Northumberland’s vast and beautiful landscape is a favourite for many visitors to the UK. People love the space, and the feeling of being far from everyday life. They love the wild, wind-whipped, sandy coastline, and pretty ports, villages and market towns. And rave about the hills and mountains that rise up towards the Scottish Borders, and the North Pennines to the east. The best places to stay in Northumberland are an eclectic bunch! We've unearthed great pubs with rooms, charming and intimate B&Bs, luxury country house hotels and pretty much everything in between. What you can be sure of is that they all provide a comfortable base, whatever your reason to visit this beautiful region.

Northumberland’s charms aren’t all wild and remote. If you love a long stretch of sandy beach, the coastline offers just that — dunes, tidal bays, and charming ports. There are plenty of historical sites too. This was a much contested area, it’s north of Hadrian’s Wall, and some fantastic defensive walls, forts and castles survive. Because of its location Northumberland has more castles than any other English county! If you’re wanting to see Northumberland’s highlights you’ll need to include magical Lindisfarne, parts of Hadrian’s Wall, Bamburgh Castle, and Alnwick Castle — made famous in the Harry Potter films. Berwick-upon-Tweed has impressive fortifications that some accommodation is built into. It's a good destination for keen golfers too. Consider Alnmouth — it’s small, but it has the fourth oldest golf course in the country. Goswick is the other, better known, course to consider.

As with many historic regions of the UK, this is a popular year-round destination. If you want to guarantee a room in one of the best places to stay in Northumberland, do your homework and book well ahead.

The Best Places to Stay in Northumberland

For a Countryside Escape

• Charlton Hall is an elegant,18th century hall outside Alnwick, surrounded by 150 acres of land, turned B&B and luxury wedding venue.The owner has preserved many of the hall’s best features, and purchased a lot of the furniture with the hall, but this building has had the full works when it comes to contemporary make overs. Expect clean lines, but confident use of colour and print, with gorgeous wallpapers and talking-point lamps and artworks. Among the 22 rooms and suites are one- and two-bedroom cottages, suites and more modest rooms. There's not restaurant, but they’ll be very happy to mix you a cocktail in the stylish bar and make recommendations for local eateries.
• Chatton Park House is a stately home, once the residence of the Duke of Northumberland. It’s a Georgian build, with generously proportioned rooms, both downstairs in the communal area, and upstairs in the four rooms and suites. The suites have roll-top slipper baths and private sitting rooms, and all of the rooms are elegantly decorated with lovely views over the four acres of grounds and beyond.
• The William de Percy Inn is a fun find in a tiny village on the edge of the Northumberland National Park. It used to be a coaching inn, but now it’s got much more of a boutique flavour, with 25 rooms and suites decorated in French boudoir style, with dark shades, and plenty of velvet and mirrored surfaces. There’s still a pub and restaurant, rustically detailed, with a lovely garden too. And it’s great value.

For Historic Charm

• Walwick Hall is a handsome, Georgian house right next to Hadrian’s Wall, and overlooking the picturesque Tyne Valley. Long and low, this is a spacious manor house, with a vast hall, a large drawing room and dining room, plus bar, library and snug. Upstairs are ten guest rooms, also well proportioned, all with large sash windows. The decor throughout is in keeping with the building — with rich fabrics, wallpapers, chandeliers and Georgian style furniture. Expect plenty of hunting scenes and several stag heads. Food here is a highlight, plus there's an indoor swimming pool and treatment rooms.
• The Bondgate Boutique is a miniature Georgian townhouse, in the historic heart of Alnwick, right opposite the castle. It’s now been converted into a boutique-style hotel, with just seven rooms and suites. The decor is sleek and simple, with dashes of more confident colour, and each of the rooms is well designed to make the best use of the space — one of the rooms on the ground floor has a private deck. No restaurant, but you’re well located for options.

For the Coastline

• The Whittling House is a ten bedroom restaurant-with-rooms close to the beach in pretty Alnmouth — which is where you’ll find the nearest train station to Alnwick. The ground floor has the bar and restaurant where there are wood-burning stoves, a cosy bar with an impressive list of real ales and local gins, and a restaurant which does a lot with the local seafood. The rooms are upstairs and in an adjoining cottage, and are decorated in a contemporary-rustic style.

For a Country House Retreat

• Marshall Meadows Hotel is an elegant, Georgian manor house not far from the sea, or Berwick on Tweed, and less than a mile from the Scottish border. Form the outside it looks like a traditional Georgian manor house, but inside it’s been redesigned, so that the 27 rooms and suites are not only spacious they’re also have large bathrooms — some even have space for a private hot tub too! The lounge, bar and conservatory offer plenty of relaxing space, and the restaurant is smart and unstuffy, with a modern British menu.
• Matfen Hall Hotel has been converted from a very stately Gothic home, surrounded by 300 acres of gardens and parkland. There are 53 rooms and suites plus a drawing room and dining room, a library that now houses the 2 AA Rosette fine dining restaurant, and a conservatory now housing the pub. The new wing has the Elemis spa, indoor pool and hi-tech gym. The rooms in the modern wing are more contemporary. There’s a GoApe on the grounds, and a golf course.
• Eshott Hall is a neatly rectangular, pale stone, Georgian manor house covered in wisteria. But this is a relaxing, unfussy version of the country house hotel. Yes, there are wonderful period features and a lovely collection of antiques, a formal dining room with a gourmet menu, and 35 acres of manicured gardens (with a tennis court). But it’s not staid, and the owners are warm and friendly. For a romantic occasion pick the Collingwood suite, with its roll-top bath and four-poster bed.
• Doxford Hall Hotel & Spa is a Georgian-built country house, turned hotel and spa, set in ten acres of grounds — which includes a yew maze! Expect doric columns, sash windows, decorative cornicing, and handsomely sized rooms, but also plenty of light, and comfortable decoration. It’s quite a romantic, secluded spot — while actually being only ten minutes from the coast, and two miles from the A1.

