Monday 23 September 2019

Discovering The Harry Potter Package At Macdonald Linden Hall

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My 6-year-old daughter discovered the magic of Harry Potter earlier this year and she had been desperate to visit Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry ever since. So when an invite landed in my inbox (sadly not via owl post) to try out the new Harry Potter Package at Macdonald Linden Hall country house hotel in Northumberland, it was the perfect opportunity to make my very own little Gryffindors wish come true. 

Macdonald Linden Hall is a country house hotel, golf course and spa nestled in the beautiful Northumberland countryside - about 30 minutes north of Newcastle. Setting off on Friday afternoon after school we were soon pulling up outside the impressive 18th-century manor house set in 450 acres of private grounds and with plenty of free on-site parking. Checking in was super quick and easy and we were warmly greeted by the very friendly receptionist who really made the children feel welcome.

Linden Hall Country House Hotel in Northumberland at sunset


Now you might be wondering why we were at Macdonald Linden Hall and what it has to do with Harry Potter as the hotel is more commonly known for spa breaks, golfing breaks and of course weddings. Well, they have recently launched a Harry Potter Package which is perfect for October Half-Term. The Package includes overnight stay at Linden Hall with breakfast and a few Harry Potter treats in your room, plus tickets to Alnwick castle which is best known as the set of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the first two Harry Potter films.

Outside of Alnwick Castle in Northumberland

Macdonald Linden Hall is also a great base for exploring beautiful Northumberland as it is not far from the towns of Morpeth, Rothbury and of course Alnwick (it's about a 20-minute drive to Alnwick from Linden Hall through the beautiful rural countryside).

Bedroom at Linden Hall Northumberland Hotel

As we were staying with our two youngest children (the 16-year-old already had plans) we were giving downstairs interconnecting rooms, a large double room for us and a twin room for the children.

inside the twin bedroom at Linden Hall Hotel Northumberland

Both rooms had ensuite bathrooms, views over the well-maintained gardens, TVs, plenty of wardrobe space, trouser presses, irons and ironing boards, tea and coffee making facilities and a desk and seating area.

two glass bottle of butterbeer and two chocolate frogs on a table

The children's room had some magical treats to get us ready for our Harry Potter adventure. there were bottles of butterbeer, chocolate frogs and the Harry Potter boxset to watch. Of course, they wanted the first film on as soon as we entered the room which they enjoyed watching whilst munching on their honeydukes treats.

Chicken strip and fries kids meal at Linden Hall Dobson

We had a dinner reservation for 6.30pm in the on-site one AA Rosette Dobson restaurant and the children were presented with a 'Three Broomstick' kids menu with dishes such as pizzas, mac n cheese and sausages to choose from.

child beef burger and fries meal at Linden Hall Hotel

Sophia (6) choose the burger and fries and Jacob (5) choose the homemade battered chicken strips which came with fries and a side of greens.

prawn cocktail starer in glass bowl with two slices brown bread and butter

Both myself and the husband opted for a prawn cocktail starter which was delicious and had a generous helping of prawns.

chicken kiev, fries, coleslaw at linden hall hotel

I ordered a chicken kiev main with fries and a pot of coleslaw and the husband ordered a cheeseburger again served with fries, coleslaw and a pot of relish. Service was quick - always a plus when dining with young children.

beef burger bun with salad, fries, coleslaw and pot relish

Unfortunately, the children were getting a bit tired and grumpy as it was getting late so we had to skip dessert and head back to the room to get some rest ready for the following day's adventure at Alnwick castle.

The beds were very comfortable and the hotel so quiet that we all slept well that night.

breakfast cereal buffet at linden hall hotel

Waking early - as is always the case with young children we were pleased to find breakfast was served from 7am. There was a continental buffet bar stocked with fresh fruit, cereals, pastries, cold cuts and cheese to help yourself to whilst your breakfast was cooked. This is always ideal for impatient children and mine helped themselves to slices of watermelon, mini croissants and slices of cheese and ham.

eggs benedict at linden hall hotel on white plate

Breakfast arrived promptly and was freshly cooked, the children had free range boiled eggs with soldiers, the husband had eggs benedict and I ordered The Full Macdonald breakfast of red tractor pork sausage, dry-cured back bacon, Mcleod & Mcleod black pudding, flat cap mushroom, potato fritter, baked beans and a fried egg - has to be done when staying in a hotel. 

cooked breakfast of beans, bacon, tom, sausage, black pudding, mushroom

With full tummies, we headed back to the room to pack whilst the children enjoyed the second Harry Potter film before heading off to Alnwick Castle with the children dressed in their Hogwarts robes.


