Stuart Forster travels to County Durham and reports on staying at Seaham Hall, a five-star resort hotel with an onsite spa.
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Seaham Hall is a luxury hotel in North East England with an upscale spa and two restaurants. One of those, The Dining Room, is in the Georgian manor house that was initially converted into a hotel during the 1980s. The other restaurant, Geko, is by the property’s Serenity Spa and offers a menu inspired by Japanese cuisine. (Until the summer of 2025, the spa’s dining space was named Ozone and featured a pan-Asian menu.)
The hotel has 24 suites. One of Seaham Hall’s newest features is the self-catering lodges in its grounds. Ideal for groups of up to four guests, the coastal lodges feature private hot tubs.
Checking in was smooth and quick. I was allocated a Junior Suite for my overnight stay at Seaham Hall in mid-2025.
Staying at Seaham Hall
My rear-facing suite was spacious and comfortable, opening into a private garden with an outdoor seating area, a fire pit and a hot tub.
Carpeted, the suite had a high ceiling and sash windows, typical of the prevailing architecture when Seaham Hall was constructed. One of my favourite features was the hat and coat stand by the door.
The living room featured a sofa with a footrest, a desk with a Helder reading lamp and a small table with two chairs. That was the ideal spot to sit and sip coffee while munching on the popcorn from among the complimentary snacks and drinks. Supplied in the cabinet where the television stood, they included chilled mineral water and San Pellegrino soft drinks.
The plush headboard of the super-king-size bed was decorated with colourful butterflies. Retro rotary telephones stood on the bedside tables. The bedroom had its own desk and chair, and design features included a vintage table lamp with a glass case.
Ample storage space was available in the wardrobe. It held an iron and an ironing board, and had a safe large enough to store my laptop.
The spacious bathroom featured a freestanding bath with a shower and double wash basins. Thick bathrobes were provided, along with slippers and Temple Spa toiletries.
A turndown service was provided, and breakfast in bed could be ordered.
Dog-friendly travel is on the up and pets are welcome to stay in Seaham Hall’s garden suites.
Dining at Seaham Hall
I enjoyed dinner and breakfast at Seaham Hall. Both meals were served in The Dining Room. Refurbished in the first half of 2025, the restaurant is an elegant, high-ceilinged space with chandeliers.
My server explained that guests typically choose three or four dishes from the Mediterranean-inspired dinner menu. It features tapas-style smaller plates, ideal for sharing, and larger dishes, including steaks.
Attractively presented, the dishes I selected were flavourful and balanced. The Texel lamb rump, accompanied by peas, broad beans and mint dressing and aged feta was my favourite, accompanied by a glass of Argentinian Malbec from a well-curated wine list.
In a restaurant that serves highly regarded afternoon teas, I felt compelled to end my dinner with a dessert. I opted for the Sicilian orange, almond and olive oil cake. Served with whipped Marscapone, it proved a delightful conclusion to a good meal.
Returning for breakfast, I was drawn to the Craster kipper, a delicacy from Northumberland, with wholewheat toast. Served with a pot of coffee, it was ideal for fuelling a stroll along Seaham’s Blast Beach after I checked out of Seaham Hall.
Seaham Hall spa
In addition to being a place where Seaham Hall’s guests unwind, the Serenity Spa is open to day visitors. It has a reputation for being one of the best spas in North East England. I popped to the spa before checking out and can see why Seaham Hall spa days are popular.
Arriving shortly after breakfast, I completed a couple of languid laps of the pool before contemplating the day ahead in the spa’s steam and sauna rooms. By the time I’d reached the outdoor hot tub, the spa was becoming busy.
With 17 treatment rooms, Serenity Spa uses Temple Spa and ischga products. A member of staff explained that it makes sense to book Seaham Hall spa days at least a couple of weeks in advance.
Origins and Lord Byron
Seaham Hall was built in 1791 as the home of Ralph and Judith Milbanke. In 1814, their daughter, Anna Isabella Milbanke, married Lord Byron in the drawing room, which has been converted into the split-level Ada Lovelace Suite.
In the 1820s, the hall was bought by Charles Vane, the Marquis of Londonderry. It was used as a sanatorium and hospital before being converted into a hotel in 1985. The current owners took over Seaham Hall in 2012.
