at Linden Hall
There are a number of dining options at the hall from the casual at the Linden Tree pub, which is in the grounds of the hotel; to the Dobson Restaurant awarded two rosettes by the AA. We were lucky enough to sample the seven course meal in the luxurious Dobson Restaurant and this was really a fantastic dining experience. Looking out over the beautiful country estate, we were served course after course of delicious food. You can also order a flight of wines with this meal, which pairs a different type of wine with each course; this is also a fun thing to do.
The meal began with a cream of carrot and coriander soup, one of my favourites, and then pressed terrine of chicken, pan seared Scottish salmon, pan roasted lamb with a sweet pepper ratatouille or seared loin of crispy belly pork. Next came the desserts. The lemon posset was absolutely to die for, then a warm brioche with brie and drizzled honey, followed by a pistachio, apricot and raspberry Mascarpone mousse. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, coffee and handmade petit fours arrived. All of the food was quite delicious and there is also a vegetarian alternative. If you really want a gastronomic treat in lovely surroundings then let the talented chef at Dobson Restaurant show you his skill!
The spa at Linden Hall
The Spa at Linden Hall has a tiled heated pool and a hot tub with small Roman style pillars. It has a steam room and sauna too. There is a well staffed spa with a relaxation room where you can rest with some herbal tea before or after your treatment and a small team of dedicated staff who provide a full range of beauty therapies. These are particularly popular with everyone from wedding parties to those just coming for a weekend break. You don’t have to be staying at the hotel to use the facilities either and quite a lot of locals pay a small fee to enjoy this small spa close to the village.
Linden Hall: a Northumberland gem
Macdonald Linden Hall Golf and Country Club is a great option for a place to stay if you are visiting the beautiful North of England. The stunning grounds are filled with majestic mature trees and if you like golf then this great choice of accommodation. If you would just prefer to relax and indulge yourself then the spa and the very fine Dobson Restaurant could be more your taste. Macdonald Linden Hall Golf and Country Club is only a few miles from the gorgeous North East coast with Bamburgh Castle, Seahouses Village and the world famous Holy Island of Lindisfarne close by. It is also on the edge of the picturesque Northumberland National Park — one of England’s least known areas of outstanding natural beauty, and so is an ideal base for exploring Northumberland — the English county with the most castles.
History
Get Trip101 in your inbox
Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data
Create an account to