1 Night, 1 Round
Set in 350 acres of County Durham countryside, Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa is the county's highest-rated AA four-star hotel, and once you're on site it's easy to see why. The hotel began life as the Pemberton family estate before becoming a hotel in 1963, and today it's the region's largest privately owned luxury property, known for friendly service and good value for golfers.
For a hassle-free break, everything is in one place. You've got two 18-hole championship courses on the estate, plus award-winning gardens, a full-service spa and several dining options, so you can keep the group together without planning a taxi schedule. It works just as well for a society weekend as it does for a couple looking to mix a few rounds with spa time.
What's great about Ramside is that it feels smart without being stiff. You can play, eat and unwind at your own pace, whether that means a post-round burger in the clubhouse or making an evening of it in the hotel restaurants. The property also picked up the Best Hotel UK & Ireland 2024 award, voted for by your golf travellers, which tells you something about how they look after guests.
Who is this for?
Golfers who want an easy UK stay-and-play base near Durham, with two on-site courses and enough food, drink and spa options to keep a mixed group happy.
Who is it best for?
Societies and groups who value convenience over travel between courses, couples pairing golf with spa time, and mid-handicap golfers looking for variety across 36 holes.
* Where applicable, the relevant promotions will be applied during the booking process. T&Cs may apply.
1 Night, 1 Round
1 Night, 2 Rounds
1 Night, 2 Rounds
2 Nights, 2 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
The course has spirit of adventure and features 16 water hazards, reachable par 5’s, driveable par 4’s, and short holes that demand shot-making skills from wedge to woods.
Designer Jonathan Gaunt laid out a golf course that delivers risk and reward golf at its best. Water comes into play on 10 holes and there are nine doglegs on the card which demand good strategy and the ability to move the ball both ways if you are to score at your lowest.
The course is fair. The fairways are wide and generous and there is a conservative option available on every hole so that any standard of golfer can enjoy Ramside’s challenge.
| Par | 72 |
|---|---|
| Designed by | Jonathan Gaunt |
| Opened for play | 1996 |
| Blue | 6,851 yards |
|---|---|
| White | 6,520 yards |
| Yellow | 6,240 yards |
| Red | 5,610 yards |
The Cathedral Course has been built on rolling countryside between the villages of Belmont and Pittington with breath-taking natural features including ridges, becks and valleys.
The course extends out over a broad hilltop with views of Durham Cathedral and as far afield as the Angel of the North in Gateshead, before dropping down into a valley and rising up again to return to the parkland estate where its closing holes end back at the clubhouse and hotel.
The middle holes are laid out across a high plateau, previously called ‘Hilltop Farm’ - with wide-open skies and 360 views - then drop down into a striking valley with dramatic elevation changes, mature trees, steep banksides and a coursing beck.
| Par | 72 |
|---|---|
| Designed by | Jonathan Gaunt |
| Opened for play | 2014 |
| Blue | 7,176 yards |
|---|---|
| White | 6,876 yards |
| Yellow | 6,558 yards |
| Red | 5,690 yards |
Ramside Hall has 127 rooms and suites, so there's a good spread of options whether you're coming as a couple, a fourball or a larger society. Standard rooms (Classic and Deluxe) cover the essentials for a golf weekend, while Premier rooms step things up if you want more space to spread kit out and properly switch off between rounds.
If you're celebrating or simply fancy turning the dial up, there are Junior, Presidential and Celebration Suites, which suit golfers who want extra living space for pre-dinner drinks or a quieter base away from the busier parts of the hotel.
For guests who prefer more privacy, The Farmhouse is the most self-contained option and works well for small groups who want to stay together. The Studio and Loft Suites are a strong choice for couples, giving you a more tucked-away feel while keeping you close to the main facilities. If you're booking for a bigger group and want something genuinely memorable, the Treehouse accommodation is the headline act, set within the grounds and designed for a more exclusive, special-occasion stay.
Practical bits that matter on a golf break: you're on-site for golf, dining and the spa, so there's no need to drive once you arrive. That makes it easier to keep the weekend simple, especially for groups with mixed plans, early tee times and different dinner preferences. Rooms are comfortable rather than flashy, which is exactly what you want when you're prioritising time on the course over time in the room. Wi-Fi is included, parking is straightforward, and check-in is efficient enough that you can get straight out if you've got an afternoon tee time booked.
