Rockliffe Hall is one of those special Hotels. The sort of Hotel which is a real treat, where you are treated so exceptionally well, yet where you also feel like you’re home…

Located in Darlington, Rockliffe Hall Hotel is at an ideal location to visit the Yorkshire Dales or North Yorkshire Moors and for football fans it overlooks Middlesbrough training ground.

The Hotel

The exterior itself isn’t overtly grand, it’s long and wide with Victorian-esque brickwork and a period-style black tiled roof, but the interior tells a different story. Upon entering you are greeted by smooth, polished tile, beautifully high ceilings and elegant splashes of contemporary decor – abstract polished statues and lavishly oversized armchairs in a luscious dark hues.

A converted Victorian mansion, the Hotel is split into two parts – the old and the new hall. The old hall harbours a stunning morning room, drawing room, bar, central staircase, pianist to play during dinner and a number of more classic style rooms and suites. The new Hall features most of the bedrooms, the spa, gym and a more relaxed style brasserie.
We stayed in the New Hall, the decor of this part of the Hotel is a marrying of the contemporary and the classic, intertwining the establishment’s rich Victorian heritage with a modern twist. We’re talking beautiful gilt photo-frames and delicately embroidered curtains with contemporary chandeliers and spotlighting.

The Room

The first thing which I noticed as I entered the bedroom were the lights which bordered the room turned on automatically (you can set four different moods of lighting) and the second was the vast amount of space. The bathroom was set to the right and a small corridor led into a large bedroom with a stunning king-sized bed, twin sofas, desk and patio doors thrown open to a balcony overlooking the ground and bordering football training grounds. Sunlight streamed in through a chink in the curtains adding warm hues to the elegantly partnered plum coloured carpet and crème walls. The overall effect is a room that is as stylish as it is warm and comfortable. There was nothing to fault. The bathroom was a stylish marble clad affair, with his and hers sinks, NEOM toiletries, a large bath and shower and a separate toilet room.
In the wardrobe were two beautifully soft bath robes and slippers, ideal for the short walk to the spa – one of the real highlights of this 5* establishment.

The Spa

Rockliffe Hall is proud to boast one of the largest spa’s in the country and its Good Spa Guide ‘5 Bubble Luxury Spa’ heralds it as the best in the North of England for Spa days and Spa breaks. Whilst we believe size doesn’t always matter, the expansive size of Rockliffe Hall’s spa is a real winning feature. Separate areas allow for a journey for all of the senses, relaxing and rejuvenating in the way only a perfect spa truly could. And they are unique in their installation of their ‘Spa Garden’ – an added extra but well worth the money.
Adjacent to the main spa, The Spa Garden (which requires a code to access) offers unrivalled luxury whilst revelling in beautiful panoramic views of the countryside tumbling as far as the eye can see. It offers an outdoor and indoor experience for that extra touch of tranquillity to make your break truly perfect.

Indoors you can lie back and relax on a heated relaxation lounger with complimentary refreshments brought to you by you own personal spa concierge, or sit around their unique fire pit and water feature with a magazine or book. You can then head outside where there are two hot pools including an infinity edge experience pool and a warm Jacuzzi, plus decking and lounge areas for when the weather is warm. When you are in the heated pool staring out at the beautiful manicured gardens, muscles soothed by the massage features, it’s hard to imagine a place you would rather be. All in all, it is an ideal extra for a day of utter indulgence.

The main spa itself offers a large indoor pool, a separate Jacuzzi pool, numerous experience rooms and plenty of places to relax. Soft lighting puddles round the surfaces and gentle music plays – it is an utter recipe for rest and relaxation.
If you get thirsty during all the relaxing and fancy a sip of something delicious, a juice bar is on hand for some wickedly wonderful smoothies- they taste great and are good for you too!
For any gym fanatics out there, Rockliffe Hall has a state of the art Technogym equipped fitness suite and a range of wellness classes such as Nordic Walking all under the expert guidance of their fitness specialists. Whilst I didn’t try the gym during my stay, I did peek in and it really looks fantastic.

