A Dog Friendly Stay at The Lookout, by The Tempus Charlton Hall
As part of my recent stay at The Tempus, the boutique new hotel by Charlton Hall in Northumberland, I was lucky enough to be staying in The Lookout. The Lookout is a small cottage in the grounds of The Tempus, just steps from reception and the car park, and is another new accommodation option that they’re offering from The Tempus.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary stay at The Lookout by The Tempus.
The Charlton Hall Estate have expanded their accommodation choices drastically with the opening of The Tempus, and this cottage is a lovely additional option if you’re staying as part of a wedding party, or as a guest intending to explore this beautiful part of Northumberland. That’s exactly what I was doing, and as it’s dog friendly it was ideal for me with Arthur.
I checked in at 3pm, parking up in the car park right by reception, and I actually spotted it as I parked up. It’s right by the car park so not far to carry your bags at all. Check in is at The Tempus main desk where I was provided with the key and the wifi password, and off we went.
The Lookout
In keeping with the quirky, unique interiors of the entire Charlton Hall and Tempus estate, The Lookout is no different, and you can tell immediately on entering how fabulous it’s going to be. The front door opens into an entranceway, where there’s plenty cupboard space and bench seating for coats, shoes, boots and bags.
To the right is the bathroom through a sliding door, which I think was my favourite room in the cottage, pretty and pink with a huge bathtub and a walk-in rainfall shower. It was so quaint, but felt luxurious at the same time with all the towels on the heated rail you could need, and toiletries provided.
Coming back into the cottage there’s a long walkway down to the living area, with a sideboard on the left where you’ll find the fridge underneath and the coffee machine with a selection of pods. There was also an amazing gift box for Arthur, which had treats and a toy in to keep him entertained – he loved it and it was such a nice touch.
The living area was everything you’d expect from accommodation space here. A big plush sofa that I think is a sofa bed if there were four of you, a chunky coffee table, TV and double French doors that open onto the private terrace. It was so comfortable and private, a really great little living area that you could relax in giving plenty of extra space compared to a hotel room.
Having said that, I’ve seen some photos of all the Tempus hotel rooms and some of them look huge! But it’s another option if you prefer a bit more space and ideal if you have a dog.
The outside space backs onto a natural woodland area, and is totally private. It has a little table and chairs, and they’d also just finished fitting in the giant hot tub. The Lookout really has all the luxuries of a cottage, yet stays in keeping with the colourful and imaginative style of Charlton Hall and The Tempus.
It was so warm during my stay I really enjoyed a glass of wine out on the terrace before I had my dinner in The Tempus restaurant with my friend Hannah, and Arthur pottered about playing with his new toy. A definite plus of staying here with a dog in tow.
The stairs to the upstairs of the cottage lead off from the living room up to the mezzanine, and it’s absolutely gorgeous up there. A huge four poster is the centrepiece of the room, with an antique style wardrobe, side tables and a big olive tree making up the additional decor. I loved it! The upstairs window also overlooks the terrace and woodland, so it felt very secluded.
The whole cottage had so many choices for different mood lighting, and if you were at all worried when I said it’s next to the car park you really shouldn’t be. It’s so quiet and peaceful, especially as most people come, park up and stay. I slept so well that night it felt like I was in the middle of nowhere.
Enjoy The Tempus while staying at The Lookout
A stay at The Lookout gives you all the privacy of your own accommodation, so you don’t have to go in through the hotel if you’re coming and going from your days out in Northumberland. If you have a dog this is such a big benefit, and even if you don’t it’s a lovely place to return back to of your own.
However, you also have access to all the hotel areas to enjoy if you wish too. Enjoy walks around the grounds, a coffee in the Snug, a cocktail in the Moroccan style bar, and dinner in the stunning orangery. That’s exactly what I did, which you might have already read about in my review of The Tempus restaurant here.
It’s just a very short walk away, and the snug is ideal if you want a space to work or just to relax by the fire, and the bar is just so amazing under the glitter balls and bright colours. The cocktail menu is well worth a look too for the Alice in Wonderland inspired creations.
All of these areas and the restaurant are dog friendly until 7pm, so you don’t have to leave them behind. The staff were so great with Arthur and he loved lying on the cold floor of the terrace too.
The Lookout isn’t self-catered, it doesn’t have a kitchen space other than a fridge and coffee making/wine pouring facilities, so breakfast is served in the Tempus restaurant. You’re getting all the benefits of the hotel whilst staying in somewhere a bit different. Breakfast included a cold continental buffet and a hot menu to choose from.
I wish I could have stayed at The Lookout for longer, to really make the most of the hot tub and the local area. I enjoyed an afternoon out to Low Newton beach and a visit to The Ship Inn, but there’s so much close by within easy reach. I’ve already recommended it to plenty of people who I know love this area and would really enjoy a stay here too – especially if you have a dog.
All of the accommodation options at The Tempus look stunning, and I’ll definitely be trying some of the others in future. If you want to book a stay at either The Lookout, or The Tempus take a look at their website.
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