Glamping in the North East is hugely popular thanks to all of the amazing countryside and things to, but have you thought about glamping to the south of the region at TT Lodges? From the location to the amount of things to do in the surrounding area, there are so many reasons to stay in these Teesside hot tub lodges. Take a look at this blog post to get all the info you need, plus my review from our stay.
About TT Lodges
This family-run business is set in three acres of private grounds, offering a quiet and peaceful, luxury staycation experience. It’s less than an hour away from Newcastle by car and less than 90 minutes from York, so it’s ideal for staycationers across the North East and Yorkshire. There are two self-catering lodges at TT Lodges, each with their own private garden and covered hot tub, so you can take a dip come rain or shine.
It is also the sister business to Thorpe Thewles Suites, a farmhouse lodge with individual suites and private hot tub gardens. You can expect ceilings and decorative exposed roof timber frames giving a rustic feel, but with modern, boutique decor. Both offer a slice of relaxation away from our busy lives and a little piece of calm with great connections to major towns, cities and attractions.
Where is TT Lodges?
You’ll find TT Lodges tucked away in Thorpe Thewles in Stockton-On-Tees. It’s surrounded by fields and farmland, so it feels like you could be anywhere, but it’s close enough to shops and activities that you’re not completely isolated. Their address is Thewles Lane, Stockton-On Tees, TS21 3JB.
What are the lodges like?
Each of the two lodges have been individually designed to have their own character and feel. However, you can expect both of them to have a luxurious look whilst still feeling cosy and homely. They both have an open living space, with full length glass windows to ensure you get the maximum benefit of the light streaming in. In the mornings, you can look out over the field and see little rabbits hopping about!
Both also have an incredible comfortable king size bed with crisp linen sheets, a bathroom with rainfall shower, a fully equipped kitchen that includes a fridge, freezer, oven or microwave and hob, and a covered hot tub in a private garden. Each have a large TV with free Netflix too, so you can hide away from the world for a bit and cocoon yourself with a good film.
They’re both equipped with absolutely everything you could possibly need for a weekend stay and the decor makes them ideal for people who still want a hotel feel to their self-catering stay.
How do I book a lodge?
You can book with TT Lodges via their website. Prices start at £240 per night for a midweek stay and £275 per night for a weekend stay, dependent on the time of year. You can also keep your eyes peeled on their Instagram for last minute cancellations!
Places to eat near TT Lodges
If you don’t fancy cooking, you’re spoiled for choice with lots of places to eat near TT Lodges. Here are some of my favourites (in order of distance):
- Hamilton Russell Arms – a country pub with hearty food and hand-pulled beers – 3 minute drive (Thorpe Thewles)
- The Ship at Redmarshall – a British pub that is particularly famed in the local area for its huge parmo menu – 8 minute drive (Redmarshall)
- Elif – an underground Turkish restaurant with authentic and traditional dishes, based beneath Norton Green – 8 minute drive (Norton)
- Crust – a Neapolitan pizza kitchen that’s open on night times over the weekend – 9 minute drive (Norton)
- Cafe Lilli – a British-European restaurant with bistro vibes and fresh, handmade pasta – 9 minute drive (Norton)
- Sunday – a trendy coffee and brunch cafe with a vegan-friendly menu – 9 minute drive (Norton)
- Jolsha – an Indian and Bangladeshi restaurant that fuses modern and traditional – 10 minute drive (Norton)
- The Impeccable Pig – a character-filled restaurant with bistro style food – 10 minute drive (Sedgefield)
- The Peppermill Bistro – a family run restaurant with an elevated, seasonal bistro menu – 10 minute drive (Billingham)
- Stupid Good Pizza – a takeaway offering delicious New York style pizzas and wings for collection – 12 minute drive (Stockton)
- Sticky’s – a music-themed burger restaurant with regular quiz nights – 14 minutes drive (Stockton)
Things to do near TT Lodges
Not only are there a fantastic selection of eats near TT Lodges, there are also lots of things to do. No matter if you love walking, music, theatre or something a bit more unique, there’s so much to choose from. Here are some suggestions (in order of distance):
- Enjoy Wynyard Hall’s lakeside spa – 9 minute drive (Wynyard)
- Walk the old train line at Castle Eden Walkway – 10 minute drive (Wynyard)
- Complete the inflatables course or paddle board at North East Wake Park – 10 minute drive (Bishopton Lake)
- Have a walk in Hardwick Park – 11 minute drive (Sedgefield)
