Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
An independent country house hotel with luxury spa and golf course. Set in beautiful gardens and surrounded by open countryside making an ideal rural retreat. Restaurant serving award winning food made with local produce and friendly professional service. This family owned and run hotel was completely refurbished in 2016 to the highest standards and is set on its own farming estate.
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Headlam Hall Country Hotel & Spa is often praised for its comfortable and tastefully decorated rooms, although a few guests suggest they could benefit from updates and better noise and temperature control. The service garners mixed feedback, with many appreciating the friendly staff, while others have faced issues with poor service. Travelers generally find the value commendable, citing quality food and services, despite some concerns about extra charges.
The hotel's charm is noted for its homely and traditional atmosphere, but it may not cater to those seeking modern sophistication or child-friendly environments. The spa and beautiful grounds are widely celebrated, adding to the comfort and luxury of guest stays, and the cleanliness of the hotel consistently receives high marks.
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Excellent
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Outstanding
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This was my third visit to the Headlam Hall and didn’t disappoint. From entering through the front door there is a sense of visiting somewhere homely rather than a chain style hotel. This family-run hotel has superb taste with great attention to detail, including the lighting of candles in the lounge and bar about 6.00 pm. So cosey and atmospheric. The food must be close to a Michelin star and was a highlight of our visit. For the price we paid our room was delightful, but felt perhaps a throw on the bed would have given the room a more sophisticated look.
Nowhere is perfect so I must mention the nearby spa. We looked inside the previous time we stayed and weren’t that impressed. Small pool and not quite the atmosphere I would expect from such a good hotel. For me the design of this building doesn’t really complement the Jacobean part of the hotel.
Apart from that it’s a great area of the country to discover with nearby Raby Castle, the Bowes Museum and the small town of Bernard Castle. Good walks along the River Tees as well.
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Date of stay: August 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Would really make time to walk around the attractive gardens. There is an enjoyable walk over the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was my second visit to Headlam Hall, I had enjoyed my first trip so much that I had to return and bring my mum along. We stayed in a main hall twin room that was large, beautifully decorated and spotless. The beds are super comfortable, there are a selection of Molton Brown toiletries which are in nice big bottles and lovely homemade biscuits in a jar replenished daily.
We had a dinner, bed and breakfast package. There was plenty of choice both evenings for dinner, which was all delicious with an excellent selection of wines. We enjoyed a liquor coffee in the lounge surrounded by elegant Christmas decorations and a roaring fire. Our package also included a cream tea which we had on arrival, again this was delicious.
We spent a day lounging in the spa, which is never overcrowded and had a couple of amazing treatments. All of the treatments I have had at Headlam have been excellent and to a high standard.
All of the staff were lovely and made us feel very welcome and looked after. On departure we received a gift bag with homemade biscuits, water and mini spa products, which is a lovely touch.
We look forward to returning.
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Date of stay: December 2024
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We had a celebration weekend with a meal on the Saturday evening with friends followed by a family and friends party on the Sunday about 2 weeks ago.
On Saturday evening the stable lounge was transformed for our dinner celebration with friends, the table was set for 20, what an impressive sight to greet our guests (see attached photo). Everyone commented on the set up and the general surroundings that greeted them, the service by Walid, Karl and Courtney was first class and totally seamless. The quality of food was exceptional and delightful, our guests had nothing but praise for delicious fayre served.
Sunday morning all our guests joined us for a lovely selection of breakfast options, again nothing but praise for the delicious food and service we all enjoyed. We all gathered together later joined by close family members, arriving in the stable lounge around mid afternoon to be greeted again with a terrific new set up of surroundings, where we were again welcomed and attended too royally by Walid, Karl, Courtney and Tristan, we both felt special to have family and friends with us in such first class surroundings enjoying top class service. Later an impressively set out buffet with a wide selection of appetising, delicious hot and cold cuisine with fantastic deserts that was served splendidly by the staff, with specific food requirements attended to with expedience.
