I was recently invited for a night in Newcastle with EasyHotel. I jumped at the opportunity as this was my first time in the city and I’d heard such fantastic things. EasyHotel’s Newcastle branch is situated in the centre of the city, a couple of minutes walk from Newcastle castle. The road is packed with bars and restaurants, but with a room on the 4th floor, this didn’t impact on a good nights sleep whatsoever. The budget choice, with rooms starting from £19 per night. The rooms are not luxurious, but at this price they are exceptional value. Three things I look for when booking accommodation for a city break; the first being location. As mentioned, the location of this hotel is nothing short of perfect, being in the heart of the city and just an 8 minute walk from the train station. My second factor is cleanliness, and this place hit the nail on the head. The rooms are simply decorated with crisp white sheets and a pristine bathroom. Finally friendly, helpful staff are key. The girl who checked us in was helpful and accommodating – and the staff were more than happy to look after our luggage as we had a late train home on the day of check out. When this hotel says it is no frills however, it most definitely does mean it. If you want Wi-Fi, it’s an extra daily charge; and so is access to the TV remote. I’ve never known this in a hotel in England before? There was one small disappointment with this room and that there was not only no kettle, but no glasses or cups in the room. That does mean that you can’t get yourself a glass of water before bed and definitely can’t treat yourself to a morning cup of tea. I guess you just have to weigh up if the money you’re saving is worth nipping to the cafe next door to pick up a latte to go instead.
Lunch at Olive and Bean – 9 mins walk from your EasyHotel
Olive and Bean is a lovely cafe situated very close to Grainger Market. The cafe is spread over 2 floors with a little outside area if you’re lucky enough to visit in the summertime. Olive and Bean has a very large menu consisting of salads, paninis, baguettes and mixed platters. I opted for the Greek meze platter which was to die for. Consisting of Halloumi, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, hummus, olives, salad and pitta bread. All washed down with a raspberry smoothie, in the sunshine. What more could you want for a lunch date?
After lunch, it’s time to head out and do some exploring. Of course, no trip to Newcastle would be complete without a stroll along the River Tyne stopping only to take some tourist photo’s in front of the Millennium Bridge. Once you’ve racked up a few thousand steps you’ll be ready to hit the shops – the city is home to an abundance of quirky independent shops, in addition to the large intu shopping centre for all of your high street favourites.
Drinks at the botanist – 7 mins walk from your EasyHotel
After a long afternoon of shopping the Botanist is the perfect bar to relax in. This place is situated right on the main shopping street; right beside the intu shopping centre. The Botanist chain is famous for it’s beautiful, intricate decor as well as freshly made, delicious cocktails. However, what sets this bar apart is its beautiful rooftop garden. Cocktails, nibbles and live music in the sunshine is the perfect way to spend an afternoon.
Dinner at the herb garden – 3 mins walk from your EasyHotel
Without being dramatic, I think that the pizza I had at the Herb Garden was one of the best pizza’s I’ve ever eaten. My toppings of choice were spinach, pecorino, garlic, mozzarella, olives, basil and the personal highlight; a poached egg! The base was thin enough to have a crunch, but thick enough to allow you to fold each slice, in true Italian style. The Herb Garden is beautifully decorated with a mixture of long benches and smaller more intimate tables. The staff are really friendly and managed to find us a table within 20 minutes even on a busy Friday evening without a reservation. Once you’re suitably carbed up, I recommend nipping next door for pint at The Split Chimp. This is a lovely little real ale pub which has a much more relaxed and casual atmosphere than some of the more ‘trendy’ bars in the city.
Breakfast at Ernest – 19 mins walk
After a quality night’s sleep in your EasyHotel its time to go on the breakfast run. I’d read about Ernest beforehand and this place did not disappoint. Ernest is a little walk from your hotel; situated in the Ouseburn area of the city. There’s plenty of indoor and outdoor seating but if you’re heading here for breakfast or brunch, be sure to get there early. We arrived for five past ten and half the place was already booked out – but I can totally see why. We sat outside in the sunshine, sipping on delicious lattes and devouring perfectly poached eggs. Adam had his with bacon on a breakfast muffin. I went for a veggie version of this, substituting the bacon for grilled halloumi. The hollandaise sauce was rich and creamy and the icing on the cake; perfectly instagramable. A wonderful way to end a food filled 24 hours in this beautiful city.
I had a wonderful, jam packed weekend in Newcastle and there’s still a few things on my do-to list for my next visit. These include visiting the Angel of the North and Whitley Bay – have you every visited Newcastle? What are you favourite things to do?
I was invited to stay in Newcastle with EasyHotel in return for this review. As always, all opinions are strictly my own.
