Matfen Hall Country Hotel, Spa and Golf Estate

Make sure you bring your trainers, because The Retreat’s state-of-the-art Technogym equipment has everything you need to break a sweat in style. Don’t know your bench press from your dumbbell? Booking a personal training session will help you kick-start your new, healthy lifestyle. 

Not a gym bunny? Don’t sweat it. There are plenty of ways to get active in the fresh air here. The hotel has several walking tours designed to give you an insight into the history of the magnificent estate. But best of all has to be the guided tour of the hotel’s formal Dutch garden, Le Jardin Hollandaise. Led by a professional team of gardeners, they’ll talk you through all the enchanting features of this secret walled garden set amid the beautiful Northumberland countryside. 

Like to cover more ground? Bikes can be hired from reception for those who prefer to do their exploring by two-wheels. Or try your hand at the sport of kings. Perfect your swing at the 10-bay driving range, play a round on one of the three golf courses or book a golf lesson from a PGA professional.

The hardest part of any visit to Matfen Hall Hotel? Deciding which one of its superb eating and drinking options you’re going to savour during your stay. Newly refurbished and with a brand new restaurant added into an already delectable mix, no expense has been spared in service or style. Wherever you choose to dine, you know you’re in for a gourmet treat. 

Here on a spa package that includes afternoon tea or a three-course lunch? You’ll eat at The Retreat in the comfort of your snuggly robe. But with so much on offer, you may just decide to de-robe, glam up and linger long into the evening, too. Just remember to book your chosen restaurant in advance!

Cloisters Restaurant and Bar

From bountiful breakfasts and luxurious lunches to delectable steak and seafood dining, this all-day eating space lets you marvel at the view while you eat. Enjoy the stunning architecture of the courtyard, while the brand new mezzanine area provides an unparalleled look at the Great Hall’s magnificent stained-glass window.

Emerald Restaurant

While trips to spas may be all about swanning around in your robe, a trip to the Emerald Restaurant is worth getting dressed up for. Fine dining at its most grand, you’ll love the intricately decorated ceiling, magnificent views across the parkland and imaginative, seasonal fare.

The Orangery

Matfen Hall Hotel has elevated afternoon tea into an art form. So much so, they have an entire bright and airy space dedicated to the treat. Expect savoury delights and cute cakes made by in-house pâtissiers, accompanied by something warm and aromatic or cold and grapey.

Needham

Overlooking the Hall’s famous Dutch garden, Matfen’s decadent bar has soft, velvety booth seating, an open fire and a grand oak bar. Settle in for the night and enjoy a bite to eat or a post-spa G and T while you soak up the grandeur.

1832

Time for a signature cocktail or a glass of something blonde and bubbly before your fine dining experience in the Emerald Restaurant? Head to this stylish bar at the heart of Matfen Hall. 

Keepers

For something more informal but equally inviting, try the clubhouse at Matfen Hall Hotel’s golf course. With picturesque views over the greens, this purpose-built lodge and patio serves delicious breakfast rolls and fantastic gastro-pub style food, alongside daily specials.

There is, and it’s a beauty. Atmospherically lit by night, sunlight-flooded by day, a dip in its 15m of warm, tranquil waters is the perfect way for tired minds and bodies to be rejuvenated. Water meets the sky thanks to the expansive, pavilion-style glass roof, helping you achieve a state of total calm as you float, dip or perfect your front crawl. Or just lounge alongside it and gaze up at the clouds overhead as you unwind.

Tempted to turn a spa day into a spa stay? You’re in luck. Matfen Hall Hotel has 65 beautifully bespoke bedrooms, in room categories ranging from Classic up to the Luxury Suites. Carefully designed and tastefully decorated to reflect the hotel’s elegance, each one lets you enjoy life’s little luxuries. Where else could you enjoy 300 thread count Egyptian Cotton Sateen bedding, Penhaligon’s toiletries and a morning newspaper delivered to your door?

