Lumley Castle Hotel

The hotel has 71 bedrooms, split between rooms inside the historic castle and rooms in a separate courtyard range. Categories include Classic, Superior and State rooms in either location, plus three named suites: the King James, the Queen Anne and the Bishop's.

Guests who want to sleep inside the medieval walls should ask specifically for a castle room when booking, since the courtyard rooms are a modern addition rather than part of the 14th-century structure. The suites include features such as a four-poster bed or a roll-top bath, and some have a separate lounge area.

Dining takes place in Knights Restaurant, set in the library added during Vanbrugh's 18th-century work, and known locally as the Black Knight Restaurant. The kitchen serves a la carte dinner alongside breakfast and lunch, with an international menu that has included dishes such as duck parcels and grilled Wearside lamb. Breakfast runs from around 7.30am on weekdays and slightly later at weekends, with lunch served across the middle of the day and dinner in the evening.

Both residents and non-residents can book a table, though advance reservation is recommended for anyone not staying at the hotel. The Library Bar and Lounge offers a more informal setting for brunch, lunch or drinks, and is one of the few areas where well-behaved dogs on a lead are welcome.

The castle stands above the River Wear at Chester-le-Street, around 5 miles (8 km) north of Durham. Its grounds include the Barons Garden, used as an outdoor space for wedding ceremonies and receptions alongside indoor rooms such as the Garter Suite and the Scarbrough State Room.

Other named function spaces include the Gilt and the Sceptre, both described by the hotel as more intimate rooms for smaller gatherings. Between them, the castle's indoor and outdoor spaces cover ceremonies, wedding breakfasts and evening receptions on the same site.