INNSiDE by Meliá Newcastle

Whey-Aye-Man, there’s some cracking art work in toon at one of Newcastle’s coolest hotels and it’s all local.

Forward thinking bosses at INNSiDE by Meliá have teamed up with the nearby Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art to show off the talents of artists from the area. And illustrator Zoë Cotterill is currently displaying her brilliant work with an exhibition in the hotel’s first floor gallery.

The fabulous idea is aimed at staying true to Meliá’s philosophy to “stay curious” and inspire guests to enjoy art.

Zoë’s illustrations are part of artwork dotted around the hotel from other locals, including designer James Dixon, to show off the beauty of Newcastle.

Opened in May 2021, the hotel, which is based in the city’s historical Quayside, has just celebrated its fifth anniversary.

Part of its charm is the amazing views across the River Tyne with lucky guests who have a water view treated to brightly illuminated bridges at night.

The 161 room hotel is bright and airy, and the open plan lobby gives off relaxed vibes, with young casually dressed staff adding to the easy going feeling.

Bedrooms are spacious with clean lines, minimalist furniture and the studio and townhouse accommodation have the added luxury of robes and slippers, sweet smelling toiletries and complimentary soft drinks and beers hailing from the area, as well as a Nespresso machine.

A nice touch is a plate of welcome macaroons to go with the complimentary tea and coffee and a yoga mat to work off the calories in the morning.

Downstairs is the Gino D’Acampo Quayside restaurant with 90 covers enjoying floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the River Tyne, with an impressive 54 cover contemporary all-weather terrace allowing diners to soak up the sun while they eat and drink.

The menu, designed by Gino and his team of chefs, provides an extensive selection of classic Italian dishes. All are made from the finest seasonal ingredients and prepared from scratch, featuring artisan ingredients sourced personally by Gino on his travels.

Further vegetarian, vegan, bambino and breakfast menus promise to satisfy every appetite, with all dishes inspired by Gino’s award-winning books and TV shows.

Special menus are available for business or pleasure functions. Open for breakfast from 6:30am to 10:00am and reopening for lunch and dinner from midday to 11:30pm every day, it’s ideal for guests.

Newcastle is a perfect city for exploring and there is much to see and do. Two fun activities to try are the stottie making experience at the Big River Bakery and a Newcastle and Tyneside Movie Tour.

Stotties are the staple diet of the Geordies, with the traditional large round flat bread perfect for local sandwich fillings such as ham and pease pudding, the hummus of the North East.

The stotties originated from thrift, typically the last piece of dough remaining at the end of a baker’s day, rolled flat and left to bake in the cooling embers of a wood-fired oven.

The non for profit Big River Bakery in Shieldfield is a special place. Run by Andy Haddon and his partner Gail Lawler, the community hub employs people with extras needs and runs projects to provide free food to the needy and cookery classes to encourage baking.

Bread making classes including one to teach the art of stottie making are educating and entertaining and the cost is ploughed back into the community.

Newcastle and Tyneside are prime locations for television and film making and Amanda Hepburn is a delight as guide for the Newcastle Tour Company.

A budding actress herself and with real passion for her native North East, Amanda provides a slick few hours taking the tour through the plethora of entertainment from television favourites Vera to Auf Wiedersehen Pet and Harry Potter to Transformers. Amanda makes the tour with lots of stories of her time on set.

An exciting new attraction just over an hour from Newcastle in Bishop Auckland is Kynren, an epic tale of England with a live night-time show depicting key moments from British history and legends spanning more than 2,000 years.

It’s a fabulous setting in the heart of the countryside and young and old alike will enjoy lots of historic animation, impressive bird shows and best of all, huge food feasts in a traditional setting.

With a genuine warm welcome to the North East, it’s a fabulous place to visit and explore some magical spots! For more tourist information, please visit: www.experiencenortheastengland.co.uk.

The Details

INNSiDE by Meliá Newcastle, River View, Bridge Court, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BE, England.

Tel: (0)191 338 7710

Website: www.melia.com

Email: innside.newcastle@melia.com

The hotel is a short 7-minute walk from Newcastle Central Station, with Lumo offering cheap rail tickets and roughly a 15 to 20-minute drive from Newcastle International Airport.

Type of Hotel: 4-Star Hotel

Number of Rooms: 161 rooms and suites.

Price Band: Nightly rates range at INNSiDE by Meliá Newcastle range from £75 to £150 per night for a standard double room with plenty of seasonal offers.

Insider Tip: Bag a room with a view of The Quayside which is calming and atmospheric at night.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9/10

Author Bio:

Rebecca Hay is an experienced travel writer and member of The British Guild of Travel Writers. Follow her adventures with her family on Twitter and Instagram @emojiadventurer and on Facebook via EmojiAdventurers2.

Photographs courtesy of INNSiDE by Meliá Newcastle