We all thoroughly enjoyed the ambience, cuisine and service experience throughout our weekend of celebrations, the overall feedback we had regarding the food, service, presentation, settings and surroundings was fabulous, on reflection we felt that fabulous summed up the overall experience we enjoyed with all our guests and family.
Headlam management should be very proud of all their staff, as a team the staff helped make our celebrations very special indeed, we all have taken away so many wonderful memories, this is a reflection on all at the hotel from management, kitchen, housekeeping, food and beverage, reception, Spa, grounds staff, to the ever important pot washer, hope i have captured all.
We are planning to return in the near future, to sample more of the hotels delicious cuisine and warm hospitality.
In conclusion from our and guests arrival through until departure the professionalism and attention to detail from each and every member of staff was just excellent.
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
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Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yesterday we stayed at Headlam Hall. However, our experience fell short of expectations, leaving us feeling quite unwelcome.
Upon arrival, we encountered several issues that made our stay less enjoyable:
1. Dining Arrangements: The children’s menu starts at 5 PM, while the adult menu is only available from 6 PM. This inconvenient scheduling meant we couldn't dine together as a family. Moreover, the quality of the food was disappointing, contrary to the website's claim that "good food is at the heart of what we do." Our child was served packet mash and hard sausages, which was far from the high standard we anticipated.
2. Swimming Schedule: The only allocated time for children to swim was from 8 to 9 AM and 4 to 5 PM (with a ÂŁ10pp fee) which felt restrictive and challenging to fit into our schedule. This limited access did not reflect a genuinely child-friendly environment.
2. Service Quality: The dining staff were borderline rude. Despite being the only people in the restaurant, it took 20 minutes to be served. When they finally did serve us, it seemed like they couldn’t be bothered. They didn’t check on us to ask how the food was or if we needed anything else. My partner and I finished our drinks before the food arrived, and they didn’t offer refills. The only time we saw the dining staff was when they came over to see if our son was finished with his food.
4. Hospitality and Environment: Despite the website’s claim that Headlam Hall "enjoys an excellent reputation for its hospitality, cuisine, and unique charm," we did not experience this. In the spa restaurant, it was uncomfortably hot as the air conditioning was not turned on. Additionally, we felt judged when our 15-month-old was being loud—not crying, but just excitedly playing with his toys. This reaction from staff and other guests made us feel even more unwelcome.
That said, the location itself is stunning. The gardens are lovely, with well-maintained grass and beautiful landscaping, which provided a pleasant backdrop to our stay. The property’s charm is evident in its aesthetics and outdoor spaces.
Overall, while Headlam Hall advertises with excellent hospitality and cuisine, our experience did not fully reflect these claims. We hope the management will address these issues to better accommodate families in the future.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
On arrival (which is now 4pm) we were greeted reasonably warmly. The receptionist told us that a table had been reserved for dinner at 8pm and we said that we had already arranged to eat elsewhere - with that, her attitude seemed to change... she 'scrubbed out' some elements on the booking sheet and gave us our key. Our room was on the second floor and was spacious with some nice amenities. However, it was very dark. One of the bar staff gave us some fresh milk for our tea and a second bottle of water when we requested it. We needed to make an early departure but they don't serve breakfast on Sundays till 8am and we were curtly told we would have to wait! We could have some elements that were already laid out. We were eventually offered tea (at 2minutes to 8) and were presented with an enormous pot of hot water with a single tea bag in it!!! We asked at reception for more tea bags and got them. When we did order our hot food it arrived quickly and was good quality. We won't return and wouldn't necessarily recommend the hotel - for the cost we don't feel it was value for money.
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We went to Headlam Hall for the snugglers retreat for some r&r. The food was delicious and they catered for a vegan diet very well. Unfortunately I had the worst sleep of many years, which undid the positives. The noise when anyone else in the building ran water was incredibly loud and the room shook with the vibration. People coming in after the bar had shut running baths or going to the loo in the night kept waking us up. I usually sleep very soundly through most noise which gives an idea of how loud the noise was.
