My wife and I were fortunate enough to have our travel agent in the states book us, first class, on…read moretrains from London to Edinburgh and back again. I've gotta tell you, folks, this was a splendid ride. Aside from the old man hacking across the way from us on our northward trip, and the uncontrolled little kids nearby on our journey south, everything was grand on this voyage aboard an East Coast train. We got food and beverage service, complimentary Wi-Fi, and friendly staff members who were more than happy to fill up my teacup again and again if I wanted more. Talk about a smooth ride, too. You could barely tell we were speeding along as fast as we were. And the views of the North Sea are stunning outside. Ah... I wish I was back again right now. I'll be sure to book with National Express next time I travel in this region.

I'm sorry... I thought Virgin Trains were the best way to get around by rail in the United…read moreKingdom.... I was wrong. Dead wrong. Yes, Virgin Trains is a great rail company, but National Express EC trumps it for the following reasons: 1. Coach seats have more legroom. A lot more. 2. Seats are comfortable. Headrests are high and seats are nice and firm. 3. Overhead storage space is a little bigger than the other trains I've been on. and, by FAR, the number one reason... 3. Free WiFi for ALL passengers onboard. I missed an earlier train from Dundee to Edinburgh... that one was on ScotRail, and I'm so glad I missed it. =)

You can never go far wrong with a Premier Inn,this one was no exception! Situated near an…read moreindustrial estate. It has the usual good standard of Premier Inn bedrooms, complete with free tea and coffee, plus shower gel in a dispenser in the bathroom. There is a pub/restuarant next door where you can pre-order your breakfast, well worth doing. Continental or Full English is on offer. We did have an evening meal in the pub, it was a little busier then but a good meal. Ample car parking too

For upmarket accomodation in the Teesdale area The Rose & Crown is probably the best available…read moreexcellent setting overlooking a very pretty village green and within a few hundred yards of both the Teesdale Way walk and the Teesdale cycle track. But first off, it's cold up here: so, to take advantage of either of these two excellent options to explore the stunningly beautiful foothills of the Pennines you need to visit it in the summer months. Not much you can do about the weather but to me, it also came out as pretty expensive. £200 for a fairly small but very well equipped two room suite in the main building is, in any out of London location, top end. Add on the £60 per couple for the perfectly enjoyable four course evening menu and £25 for a bottle of wine plus coffees etc. and you're into close to £300 for the night - £250 (with food etc.) if you choose to stay in the high quality but rather motel-like rooms behind the main hotel/pub. And, the guest facilities are limited: apart from a small but well furnished private lounge the only other option is the often very busy bar. Too much? Yes but apart from The Rose & Crown there aren't many alternatives in the area. Would I go back? Difficult the weather is a big factor in Teesdale. Get it right and you'll have a wonderful stay in an idyllic setting get it wrong, and you'll be paying a lot for a cold, rain-soaked time in what's a well appointed but pricy country pub.

Bloody Brilliant! Stumbled in to the Rose & Crown after a beautiful and awe inspiring day touring…read morethe Yorkshire Dales. Hotel, Inn and Bungalows built in a grouping go centuries old stone buildings in the ancient village of Romaldkirk, adjacent the Norman era church and the village green. Spanking spotless rooms, with luxurious marble baths, an awesome friendly staff in a perfectly quiet setting in the shire. Your choice of casual, bistro style dining or a fancy (but not too formal) dining room -- and more AA "Rosette" plates for superior cuisine than you can count. An unbelievable hidden treasure, superbly British, romantic and sexy!

For our overnight stay in Newcastle, we needed a cheap place to stay in a central location and the…read moreThistle did the job. We booked a month in advance on booking.com, meaning we got a great deal for two double rooms. Check out time is extremely reasonable, at 12pm for no extra cost. Perfect if you've got a late night ahead of you and fancy a lie-in the next morning. Newcastle is the place to party, after all! Embrace that lie-in. The hotel was pretty standard. Rooms have baths, televisions, kettles; everything you'd possibly need for the duration of your stay and no nasty extra hidden costs. Room service is also available. My only complaint was that our hallway had a funny smell when we arrived. We soon discovered that there were plates with leftover fish and chips left outside one of the rooms. It seemed that the guests had left it for the cleaning staff. This couldn't be helped and the hallway was clean and fresh by the time we returned that evening. There's also a bouncer on the door in the evening so prepare for that. You'll just need your name checked off a list and to give your room number. The Thistle was just fine for an overnight stay, with friendly staff and reasonable prices.

