Monday 28 September 2015

The Marriott Hotel Beamish Package

Living in the North East we are lucky to have so many great attractions but my absolutely all-time favourite has to be Beamish. I have been visiting since I was a child and never get bored, If you are unsure of what Beamish is then it is an open-air working museum based in Durham telling the story of what life was really like in the North East in the 1820s, 1900's and 1940s. So when Marriott hotel got in contact to tell us about their new Beamish package and invited us along to try it out how could I say no?

The Beamish package is available at four Marriott hotels in the North East until 30/11/2015 and it includes one night in a Marriott hotel with breakfast and day tickets to Beamish museum. It is the perfect package for someone visiting the region looking for a great day out. 

Beamish


This weekend we visited one of the four hotels, Gateshead Metrocenter. I have driven past this hotel so many times as we frequently visit the MetroCentre but I have never actually been inside and I have to say I was impressed. Check-in is available from 3pm and we arrived just after, even though the reception area was busy we were seen quickly by the really friendly reception staff who explained all of the hotel's facilities to us such as the leisure club, where breakfast was served and we were given our tickets for Beamish for the next day. 

Our room was on the 5th floor and I was a bit nervous about staying in a hotel with all three children as I was worried it would be cramped. I need not have worried as the room was huge, with two double beds, a table and chairs, dressing table, TV unit and a small hallway with tea and coffee making facilities and a large wardrobe as well as a modern spacious bathroom. The room was very clean, nicely decorated and very welcoming, there was so much space for the children to play even with two buggy's and our luggage in the room too.

Marriot hotel bedroom bed

When we arrived in the room we noticed there was no cot for Jacob (who has just turned one) which we had requested, so we called reception and within minutes two staff arrived to set up a travel cot and they also brought bedding and a Tommee Tippee nappy bin for the bathroom. This was a nice touch as I was a bit worried about where I would put dirty nappies in a hotel room. They also gave all three children activity pack's with colouring books and crayons in which kept them occupied for half an hour.


travel cot Marriot hotel

The hotel offered room service and had a restaurant but we decided to head out for a meal as the hotel is only a five-minute walk from the metro centre shopping complex, which has lots of dining options. We spent a nice few hours looking around the shops and having a Chinese meal, having some rare quality family time before retreating back to the hotel to put the younger two children to bed. 

Whilst the little two were asleep the other half and my eldest decided to visit the leisure club to try out the indoor pool. The leisure club has an indoor pool, gym, steam room and whirlpool and children are allowed in until 9pm if accompanied by an adult. 

Marriot Gateshead

We then retreated to bed and even though we were near the A1 motorway and the busy metro centre the hotel room was total silence. The beds were also amazingly comfortable, so soft and cosy with big fluffy pillows and duvets. 

The children woke at the usual time of 6 am the next morning and after quick showers, we all got dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast, which is served from 6.30-11am. We arrived for breakfast at around 7 am and we were quickly showing to a table by the friendly staff, who promptly got us two high-chairs and asked if we would like hot drinks which arrived in record time. 

Breakfast was a buffet selection with a range of different options such as a hot counter serving the usual sausages, bacon, beans, mushrooms, hash browns and tomatoes with a chef behind the counter cooking eggs how you liked and constantly replenishing the food. There was a chilled counter stacked with a selection of cheese and hams, fruit and yoghurts. And a counter filled with a good selection of cereals, bread, croissants, pastries and fresh fruit juices. 

We all opted for a cooked breakfast and the sausage were delicious, very juicy and cooked to perfection. I also had a croissant which was warm and delicious and the other half and Chloe had waffles with Nutella. Sophia (aged 2) and Jacob (aged 13 months)  had a croissant and a sausage each, we had clean plates all around. 

cooked breakfast buffet

We headed back to the room to pack up and make our way to Beamish, which is around half an hours drive from the hotel, straight down the A1. We arrived at Beamish and as we already had tickets we were able to skip the queues and head straight into the museum. From the moment you step through the doors to Beamish you really feel like you are transported back into the 1900's as the whole museum is set out like a town in the vast open green countryside. All of the staff dress up in period costumes and all the vehicle are traditional 1900's vehicle with old-fashioned buses and trams you can hop on and off to each section. 

blue vintage bus at Beamish Durham

There is the colliery where you can actually go down the mine on a tour. The 1900's pit village which is just like a real-life pit village would have been with a row of cottages set up exactly how homes would have been back then with coal fires burning and chickens in the garden. The pit village is also home to a church and a school and they often have 'teachers' in the classroom to give the whole experience a realistic feel to it. Davy's traditional fish and chip shop is also located in the village, the fish and chips are cooked in beef dripping on coal fires and served in newspaper, they are yummy. 

Beamish school classroom desk


traditional fish and chips in paper cone

We then made our way to the 1940's farm to see the animals which Sophia loved and she adored the horses, before making our way to explore the railway station and 1900's town. I love the town as it is home to everything you would expect in a town such as a law office, dentist, bank, cooperative store, garage, stables, and real-life bakers and sweet shop in which you can watch bread or sweets being made and actually buy some to take home. We brought some Kendal mint cake, black bullets and fudge to take home and enjoy. 

traditional sweet shop at Beamish museum
Sweet shop
store at Beamish Museum
Cooperative store 
old fashioned Beamish town
Beamish town
inside a 1900 town house in Beamish
1900' s town house
We then headed for a ride on the coal steam train which all three children enjoyed before heading home utterly exhausted after a wonderful day. We were at Beamish from 10 am-4 pm and there is so much to see and do we did not get to see everything. I was a little bit nervous about going with two pushchairs but I need not have worried as we managed to get around fine and there was also baby changing facilities in every section of the museum. I also noticed lots of people in wheelchairs and there was a wheelchair accessible bus available for them to use which I thought was a brilliant idea. 

old fashioned open top tram

We had a fantastic time the whole package is a great idea and would make a brilliant break for a family or couple. You could spend the day exploring the Metrocentre and the hotel's fantastic facilities before enjoying a comfortable nights sleep. A delicious breakfast would set you up for a day of travelling back in time to the 1900's. The package costs from £139 per room for bed, breakfast and day tickets to Beamish for two people which I think is great value.
Disclosure we were kindly invited to enjoy the package free of charge for the purpose of this review, however, all opinions are my own. 

