Those who know, know
Summer might be well and truly over, but just because we’re into autumn doesn’t mean that weekend getaways are a thing of the past. There’s one cottage stay located in Northumberland that’s just won a category at the Sykes Holiday Cottages 2025 Gem Awards with it named the best place to stay in the north east.
Granary Cottage can be found in the village of Bellingham, a roughly three hour drive from Manchester. It borders Northumberland National Park, making this idyllic barn conversion an ideal base for exploring what the stunning park has to offer.
There’s room for up to four people to stay with two double bedrooms inside the 5-star rated cottage. Priced start at around £663 for a seven night stay, with plenty of availability throughout November and December 2025.
Described as a “village of secrets” between its hidden historical sites and tucked-away beauty spots, Bellingham is just under an hour’s drive away from Newcastle for those who might enjoy a city day as well the idyllic northern countryside.
There is also a selection of hotels and B&Bs to choose from for holidaymakers looking to book a stay in Bellingham, with the number one top-rated choice of accommodation on Booking.com according to guest reviews being Brown Rigg Guest Rooms. Meanwhile, the top-rated hotel in the village is Riverdale Hall Hotel, originally built in 1886 as a Victorian mansion and now a luxury country house with a heated indoor pool and sauna.
Coming in second place in the North East category of this year’s Sykes Gems Awards was The George in Whitley Bay, a ground-floor apartment with room for up to four guests and two dogs minutes from Whitley Bay town centre. This stay has secured a Perfect Score Award due to earning nothing but five-star reviews from its guests, who described as a “wonderful and welcoming” stay.
Book a stay at Granary Cottage
Book a stay at Granary Cottage with dates still available in 2025.
Visitors added that it’s “clear a lot of hard work has taken place” to make it comfortable. The George is available to book from £447 for seven nights, with just a couple of spots left for this year and bookings open for 2026.
And taking third place was St Aidans in Alnwick, an option for larger parties looking to explore Northumberland with five bedrooms and space for up to 10 guests. This stylish pet-friendly holiday home has a prime location in Alnwick, just minutes away from top attractions including Alnwick Castle and The Alnwick Garden.
While it has only received a dozen reviews so far, it has impressed guests with no ratings below 4.7 out of five stars and visitors saying they had a “fantastic” stay that felt “luxurious”. Priced from £1,546 for a seven-night stay, St Aidan’s is another popular choice among holidaymakers with bookings already filling up as far as September 2026.
For holidaymakers who would prefer to stay in a hotel during their trip to Alnwick, one of the top-rated options in the town is The Cookie Jar, located on the same street as Nurse’s Cottage within easy walking distance of attractions. This boutique hotel housed in a former convent has been singled out by the Good Hotel Guide as one of the best places to stay in the North East.
Or for those seeking somewhere truly unique, on the next street over is Pottergate Tower, which stands on the site of what was once the market town’s medieval defences, rebuilt in place of one of the Old Town Gates in 1768. Today, the tower is recognised for its historical significance as a Grade II listed property and has also been refurbished inside as a luxury holiday let priced from £754 for seven nights.
Take a look at the full list of Sykes Gem Awards 2025 winners here.