For Families

• The Beaumont, in the market town of Hexham, is a Victorian hotel that’s recently undergone a very nice renovation, which included the installation of a fantastic new restaurant. There are 33 rooms and suites, five with an extra bed, or space for more than one, at no extra charge. And there’s a kids’ menu in the chic new restaurant. Close to a stretch of Hadrian’s Wall.

For Romantics

• Converted from the Convent of Mercy in Alnwick, The Cookie Jar today is an 11 room boutique hotel, with a fun range room designs and an elegantly landscaped garden with a fire-pit and terrace. Our favourite rooms have castle views, as well as Delft blue colour schemes. Breakfast is a languid affair; plus they offer lunches and afternoon teas, and they’re open for dinner a few evenings a week.
• Northumberland is known for having a lot of castles, but 14th century Langley Castle is one of the few that you’re able to stay overnight in. Inside are suits of armour, gilt-framed portraits and tapestries, and while much of it is reproduction you certainly get the picture. Guests have a choice of staying inside the castle walls, where it’s super atmospheric, or outside them — with castle views and very affordable rates. The restaurant comes highly recommended.

For Walkers

• The Percy Arms is in Chatton, a pretty town equidistant from the Northumberland Coast AONB, and the Northumberland National Park, with five spacious, cosy rooms, and a welcoming pub with above-average pub classics. Ideal for walkers.
• The Collingwood Arms is a charmingly converted coaching inn on the River Tweed, near Coldstream. As well as 15 rooms, all simply and tastefully decorated, the property offers a choice of dining options — the informal and friendly pub, or the fancier, parquet-floored restaurant. Great for fisherfolk as well as walkers.

Great Pubs-with-Rooms

• An old coaching inn in the village of Felton, The Northumberland Arms is a relaxed choice, while also being a spacious and stylish one. It was built in the 1820s, for visitors to Alnwick Castle, and has charmingly worn flagstone floors, and vast fireplaces now accommodating wood-burning stoves. The bar takes centre stage, and around it there are a warren of alcoves and snugs for dining on pub classics and modern British cuisine. Upstairs are six large bedrooms, decorated in rustic country style.
• The Joiners Arms is a friendly gastropub close to one of Northumberland’s prettiest beaches, in the town of Newton-by-the-Sea. You can expect fun, eclectic decor and a boudoir edge to the five bedrooms. Each is decorated on a different theme, and three of them have enormous baths for two.

For Foodies

• The Hadrian Hotel & Hjem Restaurant is a handsome looking coaching inn near Hexham and Hadrian’s Wall. Its 11 rooms are light, and simply decorated, and some of them have fantastic views. The big difference between this inn and other local inns, is the Michelin starred restaurant, which is run by a cool Swedish chef, who has done a create job combining the local produce and tastes with Scandinavian cuisine. This may well be one of the most adventurous restaurants in the north east.

Best B&Bs

• Set right in the town walls of Berwick-upon-Tweed, The Walls B&B is an elegant and affordable choice, with three lovely, light-filled rooms decorated with antiques and chintz fabrics. Converted from a spacious Georgian townhouse, The Walls has incredible views of the Tweed estuary and the river’s magnificent bridge. Breakfast is a highlight, and the cosy lounge is a pleasure to return to after a day of exploring.
• St Valery is a four bedroom B&B converted from a Victorian villa just moments from the beach in Alnmouth. All of the rooms are beautifully designed, with plenty of natural light and original features like sash windows, oversized bathtubs, and elegant fireplaces. The communal areas include the breakfast room, where excellent breakfasts are served, plus a lounge with an honesty bar.

Prefer a Private Apartment or Cottage?

• If you'd prefer the privacy of a self-catering option then browse through the wide variety available online with our partner, Booking.com.

Travel Information

• Want to fly to Northumberland?

• Newcastle International Airport is the closest airport, though Edinburgh International Airport may also be worth considering. If you’re travelling from London by train you’ll probably leave via Kings Cross, and travel via Newcastle, taking around three and a half hours — depending on your final destination.
• If you want to hire a car we recommend you visit our online partner, Rentalcars.
• The best times to visit Northumberland are spring and summer, because this is a chilly part of the world. The wildflowers of spring light up the meadows, and the many castles, and summer is the best time for sunny beaches and clear skies for walking holidays.

Still not sure where to stay?

• Refine your search to just the best places to stay in Alnwick, Berwick-upon-Tweed or Bamburgh
• Refine your search by the kind of accommodation you’re looking for and consider only the best pubs with rooms in Northumberland
• Or you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.

Weather

Monthly Weather in Northumberland