I grew up in Northumberland so have visited Alnwick castle many times over the years, but it is still breathtaking and I forgot how wonderful it can be. It was the children's first visit and they were constantly gasping and pointing to things that captured their attention.

alnwick castle

First things first and we headed off to the most important part, signing up for broomstick training lessons! Lessons last half an hour and are free on a first come first served basis - so be sure to arrive early. We were booked on the 11.30 am slot and the children could not wait!

broomstick lesson at alnwick castle

The witches taken the class were wonderfully wacky and the children really thought they were Hogwart teachers. They had fun mounting their brooms, learning to fly and preforming magic levitating broomstick tricks right where Harry took his very first flying lesson!

broomstick training at alnwick castle

They were having the very best time.

broomstick flying outside alnwick castle

We then explored the castle, pretending we were at Hogwarts with a little Hermionie and Harry in tow.

kids in hogwarts robes at alnwick castle

The Harry Potter Package was a truly magical stay and it really did bring the film to life for my little Hogwarts fan. They loved the stay at Linden Hall with all of the little extras like the films to watch, the Hogsmeded themed Three Broomstick menu and the chocolate frogs and butterbeer. Macdonald Linden Hall was a great base for exploring Alnwick Castle as it is just a short drive away and the hotel is really quiet and perfect for relaxing before or after a busy day of sightseeing.

outside alnwick castle on a sunny day

If you too want to experience the magic of Harry Potter this autumn then you can book your own Harry Potter Package at Macdonald Linden Hall and find out more at www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk prices start at £169 and include overnight stay, breakfast and Alnwick Castle tickets. Full terms and conditions can be found on the Macdonald Linden Hall website. 

I will be writing two separate posts about Alnwick Castle and our stay at Macdonald Linden Hall so keep an eye out for them over the next couple of weeks. 

Disclosure I was kindly invited by Macdonald Hotels to try out the Harry Potter Package with my family, I was given complimentary accommodation, dinner and breakfast, as well as some Harry Potter, themed treats and entry to Alnwick Castle for my myself and my family in exchange for social media posts throughout my stay. I was not asked to write this blog post but choose to as I thought that it would be of interest as I received lots of messages about the trip. 










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34 comments

  1. Ah it looks like a lovely little break - did you try the spa?

    How lush is Sophia in her Hogwarts outfit. Lush!

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    1. No we never had time - we didn't arrive until 5pm and then left again at 10am. It was a shame as our rooms right next to the spa too xx

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  2. This looks brilliant for Harry Potter fans! I have never been to Alnwick but my parents love the place. I think this is such a great idea.

    The food looks amazing as well!

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    1. Alnwick is such a charming place to visit, the castle and gardens are magical x

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  3. This looks like a great experience.

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  4. Looks like a great time for any Harry Potter fan. Alnwick Castle definitely looks magical c

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    1. It really is so magical, the children really thought they were at Hogwarts x

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  5. What a great idea from the hotel to offer a Harry Potter break. Looks like you had a wonderful time, and loved following your trip over on social media x

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    1. Thank you Tracey, ah it was wonderful the hotel was so relaxing and cosy and the children loved the whole Harry Potter experience xx

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  6. A Harry Potter Package- this sounds like a treat! What a beautiful adventure for your kids. That photo with the broom stick is so well captured too

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  7. Going to check this out looks amazing

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  8. What a fab idea! Love the broomstick lessons - I bet they had an absolute blast doing those!

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  9. This looks like the perfect day out for kids! Also the room looks REALLY nice!

    Oliver x

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    1. It was a lot of fun and the hotel rooms were very comfortable x

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  10. Alnwick castle is a place I really want to visit and learn to fly a broomstick, this sounds like a great package

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    1. It really is such a great day out for the whole family xx

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  11. I can imagine all the fun. The hotel looks fab and the food must have been so tasty.

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  12. What an amazing break you guys had and what a lovely time to discover Harry Potter.

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  13. wow what a fun experience. My daughters would love this.

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    1. It was so much fun, your girls would have a blast as mine really enjoyed it xx

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  14. I read the first Harry Potter book with my 8 yr old earlier this year. He hasn't seen any of the movies yet though, but I think when he has he would love this.

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    1. Mine have only seen the first two films, so this really made it all seem super magical for them xx

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  15. Oh what a brilliant package! My twins girls love Harry Potter so this would be right up their street!

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  16. What a lovely idea for a break! We love Alnwick Castle and did the broomstick lessons last week, so much fun for adults too!

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    1. The broomstick lessons were lots of fun, I didn't take part but it did look great - loved the teachers. xx

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