While Luxury Rooms and Suites include posh chocolates, cashmere mattresses, your own private chauffeur-driven arrival and a chilled bottle of Laurent Perrier, even Classic rooms make you feel like a VIP. They all have fantastic views over the local steepled church, The Retreat Garden, Matfen Village, or the countryside beyond. But upgrading from Classic to one of the six Balcony rooms lets you enjoy the same stunning views from the comfort of your own private balcony. 

It is. The spa has wheelchair access and there are three accessible bedrooms.

For overnight stays at Matfen Hall Hotel, check-in is at 3pm on your arrival day and you can check out at any time up to 11am on the day of your departure. Late check-out times can be pre-arranged with reception. For full and half day spa packages, arrival times vary so please check your booking confirmation.

You’ll find this sumptuous Gothic mansion in Northumberland, a 30-minute drive from vibrant Newcastle Upon Tyne, a town well-known for its incredible shopping and nightlife. But while the delights of the city are always there when you want them, you’ll find the hotel’s tranquil setting a world away from the hustle and bustle. 

In fact, a stay at Matfen Hall Hotel puts you just two miles away from Hadrian’s Wall. Built 2,000 years ago, this UNESCO World Heritage Site stretches 73 miles from coast to coast and dominates the wild and beautiful Northumberland landscape.

The hotel is set in its own vast estate, so if you’re here on an overnight stay we recommend the use of a car if you plan to venture out. No car? No problem. The hotel offers its own private chauffeur service. Booked in advance through the hotel’s dedicated concierge team, they’ll pick you up and drop you off anywhere you want to go, and can even provide Laurent-Perrier Champagne to enjoy en route upon request.

There’s no dress code at The Retreat, other than your complimentary robe and slippers, of course! At the hotel, the Emerald Restaurant’s dress code is "elegantly smart". By that they mean they do not require gentlemen to wear a jacket and tie, but you’ll feel quite out of place wearing jeans or sportswear.

Matfen Hall was originally built for English politician and landowner Sir Edward Blackett in the early 1800s, on the site of what had previously been a Jacobean house. The Hall was handed down through generations of the Blackett family tree until, nearly two centuries later in 1999, the building was owned by Sir Hugh Blackett, Edward’s great-great-great grandson, who turned the hall into a 31-bedroom hotel.

In 2004, Sir Hugh and his wife Lady Anna undertook a major refurbishment programme to increase the hotel’s bedroom count to 53, and create a spa and leisure complex.

Fast forward to 2020 and the family-owned Walwick Estate Group (who also own Walwick Hall Country Estate and Spa and Chesters Stables in the UK, along with overseas properties in Europe and the Caribbean) bought the property. 

Following their acquisition, the group invested £20 million into refurbishing the Hall, adding 12 more sumptuous bedrooms and bringing back some of the building’s beautiful original features. The luxurious refurb also breathed life into previously unused spaces, creating a stunning mezzanine bar and introducing a heated outdoor courtyard and a striking new conservatory space called the Orangery.

It is. While treatments and the thermal experiences are adults-only, children under the age of 16 can splash in the pool from 7am to 10pm and from 5pm to 7pm when accompanied by an adult (two children maximum per adult).

The hotel has a number of family-sized rooms, cots and sofa bed options, but to really keep the little ones happy, try one of the two Deluxe Family Rooms. Each boasts a super king-sized bed for the adults and an adjoining room with bunk-beds for up to two children aged under 12. Even better, there’s an Xbox Series X, sweet treats and a child-sized robes and slippers for your little luxury lovers.

While The Retreat spa itself is a dog-free zone, the hotel can host a limited number of canine companions in designated dog-friendly rooms at a cost of £75 per dog per night. Well-behaved four-legged friends can also join you in the golf clubhouse, The Keepers.

It has three, so if you prefer afternoon tee to afternoon tea, you’re definitely in the right place. The 27-hole championship course is made up of three courses called Douglas, Standing Stone and Dewlaw, so there’s something on offer for all playing abilities. Expect some fun water obstacles and a dry stone ‘Ha-Ha’ to challenge you. There’s also a 10-bay driving range and academy to perfect your swing.