Probably not the best hotel for Newcastle but low stress option. Excellent old style Thistle hotel…read morewith comfortable rooms - poor view though if you get a room at the back. Although good for a first time visit to Newcastle as you can't miss it - it is directly opposite the station. More expensive then many other hotels in the area but worth the money for comfort. You are less likely to encounter stag / hen parties here - a problem with many other nearby hotels at weekends.

It was comfortable, clean and fairly quiet. The front desk was kind, parking was easy to find and…read moreplenty of it.

This hotel is really good, especially considering the price!!…read more - It is sooo easy to find. Come out of the station, turn right and you'll see it. - The rooms were really big, with decent sized bathrooms - The breakfast was included in the room rate and wasn't bad (the croissant wasn't fresh but at least they provided lots of fruit, and lots of tea!!) - They do nice things like leave you complimentary water, juice and a kitkat - The staff were really friendly and helpful I heard a few people mention that their room were noisy when trains arrived/departed, but my room was fine... If I need to stay in Newcastle again I'll definitely come back here.

Stayed here for a good several weeks when I started my secondment in Darlington…read more Location is absolutely fantastic, with it being smack bang in the middle of town. Bus stops are around the corner so it's fantastic for getting to wherever you need to go in the area. Darlington Station is a 10-minute walk away. Food here is pretty good, but be sure to make use of the meal deals. Drinks selection is relatively run-of-the-mill. Would be great to see more of a craft selection, but the usual culprits are all that can be found. Had no problems with service, most of the staff are pretty chatty!

This station is rather a beautiful structure with attractive heritage ironwork and other features…read more in terms of passenger amenities it is fairly basic but unusually boasts an Indian restaurant. Trains run regularly from here to Newcastle and Carlisle. It is an attractive part of England to explore by train.

Gorgeous hotel in Newcastle with a trendy rooftop bar (Above). The lobby is traditional and quaint…read morewith elegant decor. The room is a great size with a lovely bathroom complete with shower/tub combo, toilet and sink, and floor to ceiling tile. The hotel is lovely and we have enjoyed our stay. The rooftop bar is very trendy and beautiful with great food. Definitely recommend, great location to everything.

Great central location and beautiful lounges but unfortunately I cannot give the Vermont more than…read more3 stars. When my parents visit they always try out a new hotel and in comparison to some it doesn't quite live up to its 4 star rating. I was rather disappointed in advance as I had emailed them asking if I could upgrade my parents room and if we needed to book afternoon tea - no response! So on arrival they were allocated a room on the 10th floor with a 'river view' but don't be fooled by this. The Vermont hotel is very much in the city centre and not on the quayside so you get a distant view of the bridges at best. As for the room it was lovely and clean but the bathroom was very small and definitely not up to standard. There was a yellow crust around the sink where it had not been looked after and poorly covered up patches on the walls (not 4* standard at all). The staff in all fairness did offer to show them to another room but apparently this was no better. The WiFi also didn't work the first day and when it did return the connection wasn't great. We had afternoon tea in the lounge after my personal recommendation and I definitely stand by the fact this is my favourite place for a little indulgence. The lounges in comparison to the rooms are luxurious, welcoming and relaxed. The gentleman's afternoon tea is excellent value for money! You get a whole burger and chips alongside a mini scotch egg and pork pie, cheeses, piccalilli and a selection of desserts. Oh and not forgetting the unlimited tea and half pint - highly recommended! We went out for a meal and drinks in the evening and on our return someone had been into the room and removed one of the chairs so they were only left with one chair between the two of them - no communication to explain the purpose of this and overall very disappointing. Highly recommend the Vermont for a visit to the lounge for food and/or drinks but the hotel rooms don't offer the best value for money unfortunately!