About OYO The Rowers Hotel, Dunston Gateshead
The Hotel Rowers Hotel is set in red-brick premises near the banks of the River Tyne in Gateshead. Offering affordable accommodation with a nautical theme honouring the shipbuilding heritage of northeast England, it provides free parking.
Featuring oak-panelling and ship cabin-style decor, each single, twin or double room boasts an en suite bathroom with a roll-top bath, television, hairdryer, desk and tea and coffee-making equipment.
Conveniences include a dining room, cosy lounge-bar with open fires, conservatory, gardens and free Wi-Fi throughout.
A free full English breakfast is included for overnight guests and the restaurant offers an a la carte menu of traditional dishes.
The Hotel Rowers Hotel is roughly five minutes’ drive from the Metrocentre, Britain’s largest shopping and leisure centre. The iconic Angel of the North sculpture is about five miles away. Vibrant Newcastle-upon-Tyne city centre is within 15 minutes’ drive as is St James’ Park for Newcastle United football games.
Positive Reviews
positive:
Handy location with decent transport links
Shopaholics loved the proximity of this property to the Metrocentre for extensive indoor shopping, leisure and dining options. Furthermore, it was within easy walking distance of the nearest railway stations at Dunston and the Metrocentre for mainline trains into Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Several bus stops were also nearby. Motorists welcomed the free parking and appreciated being so close to the A1 for hassle-free access to sports venues, regional attractions, museums, arts venues, nightlife and dining options.
positive:
Low-cost rooms were comfy
The normally affordable room rates at this budget hotel appealed to budget-conscious visitors. Guests often said the rooms were more than adequately clean, tidy and comfortable. There was also praise for the deep roll-top baths in the en suite bathrooms.
positive:
Warm welcome and delicious breakfasts
The reportedly yummy and freshly-prepared cooked breakfasts went down well with diners. There was also praise for the friendly, welcoming and helpful members of staff, who had lots of local knowledge to share.
Negative Reviews
negative:
Maintenance and cleanliness grumbles
Some critics remarked that the property didn't look very appealing or inviting from the outside. There were also reports of maintenance issues in certain rooms like dated decor, tired-looking items of furniture and aging mattresses. Cleanliness grumbles focussed on claims of bathrooms that could have been more comprehensively cleaned, stained bedding, build-ups of dust and sporadic housekeeping visits.
negative:
Nuisance smells and noises
It was sometimes claimed that noise travelled rather easily from adjacent rooms, causing an occasional nuisance for some light sleepers. There were also reports of unpleasant odours such as damp smells in some areas of the premises.
negative:
Claims catering timetable was unreliable
There were claims that the restaurant was sometimes unexpectedly closed, which disappointed several reviewers. However, there were several dining options in the vicinity including many eateries at the Metrocentre.