- Go ice skating at Billingham Forum – 13 minute drive (Billingham)
- Catch a show at the Stockton Globe or the ARC – 13 minute drive (Stockton)
- See some live music at The Georgian Theatre, NE Volume Bar or KU – 13 minute drive (across Stockton town centre)
- Have a stroll in Ropner Park – 13 minute drive (Stockton)
- Throw some axes at Asgard Axe Hall – 13 minute drive (Stockton)
- Hit new heights at Jump 360 – 14 minute drive (Stockton)
- Visit the Victorian Street at Preston Park Museum – 17 minute drive (Stockton)
- Step into a tropical jungle at Butterfly World – 17 minute drive (Stockton)
- Spot birds at RSPB Saltholme, the North East’s only RSPB reserve – 17 minute drive (Middlesbrough)
- Try out padel at Padel Up Teesside – 17 minute drive (Preston Farm)
- Watch the latest films at Showcase Cinema De Luxe – 17 minute drive (Teesside Park)
- Climb to the top of Air Trail – 19 minute drive (Stockton)
And this is just what’s within 20 minutes of the TT Lodges site! There’s even more to do beyond that, like climb Roseberry Topping and visit the beautiful Teesside coast. If you want more ideas of what to do in the area, take a look at Visit Tees Valley.
My review of our stay
Needless to say, our stay at TT Lodges was absolutely incredible. We’re always on the look out for hot tub lodges in the North East and this is absolutely our new favourite. It’s tucked away enough that it feels like you could be anywhere, but so well connected and easy to get to.
We found the site really easily following the directions that were given in the handy guidebook upon booking. We were also warmly greeted straight away when we got to the site and had a super simple check in. It’s always a bit frustrating when there’s no clear reception or check in instructions, but it was all a total breeze with TT Lodges.
We were taken round to our lodge (Willow) and shown everything inside with great detail. Of course, the thing that I was most excited about was the hot tub, and Michelle gave me plenty of info on how to operate it. Then we were left to settle in! My immediate impression was just how cosy it was. We’d managed to arrive on a day that was blowing a gale outside, but with the door shut, you wouldn’t even know. It was toasty and homely!
We’d decided to do our own food and make the most of the self-catering aspect of the stay. We didn’t cook, but the option was there because there were plenty of pots and pans. Instead, we opted for an oven pizza with some picky bits! We love when our glamping spot has an oven, so when we saw that the Willow lodge had one, we were over the moon and headed to the nearby big Tesco to pick up our dinner bits. Having a supermarket that close is really convenient, but you can’t see it from the lodge, so it doesn’t ruin the vibe.
The free Netflix was a great bonus because we didn’t need to log in to our account, so we got to enjoy a film while we ate our dinner with no faff. It was also really lovely to have a little table with lovely tableware to use, including wooden boards that were perfect for serving our food up on. Afterwards, we had a rummage through the games box that was provided and played some Battleships. I love when places have games and books on hand – it just adds to the homey feel.
Then it was time for a quick shower and to test out the hot tub. The rainfall shower was lovely with easy controls and great pressure. And it’s no surprise that the hot tub was brilliant too. It was big enough to fit us both in side-by-side and we loved being able to control the lights for a lush ambience. The lodge had also recently had solar lighting fitted, which flicked on as soon as it was dark enough, and we could control that too! It really made the whole experience feel so personalised. We enjoyed the jets, and just sitting and chatting after what had felt like a really long week.
As the night wound down, we clambered into bed and we were so in love with how comfy it was. The mattress was incredible – not too soft and not too firm – and we both slept so well. The only time I woke up was when the Dawn Chorus started up outside and that was only because we had the window open a crack. Other than that, it was blissful.
In the morning, we enjoyed pastries and a cuppa out on the veranda while we watched the rabbits in the field. It was such a gorgeous way to start the day. Checking out was just as easy as checking in and the whole thing felt like a fabulous experience from start to finish.
I absolutely would recommend a stay with TT Lodges. Our time with them was flawless and both of us couldn’t stop talking about it afterwards. It’s such a hidden gem and I feel like everyone who’s looking for hot tub lodges in the North East needs to check it out!
If you’re looking for your next glamping staycation, make sure you check out TT Lodges!
I was gifted a stay at TT Lodges in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.