Durham

We stayed at the Marriott Royal County recently whilst visiting relatives on a short break in Durham. The hotel is very easy to find as it is situated right in the heart of Durham city centre and set right next to the tranquil river Weir that runs through the city. Local shops are only a five minute walk away as are local pubs and restaurants. This hotel also makes a good choice if youre visiting anyone who is resident at the university as the colleges are well within walking distance. This is truly an ideal location from which to explore the cobbled streets of Durham.

The hotel has a large main dining area called the County Restaurant. Here breakfast is served as well as the main evening meals. There is plenty of variety on the menus but I did find a rather limited choice for vegetarians (as is often the case). The dining areas is spacious and there are plenty of tables. We usually took our breakfasts at about 9.00 am and there were always at least two tables available. Breakfast is self service. Of an evening, as an alternative to the main dining area, you can relax and have something to eat in the smaller and less formal Cruz Brasserie. You can also hang out at the Durham bar which serves a range of exquisite cocktails as well as some of the finest selected beers from the region. The bar is immaculately clean and well run by friendly staff.

The hotel has a luxuriant lounge area and also a conservatory were you can relax and take afternoon tea. If you feel up to it, you can take advantage of the Leisure Club which comprises a gym, sauna and Jacuzzi. There is also an indoor heated pool which is absolutely beautiful with soothing lighting and plenty of greenery. If you get there early in the morning you might get the pool to yourself as I did on one occasion.

The service in the hotel was first class. We were welcomed warmly and felt at home as soon as we arrived. Everyone at the 24 hour reception was friendly and very helpful with any questions we had. When it came to checking in and out, the service was excellent and efficient. Our bill was settled and we were ready to leave within about 10 minutes of arriving at the reception desk. I only wished we could have stayed longer and shall certainly be staying there again in the near future.

One problem you might find is trying to find a parking space. There is a car park on site at the hotel but there are only a few spaces and trying to find a parking space nearby in the city centre is almost impossible. You might find yourself having to park a few miles from the city centre. However, personally I dont regard this as a negative factor because I think car use should be discouraged in such beautiful historic places like Durham.