The accommodation setup works particularly well for societies who want everyone under one roof but with enough variety that you can split the group across room types depending on budget. It's also a solid choice if you're mixing golfers and non-golfers, since the spa, gardens and dining give plenty to do off the course without needing to leave the estate.
Dining at Ramside is refreshingly varied. The Rib Room Steakhouse champions locally sourced meat and does a proper job with cuts and sides, which is what you want after a long day walking 36 holes. Fusion, located in the spa, leans into pan-Asian flavours and lighter dishes, which is spot on between treatments or after an afternoon round. Pemberton's Carvery serves a roast every single day alongside a generous spread of fresh vegetables, so if your group can't agree on where to eat, this is the safe bet that keeps everyone happy.
The clubhouse keeps things relaxed with sandwiches, burgers and afternoon tea, perfect for a lighter bite after your round or if you're just looking to sit with a pint and go through the scorecard. It's the kind of setup where you can eat well without needing to book a table three weeks in advance or dress up, which suits the pace of a golf break.
The spa at Ramside is a proper facility rather than a token add-on, offering everything from treatments to thermal experiences in a setting that makes it easy to forget you're only a few minutes from Durham city centre. It's the ideal counterbalance to a day on the course, especially if you've walked both layouts or you're nursing a dodgy back after too many practice swings. For couples or groups with non-golfers, it gives everyone something to do while you're out playing, and it's a good way to justify booking an extra night if you're trying to sell the trip at home.
Ramside Hall sits in Carrville, a few minutes from Durham city centre.
Address: Carrville, Durham, England, DH1 1TD
Wayne
✓7 May 2026
Couldn't ask for anymore. Very helpful in everything we needed
Melvyn
✓28 Apr 2026
Neil
✓23 Apr 2026
The hotel was superb, lots of space and the staff were chatty and friendly, a little disappointed with the choices for food but overall it was good.
Graham
✓23 Apr 2026
Louise
✓11 Oct 2025
Excellent facilities although room was not properly made up on first day but management corrected his very quickly
Jez
✓3 Sep 2025
Ian
✓18 Aug 2025
Haydn
✓16 Aug 2025
Room fine. Staff very helpful. Quality of the food a little disappointing. Carvery was OK for me but not many vegetarian options for my wife.
Carol
✓15 Aug 2025
Enjoyable visit that came up to expectations
Ashley
✓15 Aug 2025
Hotel was nice but lacked air conditioning on a really hot few days. The restaurant in the bar wasn’t sure what food we were having as part of our package and a member of staff used her fingers to pick up the chosen cakes for dessert which we found unbelievable, can you not get tongs in County Durham? When we asked if we could order wine with our meal we was told you can at the bar. The reception staff were friendly but could have offered more information about our eating arrangements. The spa was great and the staff friendly, it was really the restaurant that let the complex down, despite the food being pretty good.
Wayne
✓7 May 2026
Very nice course. Some nice challenging holes.
Wayne
✓7 May 2026
The course was lovely. It was a shame 17th and 18th we're closed. But from the work they are carrying out on them holes. They will be amazing when they're finished.
Melvyn
✓28 Apr 2026
Melvyn
✓28 Apr 2026
Neil
✓23 Apr 2026
The course was very a good test. Greens were challenging quite slow, but that is expected at the time of year.
Graham
✓23 Apr 2026
The better of the two courses for me, the pace of play was slightly slower due to the ongoing work but the improvement works on holes 17 and 18 look impressive.
Graham
✓23 Apr 2026
The course was in good condition for the time of year, greens had not recovered from spring treatment so were not up to their summer standard.
Louise
✓11 Oct 2025
Sadly the green keepers were very slow to clear greens whilst we were playing and we had to abandon 4 holes. They were surly ,ignored us ,and just told us to get a refund. The golf manager (Jo) was excellent though , apologised and we got an extra 9 holes in the afternoon for free which compensated for the first round . Have never encountered this before and were very surprised at the poor attitude to golfers on the course, I hope they put this right in the future as it has put us off coming back.
Jez
✓3 Sep 2025
Jez
✓3 Sep 2025
Check-in from 3pm | Check-out from 11am
7-10am
Casual
Pemberton’s
Yes
Yes
£50 (subject to availability)
None
There are 4 bars on site
There is complimentary car parking
