Near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Matfen, United Kingdom | (618) 248-8274
Housed grand country mansion on sprawling parkland with attractive gardens
Some rooms have four-poster beds and garden views
Four eateries including fine-dining and healthy
options
Excellent health facilities, with pool and spa
27-hole golf course with putting greens and driving
range
Children well catered-for with DVDs, books, and games
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Modern sections and rooms
can disappoint
Breakfast quality can be inconsistent
Popular with big wedding parties
Matfen Hall is an
upscale hotel housed in a stately country mansion dating back to the early 19th
century, with plenty of Old World styling. Rooms are traditionally furnished and some have four-poster beds and garden views. The grounds are
particularly expansive, comprising a 27-hole golf course and peaceful
gardens, though there's little else within walking distance. Dining options and
health facilities impress, and families with children are well catered for. The lackluster modernized sections and rooms are the main letdown. The Langley Castle Hotel -- a 25-minute drive away -- does a slightly better job of blending contemporary add-ons to grand period architecture.
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Scene
Stately country mansion with modern additions on expansive grounds
The Maften Hall occupies a Jacobean-revival mansion that was built in the 1830s. However, the Blackett
family -- who still own and run it -- claim an ancestral connection to the country estate, which dates back to around a hundred years earlier. The property became a hotel in
1999 and was extended and renovated in 2004. However, the majority of the building has been maintained in its original grandeur. The hotel's Great Hall is a particularly fine example of
Gothic-inspired architecture, with Medieval-style stone arches, wooden carved
statuary, and a soaring stained-glass window. While the modern sections can
feel a little pedestrian in comparison, the hotel's gigantic grounds include beautifully maintained gardens with manicured box hedges, colorful flowerbeds, and
immaculate lawns, all punctuated with the scent of lavender and the sound of
the occasional thwack of a golf ball from the adjacent 27-hole course.
Location
Set in a large Northumbrian estate surrounded by picturesque countryside
The hotel is
located just outside the small charming village of Matfen and surrounded by a golf course, parkland, and the scenic Northumberland countryside. Beside a local pub
and country trails, there's little within walking distance. However, both
Hadrian's Wall and the Northumberland National Park are 30 to 40 minutes away by
car. It's also about 50 minutes by road to the Scottish border and the city of
Newcastle is about a 20-minute drive.
Rooms
Mix of rooms, some airy and plush with garden views, others lackluster
The hotel has 53
rooms, most of which are decorated in plush, traditional styling with flocked
wallpaper, antique furnishings, and patterned carpets -- plus a few contemporary
touches. While older rooms feature high coved ceilings and large windows
overlooking the grounds, some of the newer rooms are smaller with an almost
chain-hotel feel and no views. Amenities include kettles and flat-screen TVs. Upgraded rooms also have CD players and some
have four-poster beds. Bathrooms are typically clean and well maintained, and some are particularly spacious, with separate showers and tubs. Note that there have been some noise complaints, particularly when the hotel is
hosting a wedding.
Features
Range of dining options, excellent health facilities, and 27-hole golf course
The hotel
features an impressive four eateries, including a fine-dining option, a
healthy juice bar, and a gastro-pub. A full cooked breakfast
is also included in room rates, though doesn't always reflect the generally
high standards of dining. Health facilities are also excellent, with the Aqua
Vitae Spa providing an glass-ceilinged swimming pool, a whirlpool tub, a range
of massage treatments, as well as a modern fitness room and thermal suite.
There's also a 27-hole golf course alongside putting greens and a driving range -- golf classes are also available. Families are also well catered for, with set children's swimming times and
plenty of kids' DVDs, books, and games. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.
