Polished oak floors, huge windows, lashings of space - the ground floor is a sweep of grand but comfortably modern rooms buzzing with gentle activity. The Cocktail Bar lounge, with its plump sofas, colourful fabrics, Arts and Crafts inglenook fireplace and overlooking the garden, is a bright, light room and a convivial place for taking coffee or drinks. Alternatively, the Billiard Room has a carpeted, clubby atmosphere, newspapers and magazines, another grand fireplace and a fine, glazed roof (but, regrettably or thankfully, no billiards). A good place to curl up with a book, meet friends or laze over afternoon tea.
A contemporary style garden borders the house. With its wide terrace, striking colours, charming pergola and informal lawn, it's big enough to stretch the legs before dinner, small enough to admire, glass in hand, from the bar. As well as flowers for the hotel's interiors, the garden also provides fresh fruit and vegetables for the kitchen, including traditional varieties of English apples, plums, lettuces, beans, squashes and a range of herbs.
But there's a grander, wilder garden next door. Created by the Victorian industrialist, Lord Armstrong - and, later, donated to the city -Jesmond Dene is a steep-sided, wooded valley full of native and exotic trees. Waterfalls, rustic bridges, stepping stones and a myriad paths make it an easy place to unwind. For children, there's a Pets' Corner (pot-bellied pigs and peacocks); for fitness fanatics there are jogging trails.
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