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stayed at Headlam Hall for 2 nights on a spa package, for relaxation prior to an op. For the price expectations unfortunately were not met. The location is good, rural and peaceful with well kept grounds. Staff are great; all staff we met were really pleasant and helpful. The spa is small but it was quiet and numbers are controlled well with a booking system. Had treatments which were relaxing (although no discount as not an hour long!) What let the hotel down for us was the food; for the cost of the stay we both expected better quality. I informed the hotel I was vegetarian; there was one main dish which was the same both nights and not very pleasant. A pasta dish that was extremely oily and the pasta did not taste freshly cooked. My husband had the belly pork one night which was tough and again didn't taste freshly cooked. Elements of the meal suggested buying in eg pastry cases (hard) and meringues for the lemon dessert. The hotel has a veg garden but whilst the write up says it is used the evidence within the meal choice didn't reflect seasonal availability; a real shame as fresh home grown produce cannot be beaten! I could say more about breakfast but suffice to say below par for the price. Other than the food the hotel is great (really can't praise the staff enough) but wouldn't stay again as a result of the meals.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
One tip to any brides to be- book a premier suite for the evening before and to get ready in. They provide a lot more room than the standard bridal suite.
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Recently booked the Stables for a family/ friends celebration, 40+ guests. The venue was beautifully laid out with fresh flowers on every table, sparkling glasses and cutlery and pristine tablecloths and napkins. The staff were friendly and professional, nothing too much trouble and ensured everything went well. Chef and Team excelled themselves. Would definitely recommend.
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Â Book it!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
To celebrate my daughter's birthday four of us went to Headlam Hall Hotel for three nights, just half an hours drive from our home. We had not been to The Hall before, but it looked good on their web site. We were not disappointed. Arriving about an hour before check in time we expected to wait in the lounge with a coffee - but we checked in and were shown to out rooms straight away. A good start. The dinner that evening was really superb, the chef seems to specialize in fish dishes which were as good a fish as I have ever tasted. My wife, daughter and Daughter in law each agreed with me saying how good all the food was. The starters were varied and the desserts excellent. Everything, including the bread rolls were home made and beautifully fresh. My compliments go to the Chef and his staff. I found all the staff, waiters, barmen, cleaners et al to be extremely attentive, friendly and efficient. Our room was up one flight of stairs from the lounge and was very comfortable with a bath, shower and large wash basin and a supply of top quality soap, shampoo, body lotion and shower gel. also on hand were flip-flops, bath robes and large bath towels. The hotel's setting is very good, with nice little walks around the grounds, tennis courts and 9 hole golf course complete the break. My three female guests enjoyed a spa experience, and remarked that it was top quality. My only downside was the wine list, which appeared to be excellent wine, but closer to the top end of the market and consequently a bit on the expensive side, and as my three fellow guests do not partake of alcohol a bit too much to pay for just me. Not a complaint, but an observation. Also no lift was a surprise. All in all and excellent place to unwind and spend a few days living a life of luxury.
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Date of stay: March 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Durham, United Kingdom9 contributions4 helpful votes
I’m not sure best to check direct with the hotel.
They are intending, I was told, that refurbishment was planned and this may well be the case for January 2020.
Chester-le-Street, United Kingdom30 contributions30 helpful votes
Headlam is not an obvious choice as a base for visiting the coast. It will take approx 45 minutes to get to the coast and longer if you want to go further north or south.
Ealing, United Kingdom5,525 contributions2,356 helpful votes
There is no dress code as such but the food and service is very nice and having eaten there many times I would suggest smart casual. If you want something more relaxed book a table in the bar. You can get the same food but my wife I find it more comfortable
There are more places to choose from in the Headlam area.
PRICE RANGE
C$256 - C$256 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
headlam hall hotel spa and golf, headlam hall darlington, headlam hall hotel darlington
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandCounty DurhamHeadlam
NUMBER OF ROOMS
38
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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