Verdict and insider tips
I enjoyed my stay at Seaham Hall, which made a highly positive impression. My Junior Suite was comfortable and quiet, offering a sound night’s sleep. The sood served was very good, and the Serenity Spa proved a lovely place to relax. Service is often what sets top hotels apart from good ones, and the staff I interacted with at Seaham Hall were, without exception, excellent.
It’s easy to enjoy relaxing in the hotel’s suites and spa. However, don’t miss the opportunity to stroll in Seaham Hall’s grounds.
If you catch a member of staff when things are quiet, ask about the whisky smuggling that reputedly took place at Seaham Hall a century or so ago. You may be able to peek inside the cellar. It’s said that a bricked-up tunnel used to provide direct access to the nearby beach.
Seaham Hall Hotel
Map of Seaham Hall
Seaham Hall is at Lord Byron’s Walk in Seaham, County Durham. Its postcode is SR7 7AG.
The map below shows the location of Seaham Hall Hotel and Serenity Spa. Zoom in to view the map in greater detail or out to see the surrounding area:
Travel to Seaham
Seaham Hall is a 50-minute drive from Newcastle International Airport or a 25-minute drive from the Port of Tyne. Seaham is a 30-minute drive northwest of Durham City. The hotel can arrange taxis and drivers.
Travelling to northeast England by train? Seaham is on the Durham Coast Line, which runs between Newcastle and Middlesbrough.
Things to do in Seaham
Here are eight suggestions for things to do in Seaham:
- Use of one of the bicycles available to guests at Seaham Hall to explore the surrounding area. Cycling is an ideal way to experience the Durham Heritage Coast, the shoreline stretching between Sunderland and Hartlepool.
- Seaham Food Festival will be on the weekend of 2-3 August, 2025. Visitors can look forward to appearances by celebrity chefs, stalls with food, cooking demos and entertainment for families.
- Enjoy historic sites? Seaham’s Church of St Mary the Virgin is one of the few churches in England to predate the Viking invasions.
- Enjoy a stroll on one or more of Seaham’s beaches. Searching for colourful ‘sea glass’ is popular on Seaham Beach. A local glass factory dumped waste at sea for nearly 70 years. Worn smooth, it is deposited along the shoreline. Despite their industrial-sounding names, Blast Beach and Chemical Beach are also well worth walking along.
- Look out for moles on the other side of the B1267. Seaham Hall Beach. A sign proclaims Seaham and District Mole Sanctuary in the field by the car park.
- View Ray Lonsdale’s sculptures while you are in Seaham. Eleven ‘o’ One, better known simply as Tommy, depicts a First World War soldier and is at Terrace Green. Then Gone depicts a miner and is at North Terrace. From there, it’s a short walk to see The Coxswain at Seaham Harbour Marina.
- The R.N.L.B. George Elmy is displayed at the East Durham Heritage and Lifeboat Centre at the marina. While there, keep your eyes peeled for seals bobbing in the harbour. Dolphins are also frequently spotted.
- Combine a relaxing weekend with retail therapy. Dalton Park outlet shopping centre is a short drive from Seaham.
Things to do near Seaham
Key attractions within easy driving distance of Seaham include:
- The National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool is the site of Europe’s oldest floating warship, HMS Trincomalee.
- Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle.
- Beamish Museum, whose buildings, vehicles and costumed interpreters convey a sense of life in the region in bygone times.
- Kynren and the castle, museums and galleries in Bishop Auckland.
- The cities of Sunderland and Newcastle.
- Walking in Castle Eden Dene.
Accommodation in County Durham
Extend your stay in North East England by seeking accommodation via the website below:
Books about Seaham
Looking for reading material with local relevance ahead of your stay at Seaham Hall? The following books are available from Amazon:
111 Places in County Durham That You Shouldn’t Miss: Travel Guide by Elizabeth Atkin.
Sea Glass Hunter’s Guide to Seaham and Beyond by Jing Cheng.
Further information
Thank you for visiting Go Eat Do and reading this post about my impressions of Seaham Hall hotel and spa. If you are planning to spend time in the area, you may also be interested in this post about things to do in County Durham.
Stuart Forster, the author of this post, is a travel writer from North East England. His work has been published in the likes of The i Paper, Wanderlust and The Rough Guide to the 100 Best Islands in the World.
Photographs illustrating this post are by Why Eye Photography.
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