Photo of Forty Winks

“Flamboyantly and eccentrically furnished guest house - on South Street with enviable views of the city’s cathedral and castle - that’s both lavish and fun. A choice of romantic or sleek bedrooms, and excellent breakfasts, too.”

“Flamboyantly and eccentrically furnished guest house - on South Street with enviable views of the city’s cathedral and castle - that’s both lavish and fun. A choice of romantic or sleek bedrooms, and excellent breakfasts, too.”

Hotel Review

Don’t be misled by the term ‘guest house’. This is a sumptuous, exotically furnished grand building that feels more like a private home. Which it is: Deborah and Nigel Gadd originally bought it as a family home, as much for its size as its breath-taking views across the River Wear to the castle and cathedral. Great collectors, with a taste for the eccentric and eye-catching, they’ve furnished it with humour and panache: stuffed animals, clowns’ heads, skeletons and a chrome juke-box are scattered amongst rich French and Italian antiques. There are polished parquet floors, glittering chandeliers and velvet-swagged windows. A stuffed giraffe guards the foot of the leopard-print-carpeted staircase. Bedrooms, thankfully, are much calmer spaces in sleek creams and golds. Either choose a compact and sleek ‘crash-pad’ or a grander, romantic French boudoir with chandeliers and antiques. All have king-size beds, powder-soft carpets and airy bathrooms. Breakfast, cooked-to-order and served amongst flickering torcheres and gilt-framed oil paintings, offers an impressive choice from porridge with local honey to omelettes and a full grill. Not a place for minimalists.
 

Written by Helen Pickles

Recommended For

  • Romantic Break
  • Luxury and character combine to make this hotel perfect for a romantic break.
  • Close to nightlife
  • A great launchpad for a night out on the tiles in Durham.
  • Sights nearby
  • Ten minutes walk from both Durham Castle and Cathedral.
  • Other Activities
  • Durham Botanical Garden, Crook Hall Gardens
  • Museums
  • Visit the nearby Beamish Museum.
  • Romantic
  • Luxury
  • Quirky
  • Antiques
  • Chic
  • Riverside
  • Artworks
  • Townhouse

Facilities

  • Wifi
  • No pets
  • Walking distance restaurants
  • Parking
  • Sitting Room

Activities

  • Close to nightlife
  • A great launchpad for a night out on the tiles in Durham.
  • Sights nearby
  • Ten minutes walk from both Durham Castle and Cathedral.
  • Other Activities
  • Durham Botanical Garden, Crook Hall Gardens
  • Museums
  • Visit the nearby Beamish Museum.
  • Theatre

Map & Location

What's Nearby