Dorset Arms Hotel
Modern rooms with a bar and beer garden
About this hotel
Dorset Arms Hotel offers modern rooms with free WiFi in an unassuming setting, built around a restaurant, a bar and a beer garden rather than boutique styling. Pet-friendly rooms and free parking cover the practical side, and an airport shuttle helps families flying into Newcastle rather than driving. Nine minutes by taxi reaches Great North Museum: Hancock, and a two-minute taxi covers The Powder Monkey for a nearby dinner option. With 268 reviews and a 9.2 rating, it's a well-regarded, unpretentious stay suited to families who want a beer garden evening after a day at Wet N Wild. None of that makes it the flashiest stay on this coast, but for a family whose priority is the water park itself rather than the hotel, that's precisely the point.
- Beer garden
- Pet-friendly
- Airport shuttle
Our take
This suits families wanting a modern, unpretentious hotel with a beer garden and pet-friendly rooms, plus airport transfer convenience. It's a solid mid-range pick rather than a specialist choice, appealing to a broad range of family trips. It won't be the right fit for every family, but for the one it does suit, the value on offer here is genuinely hard to beat nearby.
- ✓Book the airport shuttle ahead if flying in, since it removes a taxi step for families arriving without a car.
- ✓Use the beer garden for an easy evening after Wet N Wild, since it's a genuine on-site feature rather than a small courtyard.
- ✓Bring the dog along given the pet-friendly rooms, useful for an evening walk near the hotel.
Why we love it
- On-site beer garden
- Pet-friendly rooms
- Airport shuttle available
- Strong 9.2 guest rating
Why guests love itThe beer garden ended up being the nicest surprise of the stay, a proper spot to sit outside after a hot day at Wet N Wild while the kids wound down. The room itself was modern and comfortable without being flashy. We didn't need the airport shuttle since we drove up, but it would have been a useful option. The dog was welcome throughout, and the 9.2 rating we'd seen beforehand felt well earned by the end of the trip.