Dinner

Dinner at Rockliffe is an experience in itself. It’s hard to stress in words how delicious the food, how beautiful the setting and how much you need to go yourself for a special occasion.
I would recommend you head to their Cocktail bar for a pre-dinner tipple – their list is mouth-watering and will really whet your appetite for your food. The hotel’s resident professional pianist Michael Mulroy provides an elegant background whilst you peruse the menu and if you’re lucky to catch a seat by the window you can watch the sun setting over the grounds.
The menu itself is a wondrous treat, Executive chef Richard Allen portrays his passion for food with premium ingredients that both taste and look delicious (a fact we cannot argue.) Aswell as being delicious, it is indulgent, yet not too overbearingly so – one of the reasons for its 3AA rosette status.
We opted for the tasting menu accompanied by wine pairings, but the a la carte menu also looked delicious. Whilst we decided to go all out and try the 7 courses, you can also have the 5 course taster and don’t have to choose the wine accompaniment (but we recommend that you do!)

Dinner itself takes place in the Orangery, a breathtaking room bursting with light during the day and wallowed in a majestic moonlight come nightfall. Beautiful gold pillars illuminated by gold spotlights line the room and grand olive-coloured curtains frame the floor-to-ceiling windows. White clothed tables and dark-accented chairs added to the overall feel of grandeur and class and pretence is set for a memorable meal each and every time you enter.

As soon as we were shown to our table, it was clear that this was to be a meal unlike any other – and by the end this belief (and our stomachs) had been fully satisfied. The sommelier was exceptional, explaining each wine and just why it had been chosen as the perfect partnering for each course – and they all really did go very well. The food itself was outstanding and would go down as one of the top restaurants I have ever had the pleasure of eating in.Each dish  at Rockliffe Hall was cooked to such precision, flavours married together so meticulously that each course was a real treat to the palette. Perfectly finished, each dish looked as good as it tasted. Expertly crafted and designed to appeal, imagination was rife in the presentation of every course and were it not for the overwhelmingly delicious scents from the plate it would be hard to tuck in for fear of destroying something so beautiful. Courses include a roast breast of pigeon with broccoli, chickpea dahl and fig & ginger jam and roast loin of rabbit, though a firm favourite was the pork belly with poached langoustine and apple. All dishes were succulent, juicy and tender in all the right places with an exciting marrying of flavours. The evening was rounded off by a cup of coffee bar in the bar; unfortunately the pianist was no longer playing (he plays a three hour slot) however there was still a soothing classical music in the background to really set the mood.

Rockliffe Hall is a break truly unlike any other and one that will stick with you long after you leave. It is a break of utter indulgence without a ridiculous price tag and leaves you feeling relaxed, rested and checking when you can return. Whether you decide to come as an anniversary treat or just to experience the spa and restaurant you will not be disappointed. Everything from the staff to the decor makes this a Hotel which is so much more than just bricks and mortar. We can’t recommend Rockliffe Hall highly enough.

Seen in the City was hosted by Rockliffe Hall, a member of Pride of Britain Hotels – a collection of 49 privately-owned independent British hotels. Set within 375 acres on the banks of the River Tees, near the village of Hurworth, the 18th-century red-brick mansion has 61 elegant guest bedrooms, three restaurants and an award-winning spa which offers a range of treatments including the 60-minute Caudalie Facial (£90 pp). A landscaped Spa Garden features a hydrotherapy pool, Jacuzzi, decked lounging area, fire pit, water feature and sweeping views across the estate. An overnight stay costs from £220 per room (two sharing), including full English breakfast and use of the indoor spa. Spa Garden access costs £30 pp for a two-hour session. To book call Pride of Britain Hotels (0800 089 3929, www.prideofbritainhotels.com).