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Boutique hotel group Dakota Hotels has announced it is set to open its first property in Newcastle in spring 2025.
Positioned on St. Ann’s Wharf, overlooking the riverside promenade, the waterfront hotel will house 118 bedrooms, including a selection of suites.
Newcastle’s premier suite – The Grand Deluxe– will feature two bedrooms, butler service, fireplace, steam shower and roll-top bath, lounge and dressing areas, and views across the Tyne.
At the heart of this luxury hotel will be The Grill – a dining destination specialising in prime cut steaks – grass-fed, 35-day-aged beef.
The Newcastle hotel will also feature a champagne room alongside its waterfront terrace, dedicated events space, and a cigar terrace with a humidor.
Dakota said the event spaces will accommodate groups from six to 60 people. These include the private dining room for up to eight guests, the boardroom for 10, the champagne room for 20, the library for 30, and the meeting room for 60.
In addition, the hotel group has confirmed the appointment of Mark Spanton as general manager of Dakota Newcastle. Spanton joined Dakota in 2020 as deputy general manager at the group’s Manchester hotel before being promoted in 2022 to general manager of Dakota Leeds.
In November 2024, he was awarded a Master innholders scholarship – granted by The Worshipful Company of Innholders, the Lord Forte Foundation, the Master Innholders Charitable Trust and the Savoy Educational Trust.
This scholarship allows Spanton to take part in the general managers programme at Cornell University – a course known in the industry for its teaching and “elite hotelier alumni”.
Spanton said: “I am incredibly excited to lead the opening of Dakota Newcastle on the iconic Quayside this spring. With its stunning waterfront location and dynamic cultural scene, this city is the perfect setting for our signature brand of luxury hospitality. We look forward to welcoming guests and delivering an exceptional experience that Dakota is renowned for.”
