The Perfect Teesside Winter Staycation at The King’s Head Inn (AD)

Having a bit of a staycation is lovely all year round, but there’s something about a winter trip that feels extra special. You can get all wrapped up in comfy knits to explore the local area, get cosied up in front of the fire, and enjoy gorgeous wintry food. And we have lots of amazing staycation options in Teesside, but my top choice is The King’s Head Inn in Newton-under-Roseberry.

What more could you want from a location? It’s an inn, so it has a fabulous country pub, it’s got unrivalled views of Roseberry Topping, lots of villages nearby to explore, and it’s famous for its parmos. It’s pretty perfect if you ask me! And luckily, The Inn Collection Group have a winter break deal, which is ideal if you want a one night break away. One night bed and breakfast with dinner starting from £44.50 per person, it’s almost impossible to say no!

This deal is available for bookings up to 31st March 2022, so it’s fantastic if you want a little pre-Christmas trip, a New Year break or if you have an upcoming birthday to celebrate. Here are all the details about the location that you need to know.

Where is The King’s Head Inn?

You’ll find this spot in Newton-under-Roseberry, just past Great Ayton. If you need an address for your satnav, use The Green, Newton-under-Roseberry, Great Ayton, TS9 6QR. It’s right at the base of Roseberry Topping, so expect fantastic views, especially during the sunrise. Newton-under-Roseberry is such a small, sleepy village too, which means you’ll have a quiet night’s sleep.

What are the rooms like?

If you like a silent night, this is a great spot for you. The King’s Head Inn is split into two buildings – one which houses the pub and another where all the rooms are. That means that you’ll be away from any noise and guaranteed a super cosy evening. It also feels very much like you’re on holiday, having to walk the short distance between the two buildings. If you know, you know!

The rooms are exactly what you’d expect from a country inn. They’re cosy and warm with everything you’d need for a short stay. We had a fantastic king size bed in our room (number 8, in case you want to book!), which was lovely to snuggle down into after dinner. There was a wardrobe to unpack into, a full length mirror, a little desk and mirror with a tea and coffee station, and even a fan, just in case it got a bit warm in the night.

As for the bathroom, it was ginormous! There was so much space, which I’m always appreciative of if I’m away from home. There was lots of space in the room itself and a fabulous counter around the sink, which offered room for all your toiletries. There was also a bath (which I made use of on the evening and enjoyed so much) and a shower, so there’s options to suit everyone.

Usually, I struggle sleeping on a first night away from home, so I was worried how I’d do on a one night break. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that I slept incredibly well at The King’s Head Inn! The bed was so comfy and spacious, and the room wasn’t stuffy or hot. Everything was just perfect and I slept like a baby!

The King’s Head Inn menu

Before you bed down for the night, you can grab dinner in the pub, which is included as part of the winter break deal (£26 allowance per guest). This means you can easily enjoy a starter and main, or main and dessert, so you can treat yourself to something delicious!

The King’s Head Inn menu is so varied and there’s lots to choose from, so even the fussiest of eaters will be happy. We kicked off our evening meal with starters that we could share – crispy salt and pepper calamari, and potato skins. You can never go wrong with potato skins, especially when they come with a garlic dipping sauce, and these were so crunchy and delish. They went down a total treat! The calamari was also incredibly fresh and the panko breadcrumb shell was gorgeous. Shout out to the amazing lime and chilli dip – Matthew couldn’t get enough!

As for mains, there was only one way for us to go. The King’s Head Inn parmos are the stuff of legends and for very good reason. They’re absolutely gigantic at a very reasonable price, and just downright delicious. You know what I think makes a good parmo, and these ones tick every box. They’re super crispy with a golden panko crust, the most beautiful creamy bechamel sauce, and the gooiest cheese you’ve ever seen. Plus, they get bonus points for the side of garlic sauce!

As I mentioned, there’s lots to choose from on the menu, including pub classics like fish and chips and stews, but there are also plenty of other options, like risotto, steak, fish dishes, and more. And we had every intention of leaving room for pudding, but we were totally defeated by the mega parmos.

What’s for breakfast?

One of my tip top favourite things about going away is the breakfast, and this inn didn’t disappoint! After you’ve got up and out of bed, you can head back into the pub to chow down on some brekkie. First of all, you’re greeted with your usual suspects – the crowd fave toast machine, cereals, yogurt, fruit, all kinds of hot drinks and juice. You can either fill your boots here or you can get a little something then order from the breakfast menu.

The breakfast menu has tons to choose from, including a classic Full English, which is what Matthew treated himself to. Complete with bacon, eggs the way you like, sausage, tomato, mushrooms, a hash brown, black pudding (which he swapped for an extra hash brown), and beans, it’s a fab way to start the day.

For me, I wanted to give something a little different a go and settled on a Hash Bowl. This was a mix of potatoes, spring onions and bacon, served up with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. This was just all kinds of fabulous! I’m not even the biggest fan of poached eggs, but they were so perfect with the potatoes, bacon and hollandaise. It was a lovely tummy-filler for our day of exploring.

What is there to do around The King’s Head Inn?

One of the best things about The King’s Head Inn is the location. Yes, it’s in a quiet little village, but there’s so much in the surrounding area to explore. But the first thing you absolutely need to do during your stay is walk up Roseberry Topping. This is like a rite of passage if you’re in Teesside and it’s got the best views from the top. If you head out of the inn car park and turn left, you’ll come across the country lane that leads up to the hill. You can either go up the ‘stairs way’ for a challenge or the easier route, which still offers a mega workout. Trust me, it’s worth it!

If you don’t fancy the walk, there are lots of things to see, do and eat nearby:

There truly is no shortage of things to do during your stay at The King’s Head Inn, and it’s ideal whether you want an active trip of walking and hiking, or a relaxed foodie trip. Take your pick from all of my suggestions above!

Ready to book your stay? Make sure you use the winter break deal option on The Inn Collection Group’s site. That way, you can enjoy a one night stay, bed and breakfast from just £44.50 per person. This deal is running on bookings up to March 31st 2022, so you’ve got a good few months where you can book. I might even book another for my birthday in March! This is a fantastic deal, so don’t miss out!

Have you stayed at The King’s Head Inn before? Do you fancy a stay after reading my post?

My stay with The King’s Head Inn was gifted by The Inn Collection Group in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.