Why not extend your weekend and enjoy an overnight spa break?  

I recently visited Ramside Hall Hotel in Durham for an overnight stay and pamper for my birthday trip. We opted for the ‘Spa Sunday, Lazy Monday’ break, which includes an overnight stay in a Premier Room, one 45-minute treatment, full use of the spa, a £50 dinner allowance per couple and then brunch the following morning. We chose this package at Ramside Hall as it meant we were able to use the spa facilities from 3pm on the day of check-in right through until 5pm the following day – bonus!  

The Location 

Ramside Hall Hotel is perfectly located for a relaxing break in County Durham, and a short drive from Durham Cathedral which we visited once we had checked-out on the Monday afternoon. The hotel is situated on 350 acres of private grounds, enabling you to fully switch off from the outside world and unwind.  

The Room

The hotel has 127 bedrooms and suites, and also a few treehouses which look amazing and are set just off the Golf Course. I would love to return and stay in one of the luxury treehouses!   

Check-in was from 3pm on the Sunday. On arrival the reception was full of couples queueing to check in, and guests in the lounge enjoying afternoon tea. We stayed in a Premier Room on the second floor, which was modern and generous in size, with a Juliet balcony overlooking the peaceful grounds. The bathroom had a walk-in shower and a big free-standing bath and came equipped with fluffy bathrobes, slippers and various ESPA toiletries.  

The Spa

The spa itself was luxurious and definitely the best I have visited! There is a large indoor swimming pool, four thermal suites and an outdoor heated pool which was a lovely place to relax in the evening. My favourite part was the drinks bar which served smoothies and plenty of fresh fruit.  

The Treatment   

We were booked in for a 45-minute back, neck and shoulder massage at 5pm. The treatment room was really calming, and we were able to pick our essentials oils based on how we wanted to feel afterwards. I opted for the oils from the ESPA Energising range and I left feeling uplifted and refreshed.  

The Food 

We had dinner in The Rib Room, which offered a range of locally sourced meat. If you prefer a vegetarian / vegan menu you are probably best to dine in one of the other hotel restaurants as the options are limited. For our starter we chose the Sharing Platter which had various meats, mozzarella and breadsticks. This was a great choice as it was decent in size, and then for the main course I opted for the Beer Battered Halibut. Again, this was tasty and served with triple cooked chips and peas – leaving no room for dessert!