The Credentials
The journey to Seaham Hall is not an easy one when you’re travelling from West London, especially when your car breaks down on the M1… After a 9 hour journey that should have taken us 3, we arrive, mid-evening, at the majestic Seaham Hall, Durham. After all our peril (I’ll spare you the details) the site of it takes our breath away with its brilliance.
The Georgian country house is a thing of splendour from the outside, with beautiful grounds and greenery, and a whisper of sea air due to the fact that the building is situated on a clifftop, with walkways down to the beach.
The design choices behind each area of the hotel are something else entirely – surprisingly eclectic and playful. The entrance is set out with a slight nod to Spanish terracotta architecture, the corridors are filled with art deco furnishings and dark colours, and the lobby outside of our suite door made me think of those shared community yards adorning fancy LA apartments. The entire place is an eccentric mix of old and new design; things like glass windows stained with modern art, mishmash period pieces amongst super modern seating, and a huge whirlpool at the centre of the classic Georgian entrance.
Everything surprises you, as the design and energy of the place juxtapose formality with informality. It’s the pops of colour and the unusual choices scattered around the grounds that bring you out of that traditional setting of a great house for just enough time that it gives you permission to relax.
I think, in hindsight, that’s what Seaham Hall is about. It’s a place of great luxury where you are totally free to be yourself, and I am here for it.
Sleep
After our journey, we’re greeted by Liam at the door, who has been waiting for us. He immediately puts us at ease, offering us menus and guiding us to our private hot tub and and fire-it, which he rightly assumes we’ll want to spend the rest of the evening decompressing in. For me, it was already worth the journey, and we haven’t yet even seen any of the hotel.
Every detail in our room is thought through: from the candle and matches next to the huge bath to the fantastic immersive shower (see images) and the marshmallows for roasting on the firepit. I would like to live here.
Dine
On the first night, we eat in, ordering the Roast Confit Duck with a delicious jus and fall-apart pink meat, on a bed of well-seasoned, moreish greens. My guest goes for the Steak Burger, which is salted to perfection, and has a lovely crispy brioche bun, adding extra crunch alongside the salad. The fries from the restaurant are so perfectly cooked that we very nearly order another plate!
We also order a perfectly creamy and rich Creme Brulé and Pannacotta to the room service, the latter served with a surrounding of beautiful summer fruits, which adds a bursting tartness to the delicate creamy centre of the dish. Plus we add a very impressive bottle of Malbec, which we finish off by the fire in our private garden.
The Dining Room at the hotel, adorned with modern sweeping chandeliers, comfy booths and an impressive wine display, makes me think of trendy London restaurants, but mixed with old regency charm – oil paintings and Cornice patterned ceilings. Breakfast there offers table service for a classic mix of buffet-style dishes plus a cooked option of (to name a few) full English, Eggs Benedict, smashed avocado on toast and a just-right portion of American Style pancakes, which stole the show for me. I will say that the breakfast sweets are incredibly sweet. I ordered a sugary yoghurt with fruit compote, which came with an equally sugary granola and gave me a crash two hours later. Delicious but not for the faint-hearted.
The restaurant offers a tasting menu, curated by Executive Chef Damian Broom, which I have heard nothing but wonderful things about, and I will have to go back for next time.
The following night we ate at The Ozone, which is a pan-Asian eatery built in the centre of the hotel’s spa (more on that later). It’s slick, adorned with bamboo and stylish soft furnishings. There are guests from the spa who casually eat in their gowns, as well as people eating in smart casual attire. It screams laid-back luxury.
To start, we order the very tender Chicken Satay, as the Satay sauce had been recommended by our waitress, and quite rightly so – it was truly delicious. Careful of the red chilli garnish if you’re not one for spice! We also go for the Salt and Pepper Squid, lightly fried and presented in beautiful twirls. The sesame sauce adds that salty umami pep to the plate that rounds off the flavour.
For mains, it’s the Nasi Goreng – a nicely presented dish, with bright colours and an array of textures. The flavour of this dish is rich with a subtle heat that runs through the crispy fried rice. We also sample the steak, nicely cooked with some more perfect fries, Asian coleslaw and a soy, ginger and chilli dip that works really nicely to tie in all the flavours.
For dessert, we order the brownie, served on a charmingly asymmetric plate. This dish is dark, rich and flavourful, with the ball of vanilla ice cream giving the bitterness of the dark chocolate sauce – a creamy, luscious balance. Even after the cream-heavy desserts of the previous evening, I found myself ordering another Panna Cotta. This time, the dish was unusually thick and topped with a passion fruit and mango compote that tasted like – and I can’t find another way to say this – summer.
Out & About
You won’t be short of things to do at Seaham Hall. There’s a five-minute walk to a private beach, which was incredibly peaceful, in spite of the business (we were there during the summer holidays after all) and there are various tourist spots and beautiful coastal villages to visit, if you fancy an adventure. You can also borrow bicycles from the hotel to take on a journey.
One of the main selling points of this hotel is the Serenity Spa. From the hotel, you can take the walkway there over an underground stream, which I can only describe as an immersive experience.
The spa itself is wonderfully designed. For me, a spa can’t just be a few steamy rooms and a pool, it has to feel just a bit magical. If the walkway into another world wasn’t enough, the spa itself was laid out like a tropical paradise, with a fully kitted-out Turkish bath, a salt sauna, two plunge pools, and a variety of indoor and outdoor areas to explore, complete with pools and Jacuzzis.
On the first morning, I’m lucky enough to be treated to a full body massage, which sets me up for my day of laziness perfectly. They also have an extensive gym area, an OPI nail bar and a rooftop bar (which gives out more LA vibes).
The Crowd
The hotel attracts a mixture of tribes, from couples to friends visiting for the night, as well as what looked like longer visits from guests with laptops.
The Worst Thing
I wish it were nearer London, but if you’re heading up to East Yorkshire or even Scotland, or fancy taking a longer trip, I implore you to take some quality time and visit Seaham Hall.
The Best Thing
The vibe. This is the perfect place to escape the daily grind and forget all your troubles: I could have stayed for a month.
The Details
Nightly rates at Seaham Hall start from £295 in a Junior Suite on a B&B basis.
Additionally, an exclusive new collection of coastal lodges are now for sale at Seaham Hall, ideally located in a private location on the hotel grounds, offering the perfect choice for those seeking to buy a sanctuary by the sea to call home.
The Byron Bay and The Smugglers Cove are available to purchase starting from £750,000. For more information visit www.residences.seaham-hall.co.uk
