Reporter Dan Warburton took his family to the pioneering Bailiffgate Hotel in Alnwick – the perfect landing pad to explore Alnwick Castle where JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books were brought to life
In the shadow of Harry Potter’s world-famous Hogwarts, a former school is conjuring magic. Bailiffgate Hotel sits just metres from Alnwick Castle – the film location for two of JK Rowling’s iconic novels – and shares all the same wizardry.
The five-star hotel is located in the former premises of the Duchess’s High School and for years served Northumberland’s youngsters. Among its alumni is Berwick-Upon-Tweed-born footballer Lucy Bronze, 33, a star of England’s two-times European Championship-winning team.
Now, most of the staff at the luxury retreat – which opened its doors in May – are former pupils who fondly remember each classroom and the lessons they were taught. “Most of us went to school here,” Bernard Bloodworth, the general manager, said when I checked into the stunning venue. “This building holds a special place in my heart – I walked these corridors as a schoolboy.”
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The school moved to a new site in 2016 and at vast expense the Bailiffgate – which also once served as the Duke’s Commissioner’s House – has been painstakingly upgraded. But what makes the Bailiffgate stand out is what lies across the road: the historic Alnwick Castle.
Owned by the Percy family since 1309, the Duke of Northumberland Ralph Percy, 68, lives in the ancestral home. His wife, Jane Percy, 66, has been described by Tatler as the “maverick” Duchess of Northumberland who revolutionised Alnwick Garden.
The Castle’s rooms were the filming location for Downton Abbey, but it is the Harry Potter franchise that has given it worldwide notoriety. And the Bailiffgate is the perfect landing pad to soak up the castle, which brought JK Rowling’s breathtaking novels to life.
From the windows of the 48-room hotel, guests are a stone’s throw from where Harry – played by Daniel Radcliffe – took his first broomstick flying lessons in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. And they’re within touching distance of the spot where Harry and Ron Weasley – played by Rupert Grint – crash-land the Weasley family’s flying car in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. There’s even the opportunity to step through the Lion Arch, the gateway to Hagrid’s cabin and the Forbidden Forest.
Admittedly, when I checked in to a two-bedroom suite at the Bailiffgate with Mrs Warburton, the magic of Harry Potter was slightly lost on the two mini-Warburtons. The eldest of the nippers is just two, so they’ve yet to be enchanted by the Potter books.
But from our window, we had an astonishing view of the Castle’s Barbican entrance and the charming cobbled streets of Alnwick. Bailiffgate gave us the opportunity to explore the best of Northumberland, the jewel of the North East, and everything it has to offer.
Next to Alnwick Castle is the estate’s world-famous Alnwick Gardens, which offer an incredible collection of poisonous plants, flowerbeds, roses, and a mesmerising water feature. The site also has the world’s largest play structure in Lilidorei, a magical village with its own fantasy lore offering a labyrinth of slides, towers, and covered walkways (adults £21.45, children £17.60; alnwickgarden.com).
Travellers can hurtle up to Northumberland from London in three and a half hours before taking a short taxi to the Bailiffgate. And from there, the glorious North East coast is on your doorstep. It’s just a 25-minute drive to the stunning Bamburgh Castle – the real Last Kingdom of Bebbanburg.
Alnmouth’s near-deserted beaches – popular with walkers and water sport enthusiasts – can be reached in just 10 minutes. And the smokehouses of Craster are less than 10 miles away. The kippers are used in the Bailiffgate’s menu at their flagship restaurant, Motte & Bailey, which is led by Executive Head Chef Paul Blakey.
His 30-year career has seen him achieve two AA Rosettes at prestigious kitchens including Doxford Hall, Linden Hall, and Matfen Hall. Paul’s menus celebrate the region’s best produce – think Craster kipper hash, seared black bream with beetroot purée, and a signature lamb rack with shoulder curry and cumin-spiced gratin.
Mrs Warburton and I shared the 16oz Chateaubriand for two (priced at £80) and it was amazing. The children – who despite causing utter mayhem could not ruffle the unflappable staff – enjoyed the delights of the kids’ menu before slathering themselves in chocolate ice cream. Everyone left content.
After a magnificent night’s sleep, we also enjoyed the finest afternoon tea (costing £35 pp) in the light-filled Garden Room. It was glorious: a mix of pork and caramelised onion sausage rolls, dainty finger sandwiches, and patisserie-level sweets crafted by the hotel’s in-house pastry chef.
Salted caramel choux, raspberry and pistachio macarons, and warm scones were served up with homemade Bailiffgate jam and clotted cream. The Bailiffgate Hotel is transformational. It’s taken an old school and turned it into a high-end luxury getaway for people to explore the Northumberland coast.
But it also has the potential to change the face of Alnwick and the tourism industry in the region. It created 70 permanent jobs, drawn on the expertise of more than 250 local tradespeople, and offered over 200 weeks of apprenticeships during its construction.
Those working at the hotel are all too aware of the privileged position they are in, to be part of the historic building’s next chapter.
Book it
B&B double rooms at the Bailiffgate Hotel start from £167. Log on to bailiffgatehotel.com for more info.