Sometimes it’s good to get away and recharge the batteries, even if it’s for one night. That’s exactly what we needed, so the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Newcastle International Airport seemed like the perfect choice.
We enjoyed a lovely drive from Scotland and arrived in Newcastle on a beautiful sunny day. We could have checked in online, but we decided to wait until we were at the hotel just in case there were any problems with the booking.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Newcastle International Airport
As the name suggests, this DoubleTree hotel is located straight across from Newcastle International Airport (literally a 2-minute walk). You can plane watch from your hotel room window, but it’s also a great location for the MetroCentre, Hadrian’s Wall, St. James Park, Angel of the North and the Millennium Bridge.
Since we have stayed at this hotel twice before, we knew what to expect in terms of the room, service, and overall quality of the hotel. We always book the queen accessible room because we know it has always met our needs, but if this was my first time staying at this hotel, I’d follow these tips.
Reservation & Check-In
During the booking process, we noted that on previous stays, the TV was difficult to see as it’s tucked in a corner. On check-in, we were asked if we’d like the twin accessible room instead because the TV is in a better location, but we kindly refused and wanted to stick with our original room. We got our door key and two warm chocolate chip cookies before making our way up to the room.
Accessible Room
As soon as we entered the room, we knew it wasn’t right. The room was much smaller and when I turned to find the bathroom (I always check what the accessibility of the bathroom is like first), my doubts were confirmed. It was not an accessible room!
The bathroom door was not widened, and I couldn’t even fit my wheelchair through it. There was absolutely no space for a wheelchair. There was also a bath instead of a roll-in shower.
We immediately called down to reception to explain and we were quickly moved to the correct room. As an apology for the inconvenience, we were awarded 5000 HHonors points.
Queen Accessible Room
A sigh of relief came when we entered our queen accessible room. As crazy as it sounds, it felt good to be back in the room again. We’ve got good memories of this hotel. Our first stay was several years ago before we flew to Prague, and the second stay was when we went to see Kings of Leon at St. James Park.
One of our favourite things about this DoubleTree hotel is the room service. The food is served by Fratello’s restaurant and always tastes amazing. It’s fresh, authentic Italian food. I got the vegetable tagliatelle, and Allan got fish and chips. The portions are huge. It’s honestly some of the best food we’ve ever had. Delicious!
Unfortunately, our room had some heating problems that resulted in reception staff having to reset it a few times from their main controls downstairs. In the meantime, they gave us a portable heater and an extra duvet cover to keep us warm, which we really appreciated because I get cold very easily due to lack of movement.
The rest of our night was relaxing in our spacious room. One thing that is different about this room is its size and shape, which I think is mainly due to it being a corner room. By no means is this a bad thing; in fact, it’s one of the things we love about it.
We also love the ceiling-to-floor windows because it makes looking out the windows so easy for me in my wheelchair. You get to see everything that’s going on. A lot of hotels I’ve stayed in have had higher windows that I’m unable to see out of, but the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Newcastle International Airport is great for this. There are pillars in the room that give a cool warehouse apartment look and feel to the room.
Accessible Bathroom
The bathroom is a great size, giving plenty of space for turning your wheelchair and any portable hoists you may travel with. There is also a nice roll-in shower with a height adjustable shower seat attached to the wall.
The only downside for me is the sink, but I’ve rarely come across a hotel bathroom sink that’s been suitable. As you can see in the photos, I can’t get under the sink properly, and due to my condition, I’m unable to lift my arms and reach across to the taps.
Instead of rushing to get ready in the morning, we got breakfast brought to the room. The breakfasts are always so good here with a good variety to choose from. It set us up perfectly for the day.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I like this hotel for its accessibility, and the service is always amazing. I’d recommend DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Newcastle International Airport to anyone who is looking for a quality hotel for a stay before or after a flight or just a weekend away in Newcastle. It’s unfortunate we had the room mix-up and heating issues, but they were quickly and professionally dealt with and that’s exactly what you want from a hotel you are paying to stay in.
Where Next: You Might Also Enjoy
Staybridge Suites Newcastle | Wheelchair Access Review
Hilton Newcastle Gateshead | Wheelchair Access Review
20 UK Airports that have Changing Places Toilets
Utilita Arena Newcastle Disabled Access Review
Don’t miss a thing!
Follow me on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube’ | Pinterest
2 Responses
Great review! I recently stayed in a Hilton hotel in London, and it may have been the most accessible hotel I’ve ever stayed in. The bathroom design was very similar to this one, which I loved. The shower seat is larger than many I have seen in other hotels. Glad you had a nice stay – DoubleTree cookies are the best! 🙂
Thanks John! That’s great to hear – what Hilton hotel in London did you stay in? I’m possibly planning a trip to London for later this year so the hotel could be an option for me! I loved the size of the bathroom, but it’s always the sinks I struggle with. Oh the cookies are amazing aren’t they! I’d go to a DoubleTree just for the cookies 😀