2 Best Hotels in Hexham, The Northeast

Located 10 miles north of Hexham and "beyond the wall," this delightful old inn combines three virtues: good food, cozy rooms, and eco-friendly credentials. Bedrooms are simple but modern, with colorful decor and good-size bathrooms, and four rooms are fully wheelchair accessible. The best option is the luxury lodge on the grounds of the hotel, complete with supersized spa bath and terrace. The restaurant uses produce grown in the hotel's own gardens, and is especially crowded on Sunday.

Close your eyes and imagine an English castle: you're probably picturing Langley, a lavish 14th-century fortification with turrets and battlements that is now is a romantic hotel, offering large, well-appointed rooms—both in the castle and out in the grounds (with castle views)—as well as one of the region's best fine-dining experiences. The romantic baronial dining room, with little candlelit alcoves draped in rich fabric, offers an excellent three-course prix-fixe menu of traditional English dishes with Italian twists; think ravioli stuffed with ox cheek. There's also a lighter (and cheaper) snack menu, served in the equally attractive drawing room. Langley Castle is 6 miles west of Hexham. Stick around after breakfast for the free morning tour of the battlements.