Malmaison Newcastle

Malmaison Newcastle is set in a nine-story converted warehouse overlooking the River Tyne. It’s part of the Malmaison chain, a small, UK-based collection of boutique hotels. With a stone façade and an elaborate wrought-iron awning above the entrance, the hotel looks quite formal from the outside. Inside, however, the decor is more contemporary. A royal purple fainting couch and houndstooth carpeting add a playful, boutique look to the more business-like aesthetic you might expect from a chain.  The hotel’s prime location makes it a popular choice for leisure travelers, while the swanky meeting facilities attract many business travelers as well. Rooms large enough to accommodate small families are available, but with no particularly kid-friendly features found on-site, you’ll tend to see more couples and solo travelers here versus guests with little ones. 

Malmaison Newcastle is among the most well-located hotels in Newcastle, overlooking the Millennium Bridge in the popular Quayside area. There are plenty of bars and restaurants within a two-minute walk on the Quayside, along with even more drinking and dining options a 15-minute walk away in the city center. The city’s medieval castle is about 10 minutes away by foot, while shopping at Eldon Square can be reached in around a 15-minute walk. The BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art is a five-minute walk away, just across the pedestrianized Millennium Bridge. The city’s central railway station is less than a 20-minute walk away. Newcastle International Airport is a 15-minute drive away by car or taxi, or it’s accessible in around 40 minutes by public transit.  

Continuing the lobby's contemporary look, guest rooms at Malmaison Newcastle are decked out in rich, jewel-toned colors of purple, red, and deep brown, with velvet and gilt flourishes adding an extra dash of drama. Floors are covered in houndstooth carpets and a few pieces of pop art decorate the walls. Standard rooms come with double beds, while higher-categories rooms offer queen or king beds. All rooms have wall-mounted plasma TVs and free Wi-Fi. Tea-and-coffee making facilities are also standard, along with indulgent minibars stocked up with several different bottles of wine and fun snack selections that include sweet treats from The Grown Up Chocolate Company.Upper-level room categories offer lovely views of the Quayside and Millennium Bridge, but many other rooms face toward the side and back of the building instead. Bathrooms are sleek and contemporary, featuring rectangular sinks, power showers, and magnifying mirrors. Malmaison-branded bath products are provided. Most rooms have shower/tub combos, with upper-level room categories adding separate tubs, along with bathrobes and slippers. 

Malmaison Newscastle’s convenient lineup of amenities cater to the mix of leisure and business guests the hotel attracts. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the polished Chez Mal Brasserie features exposed-brick walls and arched windows overlooking the Tyne. Breakfast includes continental and cooked options, while the lunch and dinner menus offer decent French and English fare like steak frites and burgers. Room service is available 24/7.In the adjoining bar, light wood floors and soft wall colors create a neutral backdrop for neon signage and bright orange, red, and purple chairs. The bar serves up cafe-style fare like coffee and pastries during the day, along with cocktails, craft beers, and bar bites in the evening.Malmaison also does a good job covering wellness features. The Asian-influenced spa, which includes a sauna, offers therapies ranging from manicures and pedicures to massages and body scrubs. There’s also a small, updated gym with resistance and cardio equipment, along with free weights. Maintaining the hotel's overall aesthetic, Malmaison’s four event rooms are decorated with damask wallpaper and other stylish furniture. The largest of the two boardrooms can accommodate up to 80 people, with other venue options including a private dining room and penthouse lounge.Pets can be accommodated for a surcharge, and free Wi-Fi is available throughout. Parking is offered in a large lot across the street from the hotel for a daily fee.