Welcome to the Hotel Indigo Newcastle
Forget the future being orange, the future of hotellerie is most definitely indigo. I had no intentions to write a review on this trip. After all, I am in the midst of writing my MBA dissertation and starting my final module of ‘Entrepreneurship’. My spare time currently is spent researching what makes Sergey Brin, Larry Page or Jeff Bezos tick, not writing about hotel rooms. However, the Hotel Indigo Newcastle is too good to pass up, I simply must share it with you.
Location
The Hotel Indigo Newcastle is tucked away on a quiet back street, just minutes from the train station. From the rooftop balconies, it is possible to view the steel columns of the domed station, town spires and the bustle of pedestrians below. Frankly though, what lies within in much more fascinating.
Arrival
From the outside, it looks like any other hotel, with a hint of seventies style concrete and more modern glass work. Walking through the double doors however, is like entering an Aladdin’s cave of treasures. Brightly coloured, funky chairs adorn the reception, modern photography the walls and I am tempted to rush and throw myself into a huge black and white chair, reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland.
IHG Rewards
An hotel employee appears from nowhere, as though waiting for me to arrive, and checks me in with the usual Geordie charm. I receive thanks for my IHG loyalty by way of an upgrade to a fourth floor balcony room and a note providing Geordie translations and advice on Geordie dress etiquette. For anyone unfamiliar, Geordies pride themselves on being ‘hard as nails’ and it is not uncommon to see girls on a night out, wearing little more than hot pants. Yes, even on the coldest winter nights!
My room
I am wowed by a large feature wall showcasing local architecture. This is an hotel that celebrates its cultural roots and the architectural splendour of the area. Black and white photography, depicting detailed features from local buildings and structures, add intrigue to mustard and white walls. The piece de resistance is however, the large spacious balcony with table and chairs to admire the panoramic views of the skyline. Sadly, it is a little too cold to linger, but in any case, I have work to do.
The room isn’t just dramatic, but functional too with plenty of work space and ample plug sockets. I’m happy to discover sockets by the bed so I can continue to play with my gadgets even after retiring to bed. On the subject of the bed, it passes the test being firm but not uncomfortably so.
Bathroom
The bathroom is modern and sleek and continues the bright theme throughout. It has a great rainshower head and robes are provided in the wardrobe.
Hotel facilities
I have to drag myself away from exploration of the hotel to focus on my to do list, but the allure of the free mini bar, the on-site fitness facility and more importantly the super cool bar is hugely tempting.
Food and drink
The hotel has a Marco Pierre White restaurant on-site serving steaks and salads and guests can enjoy a 3 course meal for just £26. I opt for room service and order a haddock fishcake with poached egg and spinach. It looks so pretty, I almost don’t want to eat it! More importantly, it tastes divine.
The vibrant bars and restaurants of the city centre are just minutes away on foot if you prefer to explore, but be sure to indulge in a cocktail in the Grainger bar beforehand. That way you can really immerse yourself in the hotel’s communal area, more reminiscent of an upmarket art gallery. You may also wish to check out the Cookhouse which is a really neat place to eat with friendly service and scrumptious food.
Any negatives?
The only negative is the painfully slow wi-fi!! I am unsure whether this is because I am on the top floor or just the sheer volume of use as the hotel is pretty busy.
That said, I would highly recommend the Hotel Indigo Newcastle as a great place to stay for business or pleasure, within a stone’s throw of the station.
Cost: £103 for the night including breakfast. Now that is a bargain and I get to earn reward points to boot!
Sounds like a great place to stay and I’ve been thinking about a trip to Newcastle!
This hotel looks awesome, and glad to see the Geordie charm is still alive and well – I haven’t visited for a long time. I love the look of the rooms and mural on the wall. Definitely one for my hit list soon!
This looks like a nice hotel in Newcastle. The decor looks very elegant. The motif behind the bed looks really appealing. The hotel looks definitely value for money.
This hotel looks like pure luxury, I love that they have balcony suites where you can enjoy panoramic views–sounds right up my alley.
This is a great-looking hotel! I love the layout + design of the rooms. Looks like a cozy place to stay!
Last time I went to Newcastle, I ended up nowhere near Newcastle haha! Location seems great and has a cool modern vibe about it. It’s a good price too!
That fish cake looks so yummy! Looks like a beautiful hotel. I will surely try this place next time I am in Newcastle.
Wow! This is an IHG Hotel? I need to look into that, I thought they were just Holiday Inns
Oh yes as are intercontinental, Crowne Plaza and a selection of other hotels. All earn rewards for free nights
Hotel Indigo looks like a funky place to stay in Newcastle. I didn’t realise there was one there! I love the colour scheme in the bathroom.
Loving the look of this hotel and feeling the cool vibes. Would consider staying here when I next hit up the toon for a night on the town 🙂
It is certainly in the right area for partying. Near enough to the partying without being so near that you cannot sleep when it gets wild late at night.
I’m sure we’ve stayed at this hotel, I like the Indigo styling and decor. Like the sound of the Marco Pierre restaurant, good value too! Thanks for sharing we’d happily stay here, if it’s in the budget. 😊
I hear there’s a new one opening in London too which is pretty exciting!