Lumley Castle

Recent Reviews: 3849

• User:michelle F

  Trip type: Couples

  Not very good value for money

  01 Jun 2026

  Although room was large and decorated in keeping it smelt very fusty and just did not smell clean i appreciate it is obviously very old but would have been nice to smell fresher, decoration needs a freshen up instead of looking old fashioned it just looks dated.i would not say good value for the money, no nice toiletries in the room just very basic The Guest Experience Team, Other at Lumley Castle Hotel, responded to this review Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.We are pleased to hear that you found your room spacious and in keeping with the character of the property. However, we are sorry to learn that aspects of your stay did not meet your expectations.As a historic building, maintaining the balance between preserving its character and providing a fresh, comfortable environment is something we continually work on. We appreciate your comments regarding the room's freshness, décor, and amenities, and we will share these with our housekeeping and management teams for review.We would also like to let you know that we are currently in the process of a refurbishment programme, beginning with our public areas and progressing through to the bedrooms. These improvements are aimed at enhancing both the appearance and overall guest experience while retaining the unique charm of the property.We are sorry that you did not feel your stay represented good value for money, and we appreciate your observations regarding the toiletries provided. Guest feedback is invaluable in helping us identify areas where we can improve.Thank you again for your comments, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future so that you can experience the benefits of our ongoing refurbishment programme.Kind regards,Jeff and the Team

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• User:Paul T

  Trip type: Couples

  Lovely Old Castle

  29 May 2026

  My wife and I booked late, we were well looked after and liaised directly with the hotel rather than through a broker site. No problem booking dinner over the phone and there is a choice of the formal a la carte "Knights" restaurant (fine) or the less formal "Library" restaurant (bar/pub) so there is something for everyone. We opted for Knights and the meal was 1st class. Chateaubriand, with a bottle of Prosecco, very nice! (you can eat for £50 a head, very relaxed and pleasant so that can easily climb to £70-80 per head, a la carte though, go on, treat yourseles). Whilst we're on food, the breakfast is good, continental is help yourself, hot food to order only, so that's not self service but still very good, full English, eggs Royale/Benedict, all the staples are included. The room was lovely, courtyard room. Tidy, clean, lots of character. The ground floor rooms overlook the courtyard so there is a privacy compromise but we enjoyed being able to walk straight outside from the room especailly in nice weather. There are various quite grand state rooms inside the castle but they are priced accordingly and the basic courtyard room we had was excellent for a "normal" quality hotel rate.All the staff were kind, helpful, polite and responsive, a credit to the company.The building and history. Well, it's a magnificent place, beautiful but quirky. Lots of character, "nooks and crannies" to investigate, I suppose "spooky" in the illustrative sense and if you're in to that type of thing. The West Indian and Australian cricket teams got very scared, years ago, and said they saw and heard things. I didn't, slept like a log. I asked a member of staff who'd been there since 2000. He said there were noises sometimes but said, in respect of the cricket team story, it was more to do with cricketers being a superstitious lot...which made me smile, we were there for the cricket, the County Ground is about 200 yards from the hotel, very useful. The Beamish Museum is about 10 minutes and Durham Cathedral about 15-20 by car. Anyway, the haunted story is to do with Lady Lumley being thrown down a well by two dastardly priests.....not recently, I might add. The well was there, you can see it and look down it. Lady Lumley wasn't, thankfully, remains or otherwise, so no ghastly or ghostly sights to behold and I did use my phone torch to check...on the subject of phones, you are respectfully asked not to use your phones after 6pm, which did make for a more peaceful and pleasant evening, other than having to tell my wife off a couple of times for sneaking it out at dinner and texting. Some people!The grounds are lovely and there's space to walk around and browse nature, lots of wildlife. The castle has a very feminine feel to it, for a former fortress, it's not brutal but elegent and "pretty", enchanting maybe. Sadly, there's a golf course which looks pretty adequate if you like hitting little tiny balls around the garden, but nowhere's perfect. I preferred sitting watching a hedghog wandering past me in the busy car park and was impressed by it's instinctual nonchalance both to human activity and their traditional relationship with moving vehicles.In summary, we loved it, will definitely return, probably when Warwickshire Women's Cricket Team visit Durham CCC again. Well played Durham btw...grrrr. ;-) Oh, road access is fine, you're basically straight onto the A1(M) The Guest Experience Team, Other at Lumley Castle Hotel, responded to this review Dear Paul,Thank you for taking the time to leave such a detailed and entertaining review.We are delighted that you and your wife enjoyed your stay with us and that our team helped make your late booking a smooth and enjoyable experience. It's wonderful to hear that you appreciated the flexibility of booking directly with us and that you were able to enjoy dinner in our Knights Restaurant. We're especially pleased that the Chateaubriand and Prosecco helped make the evening memorable.Thank you also for your kind comments about your courtyard room, our breakfast offering, and, most importantly, our staff. Your praise will be shared with the entire team, who work hard to provide a warm, attentive, and welcoming experience for every guest.We thoroughly enjoyed reading your observations about the castle itself. Its history, character, hidden corners, and legendary ghost stories certainly provide plenty to talk about! We are glad that Lady Lumley remained elusive during your visit and that you enjoyed a peaceful night's sleep despite the castle's reputation. Your conversation with our long-serving team member about the famous cricketing tales gave us a smile as well.It is also lovely to hear that you took the time to enjoy the grounds and wildlife. We agree that watching a hedgehog go about its business can be every bit as entertaining as a round of golf.Thank you once again for your wonderful review. We are delighted that you loved your stay and are already planning a return visit. We look forward to welcoming you back when Warwickshire Women's Cricket Team next visit Durham – and we'll leave the cricketing rivalries to the professionals!Best wishes,Jeff & the Team

