Rockliffe Hall

When you’re booking a luxury UK staycation, you probably don’t think of Darlington. In fact, you probably don’t think of Darlington much at all. But nestled about ten minutes from the town’s centre, in the wilds of County Durham, sits Rockliffe Hall, a super-swish hotel resort with all the trimmings.

Upon check-in, we asked if it was possible to push our dinner reservation back half an hour. The answer? ‘Of course! There’s nothing worse than feeling rushed.’ This would become the theme of our stay: take it slow, and the staff will make everything work around you.  

Why stay at Rockliffe Hall?

This isn’t the sort of place to book if you just need somewhere to sleep. Rockliffe Hall is for your big birthday/anniversary/other significant life event. Or, if you simply fancy splurging on yourself, switching your brain off and enjoying the quiet life for a bit. 

Everything at Rockliffe is a treat: the views, the fact that it’s grand enough to feel special but compact enough that everything you need is a short stroll away, the minibar with olives and champagne, the Nespresso coffee machines; even the tea bags are fancy. This is proper indulgence, surrounded by gorgeous Durham hills and valleys waiting to be explored. 

What are the rooms like at Rockliffe Hall?

At the moment, Rockliffe is operating at half-capacity, as the renovation of its Old Hall is in full swing. It’s due to be complete by next spring, but until then you’ll be in one of the 33 New Hall rooms, starting at £392 a night.

We stayed in a Double Superior ground-floor suite. The decor was clean and sumptuous – think floor-to-ceiling calming neutrals, warm lighting, and monochromatic abstract art on the walls. The bed in theory sleeps two, but it’s big enough for four fully grown adults, with a minifridge stocked up enough for them all to get rowdy. There’s enough floor space to do a full cartwheel – I did personally test this – and there are even two TVs, in both the bedroom and the bathroom. 

Everything has been carefully crafted to help you unwind (you can even dim the lighting from the comfort of your bed). Bi-fold glass doors open out onto our east-facing terrace, which looks onto the golf course and nature beyond. All New Hall rooms have this view, most either from a private balcony or patio, depending on the floor.

What is the food like at Rockliffe Hall? 

There are two main options for eating at Rockliffe: Café Terra and the Clubhouse. For the winter season, there’s also the Alpine Terrace, an outdoor bar surrounded by fairy lights offering a warming selection of melty cheeses, boozy hot chocolates, charcuterie, and champagne.

The Clubhouse, open to hotel residents and golfers, is popular during the week for lunch and dinner. You’ve got meat, fish and more casual options – chips, macaroni cheese, chicken wings – in case you’re after a lighter meal. We, however, were not. We started with a fireside bite in the Alpine Terrace. The Swiss raclette was a personal favourite; mild but distinctive in taste. It comes paired with a light, refreshing salad (a much needed break from the fattiness of all the cheeses and meats). 

For our main meal, we moved up to Café Terra, which currently turns into TERRA Riviera, ‘inspired by the tastes of the Mediterranean’, at night. The menu is built around good cuts of meat and well-prepared fish. Seafood fans are particularly well fed. For starters, we had bites of tuna with a salty puttanesca dressing and prawns in a tomato sauce. The star main is a wild sea bass that is cut open at the table. We opted for the huge beef steak, to be shared between two, that comes with padron peppers, a small side salad, and chips. It was perfectly melty and flavoursome, and I’m now convinced I’d never had a proper steak before. It’s worth noting this isn’t cheap – starters range between £18 and £25, and mains go up to £90 for two.

Breakfast is a proper affair. A granola bar with at least 10 different kinds of nuts and oats is ready and waiting, as are all of the continental pastries, muffins, and cold meats you could need. The full English breakfast was top-notch, with actually runny egg yolks and almost suspiciously cubic hashbrowns. 

What is the service like at Rockliffe Hall?

If you want an escape that comes with hearty northern hospitality, this is the place to be. A smiling doorman offered to take our bags from us before we’d even made it into the lobby; a breakfast manager noticed that I had a slight sniffle and immediately brought me lemon, honey and hot water without my asking. The spa therapist talked me through each step of my massage; our waiter at the Terra restaurant talked us through every dish and recommended wine pairings (they even explained the best way to eat our soufflé). Housekeeping will make your bed during dinner and leave you little chocolate for your return.

We were treated like minor nobility, but that’s pretty standard here. Everyone who stays at Rockliffe gets the princess treatment without any of the stuffiness (that proper northern charm goes a long way).

What are the spa and facilities like at Rockliffe Hall?

For the fitness buffs, there’s a large gym and complimentary access to the outdoor tennis and padel courts. But there are much less strenuous ways to spend your time at Rockliffe. The spa is set across two rooms; one with abstract stained-glass designs that reflect reds and purples and yellows off the swimming pool. In the other there’s a circular pool with four distinct sections, each offering a different kind of underwater jet. 

There are enough lounges to enjoy a book in the warmth, and staff are always on hand to provide you with tea, coffee, smoothies or champagne. We spent an entire day wandering in and out of the saunas, steam room, infrared suite, and even made the most of the outdoor cold plunge. 

Most rooms are conveniently situated less than a minute away from the entrance, meaning that once we’d donned our plush gowns and slippers, we were able to come and go at ease. We went straight from breakfast to our appointment in the Spa Garden – an optional extra which gives you access to an extra sauna, infinity pool, and warm beds with panoramic views of the grounds. If you have time, this is absolutely worth the £25 upcharge; we felt as though we’d fallen into a fancy package holiday ad.  

What’s the area like around Rockliffe Hall?

The hotel owns the surrounding land, providing residents with 375 acres of Durham’s most unspoilt countryside to explore. Some of it has been turned into an 18-hole golf course, but the rest is free to roam on foot or on a bike (which you can borrow from reception for free).

We enjoyed walking through the wooded areas and the walled garden, where the hotel grows much of its own produce. There’s a kids’ playground on site for families, and a lovely greenhouse equipped with picnic tables for sunnier days.

DETAILS

Address: Rockliffe Hall Hotel, Hurworth on Tees, Darlington  DL2 2DU

Price: From approximately £392 per night. Spa and hotel packages for two start at £607.

Closest transport: Darlington train station, a 10-minute taxi ride away