Cairn Hotel

You can choose between Cosy, Classic and Superior rooms, all of which have tea- and coffee-making facilities, wifi, large flatscreen Freeview TVs, mini fridges and and recently re-fitted en-suite bathrooms with rainfall showers; Classic and Superior rooms have king-size beds and some Superior rooms have four-poster beds. Room decor is functionally elegant, occasionally a bit quirky – much like the hotel's public spaces, which include a rather nice  Asian-fusion restaurant (Sohe) and two bars, one of which serves cocktails while the other does a mighty choice of gourmet burgers and pizzas.

Jesmond itself is one of Newcastle's wealthier enclaves, with a definite life of its own and a good selection of places to eat and drink, yet it's only a ten-minute walk into the city centre, which is compact and lively – ideal for a city break.