Hotel Review: Matfen Hall,... | Connecting Travel

Bring Bridgerton fantasies to the fore at this period property in the rolling parkland of Northern England

Key selling points for travel agents:

Surrounded by 300 acres of parkland
27-hole golf course
Spa with an indoor pool
AA Five-Star rating
Five bars and restaurants

Walking into Matfen Hall is like crossing a threshold into another era. This stately home in Northumberland, now a luxurious hotel overlooking a 27-hole golf course, exudes a charm deeply rooted in its storied past.

Constructed in the early 19th century by Sir Edward Blackett, Matfen Hall was the ancestral home of the Blackett family, prominent figures in Northumberland, for more than 200 years. The current neo-Gothic structure – built on the foundations of a Jacobean manor – stands as a testament to the architectural grandeur of its time.

The Great Hall

The estate’s transformation into a hotel has been executed with a keen respect for its history. A recent multi-million-pound refurbishment has facilitated extensive upgrades to the property’s restaurants, bars, bedrooms and Great Hall, allowing guests to step into the past while enjoying mod-cons – among them a spa, luxurious rooms and award-winning tasting menus – all wrapped up in 300 acres of parkland.

Matfen Suite

Accommodation: The Blackett family came to Matfen in 1752, but it wasn’t until 1832 that they hired architect Thomas Rickman to construct Matfen Hall, which was completed in 1836. Fast-forward to 1961 and Matfen Hall was leased to the Leonard Cheshire Foundation to be used as a residential nursing home for 30 years, before being reimagined as a hotel in 1999. Its journey in hospitality began with just 31 bedrooms.

Classic Balcony Room

In 2020, Matfen Hall was purchased by Walwick Estate Group and in 2024 the number of bedrooms grew to 54 and the spa was added. Today, it’s a 63-key hotel with accommodation ranging from Classic Rooms to Luxury Suites. Each one is decorated with period features and antiques and overlooks the golf course or manicured gardens. Picture yourself reading a book in a window seat like a character in a Jane Austen novel and you’ll grasp the charm of Maften Hall.

Marble bathrooms at Matfen Hall

Facilities: The Retreat, Matfen Hall’s spa, has been earmarked for development. For now, it offers a 15-metre indoor pool, a thermal suite and a host of treatments, from OPI manicures and Natura Bissé facials, and a fitness centre.

The Retreat

Set in 300 acres of verdant parkland, the hotel is also home to 27 holes of challenging play for golfers of all abilities following the original shape of the striking Northumbrian landscape, incorporating unique challenges including a dry-stone Ha Ha ditch, mature woodland and the fast-flowing River Pont.

Matfen golf course

Other facilities for golfers include The Keepers, a new purpose-built lodge housing The Golf Lab featuring the latest simulator technology and a laser-guided teaching studio.

F&B: The Keepers is also home to a popular eatery, with a panoramic balcony and outdoor terrace overlooking the course. It proves popular on sunny days when guests and locals gather to appreciate the greenery. Twice-baked goats’ cheese souffle with parmesan cream is among the treats on the menu.

Like The Keepers, Cloisters is open from 7.30am to 8.30pm, starting the day offering full English breakfasts, as well as delicious creations like the smoked mackerel and haricot beans on sourdough toast.

Cloisters

An elegant afternoon tea is served in the plush Drawing Room, and 1832, named after the year of the house’s inception, is the place to enjoy a glass of champagne as you ponder the property’s beautifully intricate plasterwork and lovingly polished stylish oak bar.

1832

The cherry on the cake is Emerald Restaurant, which embraces diners on its wood-panelled walls filled with shelves holding original books from the house. The £110 (US$139) tasting menu allows enough time to luxuriate in its romantic recalling of the past while enjoying sophisticated bites such as locally sourced Lindisfarne oyster dressed with French onion and Gruyere cheese.

Emerald Restaurant

A lovely new addition to the already broad bounty of ‘wining and dining’ opportunities at Maften Hall is the Wine Cellar, a purpose-designed room dedicated to the glorious grape where resident sommeliers host tasting sessions.

From £265 (US$335) per night including breakfast. Matfen Hall Hotel, Matfen, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE20 0RH, UK. For more information, call +44 1661 886500 or visit www.matfenhall.com