The Beamish Park Hotel - Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom     

It took several attempts to find a North East hotel which could cope with our seemingly simple request - to be able to eat a evening meal in a hotel restaurant within baby-monitor distance of our room. When we explained to the Newcastle-Gateshead Hilton that we wanted to leave our sleeping baby son in the room while we ate, they suggested we booked a second, adjoining room (for a total cost of more than ?200 a night) and ordered room service, or organised a baby sitter to sit in the dark in the room with him while he slept. The Tulip Gateshead said our choice was to make like the Hilton baby sitter or keep him up with us all night. And then the Beamish Park Hotel receptionist said 'no problem, we'll put you in a room really close to the lounge bar and we can also listen in to the room on our reception telephone if you like and we'll make sure there is a cot and...'. The staff at this pleasant hotel could not have been more accommodating. We arrived late after a stressful journey but the kitchen conjured up a tasty meal ('what would you like to eat?') while we settled our son. When we discovered our room didn't have the promised bath (needed for bathing said son), we were handed the key to an adjoining room with a bath. The baby monitor worked in the bar but not in the restaurant, so all our meals were uncomplainingly served in there. A great team. The hotel is a fairly modern building behind a pub in pleasant countryside about ten miles from Newcastle, next to a golf course and near the Causey Arch (some important development in industrial architecture - I forget exactly what). It feels slightly corporate with a hint of motel (you can park right outside your room if on the ground floor), but the rooms (some recently modernised, others a tiny bit tired put perfectly acceptable) and public areas are fine. It is obviously well known for its food and the evening meals we had were just delicious. The breakfasts were the only disappointment for us. You have to pay extra and ?7 for a 'light continental' i.e. tea and very average toast seemed unnecessarily punative.

The Beamish Hotel is set in the country side, and this makes your stay there very peaceful. We decided to go for the premier room, slightly disappointing. The room was large and the bathroom very nice. The furniture are all antiques, but if you are over 5' 10" be prepared for uncomfortable night sleep in the bed. I have to admit I was looking for something more grander in the upgraded room. If I was ever to go back I would just go for the standard room. The majority of the staff were excellent, and the manager of the restaurant certainly knows his customer service. The hotel is great for the Beamish Museum, and is not to far to drive if you want to go to Newcastle or Durham. The hotel lacks a few facilities, swimming pool, satellite television.