Close House Golf Club - Newcastle upon Tyne

Dave H.

Our first visit and I expect not the last. We were allocated an upper room in the courtyard area accessed via a secure key card entrance and the same card for the room. The rooms are in little groups with a shared passage. Our room was very spacious with a large sofa, chairs and a coffee table also multiple side tables and 7 table lamps. There was an elaborate lighting system and 3 wall mounted control panels for the up lighting, down lighting and table lamps to create different moods.|Premium fittings and bedding and a huge ensuite with a free standing bath and walk-in shower. So we had a good nights sleep and it was very quiet so we couldn't fault anything and were very pleased with the accommodation. The reception and restaurant is a few hundred yards away situated down a hill next to a lake. Not an issue in calm dry weather, but in the wind, rain or frost and the dark of winters evening a little more problematic especially since there isn't a dedicated footpath for guests and you end up on the road. The food and service were all good with a choice from 3 different menu's in the evening since the festive season had started. This much better than your typical Golf club house. Breakfast was limited to a single cooked item so fruit juice, yoghurts etc were all optional extras (not seen this one before). What they cooked was very good however. Overall I don't think you will find anything much better in Newcastle.

Simon H.

The location was tremendous. The lodge was better than I anticipated. The service by the staff was excellent and that little added touch of being picked up at the lodge and taken No 19 restaurant and then taken back afterwards.

For a weekend away you couldn’t pick a better spot and if you are into your Golf I can’t think of a better combination….
The choice and quality of food was excellent and certainly value for money
We will be back.

Susan B.

Club house is very swish. We played the Filly course, I'm relieved it was a freebie. The first 7 or 8 holes we we treat to loud grass cutters and leaf blowers....so much for a bit peace and quiet. The course itself is average, doesn't reallly flow but it is kept nice and the greens are decent.

Trip646451

We stayed in the Pavilion, it was very warm, well furnished and very comfortable - would definitely recommend. Fabulous position in the middle of the golf course! We found the restaurant/club bar to be excellent, very good service and excellent food.||The Pavilion could do with a coffee maker in the mini kitchen and some fresh milk on arrival so guests don't have to carry it themselves.||Very conveniently located to visit Corbridge, Hexham and other beautiful parts of Northumberland - will certainly return.

Martin C.

Stayed here for the 6th time and by far the worst experience we've had.||Stayed in the Ganton Suite. Room was cold on arrival despite heating being on. After 2 hours called Reception to ask if I was doing something wrong. Maintenance had gone home so they sent a lovely lady from the bar staff. She said the heating was on full. I took her to bathroom as it was very cold. The under floor heating was not working. Too cold for a bath or shower. The lovely lady advised I could use next door for a shower/bath as this was available. Next door the undr floor heating was working but the room was cold. I thanked her and told her we would jysr stay put.|On return from the restaurant still no bathroom heating working? ||Then we tried to use the simple 3 step lighting system. This didn't work either and lights were either on or off, unable to just use lamps etc as connected to this system that was not working.||Overall a very poor stay and would have expected a much better service.

rhysforbes1

Stayed on the 27th and 28th of December for 2 nights costing nearly £1000. The course and the Irish lad in the pro shop were exceptional. Breakfasts were great. The accommodation however less so. We stayed in the lodge,carpets stained,skirt-inboards and window ledges marked,no WiFi a light in the bathroom stayed on all weekend. I raised my concerns with the reception staff who informed me the lodge gets a full deep clean in January,handy for people who are staying after that,not so handy for us. Infected the pictures on the website do not even look like the same living room. I’ve emailed all my observations to Close House since and they’ve not even had the decency to reply. Think Mr Whiley needs to look at his customer services staff. Very disappointing

Charlie J.

Nice stay - ruined by experience at no19 restaurant.

Had a lovely stay in the lodge, gorgeous home away from home style stay. 2 huge bedrooms and bathrooms, living area and kitchen. Kitchen was limited and had no cooking facilities but had glasses and some cutlery.

Hot tub was a nice touch.

What ruined the stay was the terrible attitude of a manager in no19 restaurant. We visit regularly for Sunday lunch and for dinner during the week, never ever had any issues. Food is reasonably nice, and in keeping with the place. There are lovely staff there too, especially Emily, who is always so lovely and welcoming.

On this occasion, we got picked up from the lodge which was a nice touch; and brought to the restaurant. Even though they knew the time of our booking and that we were being picked up by the close house car; the table we were allocated wasn’t set, and we had to stand waiting for it to be set despite having half the restaurant empty and plenty other set tables. Seemed a lack of common sense there.

Ordered drinks, fine, ordered food fine.

What ruined the whole experience was a lady called Rhonda, whose attitude was horrendous and shouldn’t be in hospitality. We ordered on menu, except for myself as I have dietary issues that someone’s means I can’t eat huge portions of food, and struggle to have an appetite. I ordered a soufflé for a main course, which they were happy to do.

I also noticed some chicken goujons being served to the table next to us, so I politely explained my situation to Rhonda and asked if it was possible to have either some on the side or charged as an adult main course for me. For which I was told “it’s for under 12’s only so no we won’t do it” I was happy to pay for a full portion, or charged anything really, but met with Rhonda’s awful glare and bad attitude of “no”. I even tried to sympathise with her and say ah I’m sorry if you would get in trouble off management but asked “do you not see how it’s a silly rule, it’s only chicken goujons” for which she sharply replied “well no I don’t. It obviously says under 12 on the menu if you had read it”

I am in hospitality myself, so I would understand if they were exceptionally busy or didn’t have the ingredients, but at that point we were one of three tables - and being served to the table next to us there was certainly the ingredients and we knew that the others being served chickengoujons were over the age of 12… Even if Rhonda had asked the kitchen if it was possible, instead of scowling and being rude it wouldn’t have been so bad.

Normally situations like this I wouldn’t mind, but staying in the lodge we had no other option of somewhere to go for food, and it ruined my stay that after one bite of soufflé being too rich, I ended up going to bed hungry.

You would think staying on site that you would be spoken to nicely and accommodated for - apparently not thanks to Rhonda.

She obviously also lacks common commercial sense, as a soufflé was around £10 and if served the chicken goujons my spend on the meal could have been doubled, as I would’ve happily paid £15/£20 more just to eat what I wanted at the time. Which I even explained to Rhonda, but apparently her stubbornness was more important.

Shame as it has tainted my otherwise positive review on this place; and won’t be so keen to go again if I can’t order what I would like to eat.

MrsAitch

Absolutely beautiful hotel. Huge rooms but very warm and cosy. Superb bathroom with gorgeous roll top bath & walk in rain forest shower,. Fantastic lighting throughout. Great walks around the golf course and fantastic food in Restaurant 19
We will be back again very soon. Loved it.