Just before Christmas I celebrated a milestone birthday. Having a December birthday means that I usually don’t make a fuss about it as people are busy with festive events and Christmas parties and so my birthday normally slips by quietly. I did celebrate at home with friends, with a Champagne afternoon tea (of sorts). My husband kindly supplied the Champers and I asked everyone to bring the food, in lieu of gifts, leading to a gorgeous spread of home made scones, quiches and sandwiches and an extremely satisfying carb-fest. It was a great idea for a party as there was minimal preparation for the hostess!
But, I really want to tell you about the two days escape from reality for me and my other half, inspired by food and relaxation, and taking in two places I’ve wanted to visit for a while. A slightly delayed, picture-heavy post!
Spa at Doxford Hall Hotel
We headed off mid morning to the Spa at Doxford Hall, using an offer from Travelzoo for a spa day for two and a two-course lunch for £55. Perhaps expectations should have been low as it was an offer on Travelzoo (I have never used it before, but I know there can be concerns when using these offer sites) but the spa really was a disappointment. It was quite dated and scruffy and felt a little unclean in places. The toilets had rusty fixtures and the small unisex changing room only had two small cubicles in which to change. The only showers available were the ones beside the pool, meaning that you couldn’t shower properly before leaving, and you needed a pound coin for the lockers (small problem really, but inconvenient!) There were only four loungers, so we had to wait until after lunch to get one, and the only other chairs available were white, plastic garden chairs. I tried to book a treatment five days before arrival, and again on the day but they were fully booked. However, all the treatment rooms were empty for much of the day so it seemed that they maybe just weren’t well staffed.
We did have a good lunch and a glass of Champagne; we were the only ones in the restaurant but this didn’t bother us too much. I had a prawn and salmon timbale which was fresh and light and Carl had a chicken liver pate, which was really tasty. We both had the Christmas dinner with all the trimmings; first one of the year and it didn’t disappoint. I really couldn’t recommend the spa at Doxford Hall, it was fine for a hotel swimming pool/sauna but not for a spa day. The hotel itself was beautiful, with classic decor and lots of luxurious wooden panelling and four poster beds, and situated in stunning grounds, so I would like to go back for an overnight stay (but might just leave the bikini at home).
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The Joiner's Arms
After the spa we headed to the Joiner’s Arms in Newton-by-the-Sea. I’ve wanted to go here for so long and it was worth the wait. A small, country inn with just five rooms, you wouldn’t expect the level of grandeur behind the doors of the bedrooms. We stayed in Silver Beach, complete with dark grey walls and ceiling, oriental furniture, free standing bath and thick carpet. It was relaxation in a room. The Inn is owned by the Apartment group, behind some of my favourite Newcastle venues, including As You Like It and Nancy’s Bordello, and you can tell immediately by the rustic and quirky interior in the bar/restaurant and the high quality, unique furniture in the bedrooms. The rate included a delicious Northumbrian breakfast in the morning, and the first drink at the bar was on the house, which was a lovely touch. Our room was at the back of the hotel meaning we has views over nothing but fields.
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We had our evening meal in the restaurant, with a hearty menu serving pub classics and British cuisine, with a few twists, boasting local sourcing where possible. I wanted to try everything so I ordered a starter and then a further two starters as my main course but the portions were huge and I was stuffed! I ordered ham hock salad, seafood chowder and ox cheek ‘bon bon’ and Carl had the lightest tempura king prawns and huge fish and chips. The food was satisfying and indeed hearty, and with no room for desert I took a hot chocolate (laced with dark rum, fresh cream and marshmallows) up to bed, and slept well in a very comfy bed.
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The Treehouse Restaurant
The following day we took a brisk and windswept walk along the Northumberland coast, to work up an appetite because we were off for lunch at the Treehouse in Alnwick. I was really excited about this as I’ve been meaning to visit for years. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming as I’d expected, full of fairy lights, branches and wood and a roaring fire, perfect for a December day. They were serving a Festive Menu (bah humbug, it’s my birthday!!) so Carl had another Christmas dinner and I have a herb-crusted cod, followed by cheesecake and a fig tartlet with mulled wine ice cream. The food and service were fine, but again perhaps my expectations were too high, having wanted to visit for so long. The food reminded me of ‘good wedding food’, tasty but not perfectly executed, for example, my cod was overcooked and Carl’s dinner a little cold. We didn’t send it back because we had noticed the next table had sent a dish back and then everyone had finished before the new plate of food returned. However, I would recommend a visit just for the atmosphere, especially during the colder months, and it did live up to its magical reputation.
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The highlight of the trip was definitely the fantastic Joiner’s Arms and I can’t wait to go back when we can steal another child free night away!
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