Hotel Gotham Newcastle - A Stay with Cinematic Swagger
My base for the night was Hotel Gotham on Pilgrim Street. Five‑star luxury with a dash of drama, it’s the kind of place that makes you feel like you’ve stepped onto a film set. Plush interiors, attentive staff, and the promise of cocktails later, the perfect launchpad for a foodie fling in Newcastle.
Hotel Gotham has to be one of the finest stays I experienced in 2025. Housed in the beautifully restored old fire station, it’s a property that oozes character while delivering the kind of comfort that makes you instantly exhale. There’s a sense of theatre to the place, but never at the expense of warmth. Every detail feels intentional, from the welcome at reception, where staff greet you by name, to the soft classical music already drifting through your room and your bags waiting neatly for you by the time you step out of the lift.
Hotel Gotham’s history is woven as cleverly as its décor. Set within Newcastle’s former fire station, the building carries its past proudly, blending heritage with high‑gloss modern luxury. The nods to its origins are subtle but beautifully executed, especially in reception where the seating‑area artwork is crafted from real firemen’s hosepipes, intricately woven together into a sculptural centrepiece. Throughout the hotel, the theme colours of deep red and inky black punctuate the interiors, adding a sense of drama that feels both contemporary and true to the building’s fiery past.
The bedroom itself is a beauty. I stayed in a Club Room Double, a room that comes with all the trimmings: a spacious wardrobe, a well‑stocked minibar, a sleek desk area, and a TV you can actually see from bed without craning your neck. The colour palette is a soothing blend of warm beige, rich browns, and soft turquoise - calm, cocooning, and instantly relaxing. Heavy blackout curtains swallow every hint of light, while a weighty faux‑fur throw drapes across the bed, adding a touch of indulgence. Egyptian cotton covers practically beg you to crawl in and forget the outside world. And that bed… a Super King that’s soft, cloud‑like, and dangerously comfortable. Slipping into it feels like floating; leaving it in the morning was the real challenge of the stay.
There’s a real sense of calm to the space, the kind that instantly slows your shoulders the moment you walk in. Every surface feels considered, from the plush carpet underfoot to the soft lighting that gives the whole room a warm, golden glow. It’s the sort of bedroom that doesn’t just accommodate you, it envelops you, making it far too easy to settle in and forget you’re only here for one night.
It’s the little touches that make Gotham unforgettable. A wooden artist’s model hand sculpture cradles the TV remote like a tiny piece of set dressing. USB points sit exactly where you need them, not hidden behind furniture or requiring acrobatics to reach. Even the minibar goes above and beyond: alongside the usual snacks and drinks, it hides travel adapters, sleep masks, pillow sprays, and energy supplements, thoughtful extras that show genuine consideration for guests rather than box‑ticking.
The bathroom is a showstopper, all striking black‑and‑white contrasts, glossy marble, and those tactile surfaces you can’t help but run your hands over. It’s surprisingly spacious too, leaning fully into that sense of indulgent, unhurried luxury. The towels are thick and fluffy, the lighting is fabulous (bright enough for flawless makeup, gentle enough not to terrify you first thing in the morning), and the rainfall shower is pure bliss. Everything in this room is designed to make you linger, and honestly, you’ll be more than happy to stay put.
For food and drink, Hotel Gotham have you covered with their Cocktail Bar, Fire and their fine dining restaurant, Siren located on the ground floor. With both spaces just an elevator ride from your room, you genuinely never need to leave the hotel.
Fire is the kind of bar that knows exactly what it’s doing. Low lighting, deep red accents, and a touch of theatrical flair give it that moody, intimate atmosphere that makes every drink feel like an occasion. The cocktail list is confident without being pretentious, and the bartenders have that rare mix of skill and charm, the sort who can shake up something bespoke just from a hint of what you’re in the mood for. It’s effortlessly cool, the sort of place where “just one” becomes “might as well stay for another,” and being on the ground floor means you can drift back to your room in seconds, blissfully unbothered by the outside world.
Siren is a completely different energy - bathing in a golden glow, elegant, and designed to make you feel looked after from the moment you sit down. By night, it’s a polished dining room serving beautifully presented dishes in a space that balances sophistication with warmth. By morning, it transforms into the hotel’s breakfast haven, where the lighting softens, the coffee flows, and the pace slows to something deliciously gentle. Whether you’re easing into the day or settling in for dinner, Siren has that rare ability to feel both special and soothing, the kind of restaurant that makes staying inside the hotel feel like the obvious choice.
Hotel Gotham doesn’t just offer a place to sleep. It offers an experience; immersive, stylish, and quietly attentive. A stay that wraps around you, spoils you, and sends you back out into the city feeling just a little bit cinematic.
THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT HOTEL GOTHAM NEWCASTLE
Club Room Double starts around £170 pp
They have accessible rooms available
They have valet parking
Free wi-fi
It’s dog friendly
Butler Service
24 hour check-in
They have sister hotels in Manchester and Bristol
Hotel Gotham, Pilgrim Street, The Old Fire Station, Newcastle, NE1 6SE www.hotelgotham.co.uk/newcastle
I was invited by Hotel Gotham Newcastle and NewcastleGateshead to review their hotel. Accommodation, food and drink were complimentary but the views are very much my own.
TartanSpoon is an Award-winning blog that brings you reviews and recommendations on the very best places to eat, drink and stay in Edinburgh, Scotland and beyond.
Adele is a writer, reviewer and judge living in Edinburgh. She sits on the Committee for the Guild of Food Writers (Scottish Events), is a Great Taste Judge for the Guild of Fine Food, Scottish Bakers, Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards and a Judge for the Gin Co-operative awards. Should you wish to work with, invite or collaborate with TartanSpoon, please email tartanspoon@yahoo.co.uk
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