Review of Linden Hall Golf and Country Club, Morpeth

Linden Hall Golf and Country Club - 3 bubbles

Our Spy and her partner were invited to Linden Hall in the Northumberland countryside to sample the delights of their 450-acre estate. They found a hotel for the active country lifestyle and a spa in need of some TLC to match the high standard of the delightful staff.

First impressions?

How did they welcome you?

What happens next?

Which treatments did you have?

What were the treatments like?

How did you feel afterwards?

What happens afterwards?

Long-term effects

Was it worth it?

What else could you have?

Any special features?

Who do you think would like it?

Why did you give the spa this rating?

Would you go again?

First impressions?

We turned into a long, long drive which cuts through woodland. It took us several minutes to reach Linden Hall itself, which built up our anticipation. We finally came out of the trees and saw an impressive stone mansion with heavy Doric columns around the entrance, as befitted local politician and banker Mr Bigge, who built the hall in 1812. Maybe the length of the drive was a status symbol back then.

Linden Hall became a hotel in the 1980s and still has a rather 1980s colour scheme: all brown and beige. Given the grey northern winters, Linden Hall could do with brightening up.

How did they welcome you?

Competently. A member of staff checked us in and told us the way to our room (also decorated in browns and beiges), which overlooked the golf course and the grounds.

What happens next?

We found our way to the spa on the ground floor along a corridor in a newish extension. There are bedrooms right next to the spa on the ground floor, so anyone booking for a spa weekend can be just a few steps from the spa.

The spa has its own changing room, which is a great idea as you avoid the crush in the main changing room. There are two showers with shampoo and shower gel in dispensers. Mirrors and a hairdryer, a changing cubicle and 24 wooden lockers complete the room. Everywhere was clean but a bit worn in places, and the showers had some cracked tiles and spots of mould on them. There is no loo in the spa changing area, so you have to go along to the health-club changing rooms.

We tried out the 12-metre pool. There is a whirlpool spa at one end but the pool isn't really long enough to swim lengths. Most people were happily playing in the pool or the whirlpool. There was also a large shower beside the pool and space for loungers. Narrow windows on two sides overlook the courtyard and the garden.

The steam room was not quite hot enough to be effective and the sauna seemed to be set at 75 degrees rather than the usual 85 degrees.

Which treatments did you have?

We had a Decléor facial (£50 Monday to Thursday, £55 Friday to Sunday, 60 minutes).

What were the treatments like?

I will always remember Rachel, my therapist, as the "warm towels expert". I climbed on the bed and Rachel wrapped my feet in a warm towel which was heavenly -- just what you need to relax at the beginning of a treatment.

Rachel then wrapped my hair in a head-band which had been warmed, so I was half-asleep before she began!

After a cleanse, Rachel exfoliated my skin, applying the lotion in short dabbing motions to push it into the skin. Once the exfoliant had dried, Rachel rubbed it off. Dabbing rather than rubbing is an unusual way of exfoliating, but very gentle and seems to work well.

The face pack was rich, creamy and aromatic. While this did its magic on my rather dehydrated skin, Rachel gave me a neck-and-shoulder massage. She managed to get to just the right spots, turning my head from side to side and stretching my neck, which felt wonderful. Rachel massaged deep around the vertebrae of my neck and into the shoulder muscles to relieve the tension built up by far too many hours at my laptop.

Rachel followed the neck-and-shoulder massage with a head massage with lots of firm holding. Then she moved onto my hands and arms, which she massaged with a rich cream. She covered me with another warm towel, tucking it in under my chin, and covered my eyes with cool pads. I usually hate it when therapists "leave you for a few minutes to relax" but I didn't mind at all when Rachel slipped out to write up my product list. I was happy to dream by myself.

When Rachel returned, she removed the eye-pads, then cleansed my skin with a cool freshener. The freshener very effectively woke me up.

How did you feel afterwards?

Great. My neck and shoulders were much freer and my skin looked wonderful; the fine lines on my top lip had plumped out, the area around my eyes, which usually looks dark, was lighter. All my skin was brighter.

What happens afterwards?

I went to the relaxation room. This room is also used as the waiting area and has a green carpet and orange-cushioned upright chairs. There are no loungers and no sense that this is a place to relax quietly after a treatment. I was surprised by the lack of loungers as the room is quite large; then I discovered that the spa admits an average of 15 people a day on spa days, so perhaps they need all those upright chairs.

There was a good selection of drinks and snacks: tea, coffee, juices, hot chocolate and bottled waters. In the morning, pastries are on offer; during the afternoons, there are muffins. You won't go hungry.

Save some room for dinner. We ate in the AA 2-rosette restaurant, and the food was very good: sea trout with saffron risotto with squid, and pigeon with lentils accompanied by delicious home-made bread.

Long-term effects

Facials tend to improve the skin for a few days. It's the long term effects of having them regularly that really matter… I would be very happy to have a regular facial of this high standard with Rachel.

Was it worth it?

Linden Hall is a good value spa.

What else could you have?

Massages and facials are the most popular treatments at Linden Hall and there is a wide range to choose from. The Aroma Expert Lift facial is, apparently, the "holistic answer to facial firming". The more unusual "Reactivating Flow treatment" uses essential oils and a heated blanket to revive energy levels -- a useful pre-party treatment. There are also manicures, pedicures and waxing. Linden Hall offers mum-to-be treatments and men's treatments, all using Decléor products.

Any special features?

The spa staff were delightful. They know their customers and go out of their way to meet their needs. This is reflected in the fact that many visitors book from year to year.

Who do you think would like it?

Golfers and their non-golfing partners; the 450-acre estate has an 18-hole golf course and a driving range. The grounds are extensive and attractive enough for some long walks. You can hire mountain bikes, and the staff can also arrange shooting, riding, and fishing for you locally. Linden Hall is a hotel for the active country lifestyle.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

While the treatments were good, the facilities were all looking rather dated and tired. So, Linden Hall gets 3 bubbles.

The world of spa has moved on from when Linden Hall was first built. The set-up of the treatment rooms is rather strange; they are built in pairs, so you have to walk through one treatment room to reach the next one. The staff try to arrange manicures and pedicures in the first room so you are not disturbed if you are having a massage or a facial, but this must take some juggling.

The sauna was rather neglected. We found a cleaning cloth and a plastic water bottle stuffed under the wooden seating and the floor area under the wooden slats was noticeably dirty and needed cleaning.

See more on how we rate the spas.

Would you go again?

I enjoyed my treatment and would happily go back for another facial. Overall, however, the rather tired and neglected feel of the hotel and spa would make me hesitate to book again. This is a shame as Linden Hall is a beautiful building in beautiful grounds. With a little TLC, this could be a top-notch hotel and spa.

We visited Linden Hall in November 2009

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