Last Updated on August 2, 2026

Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa, County Durham

Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa is a luxury four-star hotel and resort just outside of Durham city. It is an exceptional place to stay close to Durham, perfect for exploring County Durham’s many attractions. With two championship golf courses and The Pin driving range, the facilities at Ramside Hall will delight golfers. The award-winning spa is an outstanding place to relax and recharge.

History of Ramside Hall

In medieval times, Ramside Grange, as it was known then, was a monastic farm owned by the Kepier monastic establishment. In 1769 Thomas Pemberton, who had built considerable wealth from coal mining, bought Ramside Grange and changed its name to Belmont Hall in keeping with the local area. 

Over time, the grand country house fell into disrepair until it was purchased by property developers Dick Coleman and Gordon McIntyre in 1963. It reopened as a ten-bedroom hotel in 1964, reverting to its original name, Ramside Hall.

The extensive country house estate grounds have allowed Ramside Hall to develop unrivalled facilities for staying, dining, golfers and spa aficionados. The hotel has expanded in all directions, keeping the original listed building at its very heart. 

Staying at Ramside Hall

Accommodation is available to suit groups of all sizes and budgets. Room options range from double and twin rooms to spacious suites and individual treehouses complete with hot tubs, sleeping up to nine people, set in the gorgeous grounds.

I stayed in a deluxe double room on the ground floor with patio doors opening directly onto the golf course. There was plenty of storage, a small seating area with a table and chairs, and a king-size bed. The luxury bathroom contained a separate shower, an elegant standalone bathtub and divine Elemis toiletries. A bottle of water and bowl of delicious fruit immediately made me feel at home.

The Spa

I was booked into the spa for a Drift and Dream ritual; a robe and slippers were to hand in my room for my use. The spa complex was ideally located close to my room; a few steps and I was at the spa reception. Treatment rooms are on the first floor, ensuring peace and tranquillity to relax and enjoy the experience.

It was a superb treatment, one of the best I have had in a long time. I loved the initial calming breathing exercises, and Rachel checked with me about how much pressure to use; I prefer firmer pressure. The Voya oil used in the massage smelt heavenly, a soothing mix of lavender, rosemary and lemon. I almost dozed off. At the end of the treatment, the relaxation room was a must: a calm, darkened space with water beds, massage beds and sleep pods (nooks with pillows, cushions and duvets).

The entrance to the main spa is downstairs. Here you swap your slippers for flip-flops, provided at the entrance into the spa, and help yourself to a towel.

A full-size, twenty-five-metre swimming pool is great for swimmers, together with a jacuzzi for relaxation. Glass doors, activated by your spa wristband, take you deeper into the spa where there are the saunas, steam rooms, cauldarium, and a plunge pool. Dominating this space is one of the UK’s largest spa hydrotherapy pools. A restful garden with a heated outdoor pool is perfect for relaxing on warmer days.

Dining at Ramside Hall

Ramside Hall has four restaurants offering a full range of dining options to choose from. The Pin Sports Bar has a menu of stone–baked pizzas, burgers and traditional bar food. Within the spa, Fusion restaurant serves Asian inspired dishes from Chinese, Thai, Indian and Japanese cuisine. If you are visiting for a spa day, a lighter lunch can be enjoyed here, or treat yourself to an afternoon tea with an Asian twist. Charcoa restaurant has a carvery menu as well as classic sourdough pizzas, fish and chips or steaks. The Rib Room restaurant focuses on steaks and seafood with an extensive choice of wines. Room service will deliver food ordered from any of the restaurants to your room or treehouse.

I was booked into The Rib Room for dinner. The warm and welcoming restaurant is light, with one wall full of pictures. You can peek into the meat locker where meat is hung to age. With a heavily steak-based menu, the meat used by The Rib Room is some of the finest in the North East of England, aged for twenty-eight days for added flavour and tenderness.

For my starter, I chose calamari, crispy succulent calamari served with garlic and lime mayonnaise. It was light and tasty, an excellent start to my meal. To accompany my starter, I ordered a glass of First Fleet Chardonnay 2025, a fresh, fruity dry white wine.

Given the extensive choice of steaks on the menu, there was no question as to what to order for my main course. I decided on a fillet steak with bearnaise sauce, which came with a grilled baby gem lettuce. The meat was soft and tender with great flavour. I added side dishes of crunchy chips and a green salad. 

I plumped for a glass of Vuelo Merlot, Bodegas Tagua 2024, to accompany my main course, a full-bodied, smooth Chilean red. 

I really didn’t need a dessert but was tempted by the lemon and elderflower pannacotta. Topped with a twist of dried lemon, macerated strawberry and strawberry sorbet, it was one of the lighter options. Although delicious, it lacked the requisite wobble a perfect pannacotta should have.

I slept well and headed to the spacious Charcoa restaurant where breakfast was served. There was a continental buffet of cereals, pastries, fruit and yoghurt together with the usual hot options.

Facilities for golfers

Ramside Hall is a superb hotel resort for golfers with its two courses and stylish clubhouse. The recently opened The Pin, entertainment centre, takes the golfing facilities to a higher level with high-tech indoor driving ranges to practice your strokes whatever the weather. Within the double-level building there are forty-three Toptracer bays together with a six-lane bowling alley, and other entertainment options. The Pin has been a hugely popular addition to the hotel facilities for families and golfers alike.

At Ramside Hall there is something for everyone, whether you choose to play golf, spend time recharging in the spa or relax in the beautiful grounds. If you are looking for a destination with everything you need at hand, within easy reach of Durham, Ramside Hall fits the bill. My visit was far too short; I would have loved to spend more time exploring the hotel and the outstanding spa.

I was hosted by Ramside Hall for an overnight stay on a B&B basis with a Drift and Dream ritual and dinner at The Rib Room.

Fact box

Ramside Hall Hotel is a ten-minute drive from the centre of Durham, easily accessible by train. If you prefer to drive, there is ample car parking on site.

For more information on Ramside Hall Hotel, golf and spa and to check out current special offers, click here.

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Ramside Hall, Carrville, Durham, DH1 1TD. Telephone: 0191 386 5282

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