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• User:Peter V

  Trip type: Friends getaway

  Best price quality at Lumley

  29 May 2026

  A gem, very well done, castle / hotrl with a story to tell The Guest Experience Team, Other at Lumley Castle Hotel, responded to this review Dear Peter,Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We're delighted that you found Lumley Castle to be a gem and appreciated the unique character and history that make it such a special place.It's fantastic to hear that you felt you received the best combination of quality and value during your stay. Lumley Castle truly is a hotel with a story to tell, and we're pleased that its heritage and atmosphere helped make your visit memorable.We look forward to welcoming you back for another stay in the future.Jeff & the Team

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• User:Joanne L

  Trip type: Couples

  Excellent place to stay

  29 May 2026

  Excellent stay once again. Lovely food, great staff.Phil Reilly the Historian was amazing very knowledgeable on the history of the Castle. The Guest Experience Team, Other at Lumley Castle Hotel, responded to this review Dear Joanne,Thank you for your wonderful review and for choosing to stay with us again.We're delighted to hear that you had another excellent stay and enjoyed the food, service, and hospitality from our team. Your kind words mean a great deal to us.We're especially pleased that you enjoyed Phil Reilly's historical insights. His passion and extensive knowledge of Lumley Castle's fascinating history truly help bring the castle's stories to life, and we'll be sure to pass on your compliments to him.We look forward to welcoming you back for another memorable stay at Lumley Castle.Kind regards,Jeff & The Team

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• User:David Gas M

  Trip type: Couples

  An Excellent Choice to Spend Three Nights Away.

  25 May 2026

  We were very pleased to have chosen this excellent place to spend three nights. The location was perfect and next to the local golf course. Our hotel room no. 14 located in the courtyard was large, comfortable and the facilities were first class. The Knights restaurant we used for breakfast and we had two lovely evening meals. All the staff were friendly and helpful. Five stars all round from us and we will return. The Guest Experience Team, Other at Lumley Castle Hotel, responded to this review Dear David,Thank you so much for your wonderful review.We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your three-night stay with us and that our location beside the golf course proved perfect for your visit. It’s especially pleasing to know that you found Room 14 in the courtyard spacious, comfortable, and finished to a first-class standard.We are also very pleased that you enjoyed both breakfast and your evening meals in the Knights Restaurant. Your kind comments about our friendly and helpful team mean a great deal to all of us.Thank you again for your five-star recommendation. The entire team and I are truly appreciate your support, and we very much look forward to welcoming you back again in the future.Warm regards,Jeff & the Team

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