Stuart Forster reviews a stay at the Dakota Hotel Newcastle, the new boutique hotel on the city’s Quayside.
Disclosure: Stuart was invited to stay at the Dakota Newcastle to attend a press preview, ahead of the luxury hotel’s official opening on 29 March 2025. Some of the links and banners below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
The Dakota Newcastle is a luxury hotel with 118 rooms and suites. Leisure-led, the hotel features a ground-floor restaurant, The Grill. It also has bar areas, a cigar terrace and a Champagne room. To accommodate corporate clients, it has meeting spaces for between six and 60 people, including a private dining room and boardroom.
The property is Dakota Hotels’ sixth hotel and offers seven categories of accommodation, ranging from 62 Classic Doubles to the Grand Deluxe Suite. The plushest of the Dakota Newcastle’s 33 suites has a fireplace, roll-top bath, a lounge, dressing areas and also offers a butler service.
First impressions
I was greeted warmly on entering the hotel, and the check-in was quick and efficient.
While being allocated a Signature Suite (room 215), I was informed that all the Newcastle Dakota’s suites have waterfront views.
On my way up to my suite, I paused to view the prints of historic maps and artworks displayed by the lifts.
Staying in a Signature Suite
My suite was both comfortable and quiet. A partition with a built-in television divided the bedroom from a sitting area with a sofa and armchairs.
I made myself an espresso, using the coffeemaker in the suite’s hallway, and nibbled on a biscuit while relaxing on the sofa before looking at the framed pictures on the walls of the neutrally coloured suite.
The spacious bathroom featured both a bathtub and a walk-in shower. By comparison, the hotel’s Classic Doubles have only a shower.
Having completed my principal tasks for the day, I didn’t spend time working at the desk. Instead, I locked away my laptop, hung up my clothing and headed to the ground-floor Library Bar for a pre-dinner drink.
Food and drink at the Dakota Newcastle
In the subtly illuminated Library Bar, I met with Mark Spanton, the hotel’s General Manager, and Matt Townley, Group Operations Director at Dakota Hotels, who explained that sociable dining is central to the Dakota experience.
The Grill, on the ground floor, specialises in steaks grilled over charcoal and serves three-course Sunday roasts.
A ‘Taste of Dakota’ tasting menu enabled me and fellow guests to try a cross-section of The Grill’s dishes. Meanwhile, George Darosa, Bar Manager at the Dakota Newcastle, selected the accompanying wines.
From the starters, the chicken ravioli as well as king scallop – served with pork cheek, black pudding and apple – won praise.
A selection of steaks, sauces and sides were then brought to the dining table. The wagyu rib-eye and New York strip steaks impressed, but the tenderness and flavour of the chateaubriand tempted me to reach for another helping of that signature dish of The Grill.
After a dessert of seasonal rhubarb and custard, accompanied by a glass of 2017 Sauternes, we moved into the bar for a nightcap. I ordered a longstanding favourite, an Old-Fashioned, which was agreeably mixed with Bulleit bourbon.
The food, drinks and service impressed. I imagine The Grill and Dakota’s bar will prove popular with locals.
Overall view
Before leaving, I had a breakfast of Eggs Benedict. Along with the overall service, the culinary offering of the Dakota Newcastle made a positive impression.
The decor is stylish and comfortable. In places, it reminded me of the Art Deco hotels of New York City.
The Dakota Newcastle Hotel adds a touch of luxury to the Quayside.
Dakota Hotel Newcastle
The Dakota Hotels’ Newcastle property is at 112 Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3DX. Visit the hotel website for more details about this luxury hotel on Newcastle’s Quayside and to make bookings.
Reservations for The Grill restaurant can also be made via the hotel website or by email.
Parking is available next to the hotel at St Ann’s Car Park.
The Dakota Newcastle is a scenic 20-minute stroll, via the Quayside, from the city’s Central Station.
Hotels in Newcastle upon Tyne
The map below shows hotels in Newcastle:
Map of the Dakota Newcastle hotel
You can zoom into or out of the map below:
Boutique hotel in Newcastle
Gain an impression of what to expect at the Dakota Newcastle by watching this short video, just over one minute long:
Attractions near Newcastle’s Dakota Hotel
The hotel is well-placed for visiting attractions in central Newcastle. Its proximity to the Gateshead Millennium Bridge makes it easy to head to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art or to attend concerts at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music (formerly The Sage Gateshead).
This short video highlights some of the places of interest along the Newcastle Quayside:
Books about Newcastle upon Tyne
Planning a trip to Newcastle or interested in learning more about the city? You can buy the following books via Amazon by clicking on the links:
111 Places in Newcastle That You Shouldn’t Miss by David Taylor.
Secret Newcastle by Ken Hutchinson.
Newcastle History Tour, also by Ken Hutchinson.
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Blue Plaque Challenge Logbook.
Further information
See the Newcastle Gateshead website for more information about things to do in Newcastle upon Tyne and neighbouring Gateshead.
Photos illustrating this post are by Why Eye Photography.
The author of this post is Stuart Forster, an award-winning travel writer based in the north-east of England.
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