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35 comments

  1. What a fab day out. I didn't realise the Marriott had such a nice pool. Something to consider when we have visitors from abroad x

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    1. It really was a great day out. I never realised how nice the Marriott was and the pool and lesuire club were amazing xx

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  2. It looks like you had a fantastic time! The hotel looks perfect!
    I can't wait to read about Beamish....I haven't been since I was a kid.

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    1. We really did Kim, The hotel was really great for families. Ah you will have to take the girls next summer as there is a bus from Newcastle that drops you off right outside and only takes about 40 minutes xx

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  3. What a gorgeous hotel. Such a good idea to have a Beamish package, Beamish is so interesting and you need several visits to see it all.

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    1. It really is a lovely hotel, I wish I had of taken more photos. The beamish package is a brilliant idea , I agree you really do need to visit a few times to experience it all. I have been so many times over the years but still discover something new every time xx

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  4. Awww what a lovely trip. I remember going to the Beamish museum when I was younger... a long time ago! I would love to go back there :)

    Gemma xxx

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    1. It really was a lovely trip Gemma. Oh you will have to take the kids the next time you are in the North east they will love it, my 12 year old had a brilliant time xx

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  5. Wow! That seems like a great offer! I must admit, I hadn't heard of Beamish before reading this post but it looks like a fantastic place to visit. Lovely photos!

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    1. It really is a great offer Erin, It really is a fantastic place to visit with so much to see and do x

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  6. The old sweet shop looks like my kind of thing! In fact, all of Beamish looks like my kind of thing as a self-professed History nerd :P x

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    1. The old sweet shop is amazing, you can actually watch them making old fashioned sweets at the back of the shop. You should visit someday as it is perfect if you love history as you really get to find out what life was like back in the 1900's and learn so much xx

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  7. I've always fancied a trip to the Beamish and we would need to stay overnight if we went. Sounds like a good offer.

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    1. Oh you really should visit it is an amazing day out with so much to see and do, children and adults all love it. You should go on a beamish package if you stayed over as it is great value xx

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  8. Your hotel room looks so cosy and welcoming! I love the bathroom!! Looks like a lot of fun and I love the photos. The coal steam train sounds and looks amazing! :)

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    1. The hotel room really was so cosy and welcoming. The coal train was great fun and like stepping back in time xx

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  9. Beamish looks awesome. Why are these things never local?! The olde time sweet shop looks brilliant.

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    1. It really is great I am lucky to live not far from it. The sweet shop really is brilliant and the sweets you can buy are delicious xx

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  10. Beamish looks so interesting. Why are these things never local?! Love rhe look of the sweetshop.

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  11. Ha! This place looked so fun!!! I'd love to take the kiddos to something like this! And the food looks sooo good! Great little family day! Thanks for sharing this!

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    1. It really was so fun for adults and children alike. The fish and chips were really good xx

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  12. I remember going to Beamish as a child its a lovely place to go. I love little trips away like this. Your hotel looks lovely hun and so does the food. I love Marriott hotels always a fab standard. x

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    1. It really is a lovely place, there is so much more there now then years ago too. The hotel was amazing I have never been to a Marriott before but will be going back xx

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  13. The hotel looks perfect, especially the pool! The photos make you want to just step right in!

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    1. The hotel really was perfect I wish I could back again. The pool was amazing for a hotel pool x

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  14. The hotel looks great. My son would love that pool. And Beamish looks interesting. I love that kind of museum where it's brought to life.

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    1. It really was great , the pool was amazing for little ones as was lovely and warm and quiet. xx

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  15. I would LOVE this package. I love Australia but sometimes I feel like we miss out on so much cool stuff, especially history.

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    1. I think I am living where I do as there is so much History local to me like this and old castles etc x

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  16. The hotel looks amazing! And that cooked brekkie!

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  17. Ooooo nice! looks like there was plenty of space for you and the little ones.I would have been worried too sometimes hotels can look deceiving
    I want that breakfast now lol - Will defo look into going on a trip there.
    Charlotte x

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  18. What a fab attraction that is. I love stuff like this as i find it so interesting. The Marriot looked like a lovely place to stay. That breakfast looked amazing. :)

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  19. I stayed at the Mariott in Bristol last year and was really impressed. The bed was amazing and I loved the complimentary toiletries. I think I went to Beamish as a kid as your pictures are ringing a bell. This sounds like a great package x

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  20. The photos look amazing! Such a lovely place and the hotel looks gorgeous!
    Looks like the perfect family trip! :D

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  21. I have never been to Beamish, even though I spent many school holidays as a child with family in Durham. I would love to go for me but also as I know my youngest would just love it. I have however stayed in the Marriott Hotel you stayed in and was utterly impressed with the customer service. They even bought my son a birthday card from the staff and put balloons in his room at no extra cost.Great post!

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