Hotel du Vin Newcastle

A Hotel of Wine is in its very conception something of a departure for a Northeastern town with a famous brewing tradition. But not an unwelcome one. The Hotel du Vin Newcastle injects a bit of high-style hospitality into the Tyneside metropolis, its vibrantly masculine interiors opening onto views of the river itself from within the old walls of what was once the Tyne Tees Steam Shipping Company.

It’s an industrial building from an era that aged well, those robust and sturdy buildings acquiring a certain elegance with a patina of age. Tall warehouse windows seem tailor-made for hospitality, and the bare bricks and steel girders suit the Hotel du Vin’s style book to a tee. With just forty-two rooms it’s authentically boutique-sized, and the rooms edge into luxury territory, with Egyptian linen on the handmade beds and deep tubs in the indulgent bathrooms.

The “vin” bit should tip you off that the Hotels du Vin place a certain emphasis on the gustatory pleasures. Some room rates include dinner at the hotel’s bistro, which ought to be a must even if you book the room-only plan. And the bar is good for more than just wine — here you’ll find the old-fashioned virtue of the knowledgeable barman is very much alive and well.