Hotel Review
Location:
The Seaburn Inn is situated in the seaside resort of Seaburn, close to Sunderland in the north east of England. For motorists, the area is accessible by taking the A1231 junction from the A1 and for those guests arriving by train Seaburn Station is served by Tyne and Wear Metro.
Arrival and check-in:
Our visit coincided with wet and windy weather and although it had been our intention to stop off on the way, we continued to the hotel arriving around 1.30 p.m. The hotel sits on the seafront boasting uninterrupted views of the North Sea coastline and benefits from a large car park to the rear. After parking, we entered the hotel through its side door which led us directly to the reception desk.
Laura was on duty and she kindly dashed off to check with housekeeping if our room was ready as we had arrived well before the 3.00 p.m. check-in time. On her return, she happily informed us that our room was indeed ready and after handing us two key cards and confirming our 7.00 p.m. dinner reservation we took the lift up to our room on the second floor.
The Room:
We opened the door and stepped into a spacious sea view room decorated in neutral tones. The king size bed was very comfortable and with bedside tables fitted with USB sockets and reading lamps we had everything needed for a pleasant stay. A hospitality tray on the dressing table was stocked with Ringtons teas, coffee and biscuits and in the corner of the room there was a table and armchair providing ample space to set up a laptop.
The floor to ceiling windows opened out onto a furnished balcony with a table and two chairs. The only problem was that with Storm Babet raging outside, there was little prospect of being able to even open the doors let alone sit out on the balcony.
The newly fitted en-suite was of a good size and came with a walk-in shower, Sea Kelp toiletries, thick towels and a heated towel rail to keep the bathroom warm and snug.
Dining:
Dinner is served in the bar/restaurant which has a mixture of seating options from cosy alcoves to booths accommodating larger groups. The decor gives a nod to the local area with seafaring paraphernalia and a collection of local Seaburn photos along the walls.
The menu comprises pub favourites including fish and chips, burgers, pizzas and pies along with steaks, kebabs, salads and vegetarian options. Food is ordered at the bar with hotel guests being able to add the bill to their room accounts. Soon after placing our order drinks were brought over to the table by one of the friendly bar staff.
We settled on starters of teriyaki trout skewers and king prawns on toasted brioche. In both cases the fish tasted fresh and flavoursome. After a little rest between courses our mains of Middle Eastern spiced beef kebabs served with pitta bread, thick cut chips and salad arrived.
These more than lived up to our expectations as the beef was cooked to perfection, being tender and succulent. Unusually for us, we resisted the temptation of a dessert as both courses were very filling. Instead, we relaxed with cups of freshly brewed coffee before retiring to our room for the night.
Breakfast: room rates include breakfast which is a real bonus as this can add considerably to costs, especially for families. This is also served in the bar/restaurant with a selection of fresh fruit, pastries, yoghurts and cereals laid out on the counter. Hot dishes are prepared to order including Full English, Eggs Benedict, scrambled eggs and porridge. Guests can then prepare their own toast and choose from the selection of conserves on offer.
The Facilities:
The Seaburn Inn was constructed two years ago and comprises 40 guest rooms spread over three floors. Of these, 24 have sea views with the majority also having full balconies. The rooms are a mix of double, twin and family with several of them adjoining. The inn is dog friendly with numerous rooms being suitable to accommodate furry friends.
As mentioned above, there’s a cosy bar/restaurant which serves food throughout the day and open to non-residents. For warmer days, an attractive outdoor terrace overlooks the sea and to the side of the building there’s a small children’s activity play area. Wi-Fi worked well throughout the building and televisions in rooms were Netflix enabled.
Out and About:
Seaburn Park Lighthouse – this lighthouse dating from 1856 stood on Sunderland’s south pier until 1983 when it was moved to its current position in Cliffs Park.
Seaburn to Roker cliff top walk – enjoy a cliff top walk along the promenade to nearby Roker taking around 25 minutes. Roker Pier and Lighthouse were constructed in 1883 to protect the harbour in the days when Sunderland was a major port.
After restoration work in 2012 the tunnel and lighthouse are now open to the public with guided tours run by volunteers of Sunderland Seafront Trust. Roker Pier Lighthouse is unusual for a non-residential lighthouse as it boasts wooden panelling, parquet floors and a bespoke tiled engine room.
National Glass Centre – housed in a contemporary glass and steel building in Sunderland. This free to visit museum includes galleries, offers glass blowing demonstrations and features craft and design shops.
Souter Point Lighthouse – this was the first lighthouse in the world purpose built to use electricity, making it a technological marvel of its day. All the machinery within the lighthouse remains in working order and is now run by the National Trust.
Overall:
We received a warm welcome from all the staff we came into contact with, in particular Laura on reception and Erin in the restaurant with everyone well trained and doing their upmost to ensure guests enjoy their stays. Our room was warm and cosy with meals in the restaurant being of a high standard and reasonably priced. This all added up to a relaxing stay. I’d very much like to return sometime to enjoy Seaburn and its seafront when there isn’t a storm brewing.
Details: The Seaburn Inn, Whitburn Road, Seaburn, Sunderland, SR6 8AA
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During our stay we were guests of The Seaburn Inn and as always all views and opinions are entirely my own.
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