Seaham Hall is a beautiful Georgian house set into the cliff tops of County Durham. It offers the perfect escape for couples looking to get away from it all, or those seeking a little rest and to relax on their own. While I was checking in, I could hardly believe I was about to spend the night in a room named after Lord Byron, who married Annabella Milbanke in this very building in 1815.
On entering my Milbanke junior suite, I was blown away by the sheer size of it, the beautiful plum and gold-coloured decor and the luxurious bathroom with its large, free-standing Victoria & Albert bath and walk-in shower. The view over the gardens was similarly breathtaking.
Seaham Hall: beautiful suites and lodges by the sea
The Milbanke suite is one of several suites that have been refurbished and each has its own unique decor and theme. The rooms offer all the amenities you would expect from a luxury hotel. There is, for instance, the usual dressing gown and, of course, fluffy slippers. And there is a Nespresso machine with a complimentary tray of treats. The toiletries by Temple Spa in the bathroom, meanwhile, smell simply divine and they leave you with that feeling of having just enjoyed a spa treatment. Whichever suite you stay in, you will feel as if you have escaped into a world of your own.
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Of the other suites at the hotel, The Ada Lovelace suite – named after Lord Byron’s daughter – is particularly lovely. It is a mezzanine split-level room with views over the property’s beautiful grounds. If you are visiting Seaham Hall with friends, you will want to consider staying in one of the hotel’s coastal lodges. Each sleeps up to four people, has views over the sea, and you get your own hot tub.
Be sure to book a treatment at Seaham Hall's spa
You could be forgiven for never wanting to leave the comfort of your room. But you also won’t want to miss the experience of visiting the award-winning Serenity Spa. It has treatments and facilities that will make you want to extend your stay.
I opted for the “top to toe” ritual treatment, which left me feeling completely relaxed and rejuvenated. And with 17 treatments rooms, the spa is well-equipped to cater to larger groups of friends as well.
Among the other facilities at the spa, you will find a salt sauna, eucalyptus steam room, cold plunge pool, hot tubs, a hydrotherapy pool and a 20-metre swimming pool.
The water bed in the Elephant Shanti lounge area, meanwhile, is the perfect place to relax with a book.
You can also book skin, health and wellness treatments at Novara, which is also part of Serenity Spa and has just opened. And there is a fully equipped gym and fitness studio, where scheduled yoga and pilates classes take place.
I tried a yoga class before dinner and found it to be the perfect activity before exploring the hotel’s dining options.
Relaxed pan-Asian dining and a more formal option
Whether you are in the mood for a culinary treat after your spa treatment, or you are simply look forward to a relaxing evening, Ozone is the place to come. It is Seaham Hall’s pan-Asian restaurant in a beautiful setting and you can even dine in your dressing gown if you so wish. It really is a moment to relax and enjoy good food, such as steamed gyozas, a spicy Szechuan stir fry, or steamed pork bao buns.
The Dining Room is Seaham Hall’s more upmarket restaurant. It has recently been refurbished to provide the perfect, tranquil setting, with 14-carat gold-plated chandeliers and the large Georgian windows afford mesmerising views as you dine.
For something truly special, there’s also afternoon tea with sandwiches and sweet treats. As a vegetarian, I found I had plenty of options at each of the restaurants.
Hunting for glass pebbles from a bygone era
You will undoubtedly want to take a walk along the coast, where you can’t help but notice how many people are on the beach crouched down hunting for “sea glass” – waste glass that was dumped into the sea by factories in Victorian and Edwardian times. Today, the glass makes little treasures you will want to collect and use to make jewellery.
I decided to get involved and found some beautiful bits of glass that had spent decades in the sea and now lay glowing among the pebbles.
Kalpana was a guest of Seaham Hall. Nightly rates start from £299 in a junior suite on a B&B basis. For more information or to book, visit seaham-hall.co.uk
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