Delta Hotels by Marriott Durham Royal County

This hotel is part of the Marriott group. While it’s definitely showing its age—especially compared to the Doubletree Hilton Angel King’s Cross we’d just come from—it has a unique charm that grew on us. Sure, the facade looks pretty dated, but the location more than makes up for it. You’re surrounded by fantastic pubs (including what claims to be the “Smallest Gin Bar in Durham,” possibly in all of the UK!), great restaurants, and you’re right in the heart of the town center. The strategic location is a huge plus. When we arrived, the staff were incredibly helpful and friendly. Gavin, in particular, was absolutely lovely—always smiling and genuinely seemed to enjoy helping guests. He was polite and gave us all the information we needed for a great stay. After checking in, we headed to our room on the second floor. Unfortunately, the lift was broken, so we had to haul our luggage up the stairs. What a pain! It definitely tested my non-existent superhuman strength, but we managed to lug everything up eventually. Our room was lovely—spotlessly clean and everything worked perfectly. The electrical outlets, plumbing, everything was in great condition. The bathroom had both a bathtub and separate shower, which was wonderful. I absolutely loved having proper baths during our stay. Breakfast was classic full English—nothing fancy, but Delta put on a good spread that my wife and I really enjoyed. Gavin’s helpfulness really shone through again when we checked out on 1st July, 2025. It happened to be Durham University’s graduation period, so the hotel was packed with graduates and their families—many of whom were moving back to their home countries with loads of luggage. By the time we were ready to check out, it was impossible to store our bags with the front office because of all the other luggage. But Gavin went above and beyond, trying his best to find us space somewhere. Despite all the chaos, he managed to locate a pantry where we could safely store our bags while we explored the town one last time. Gavin is truly a gem and made our entire stay so much more pleasant. We’ll definitely be back again!

If you're looking for an ultra modern, cut and paste hotel, this isn't it. This hotel is quirky, it's furnishings are a little dated and some of the corridors have a bit of an Overlook vibe, but it's a real gem. Ideally situated for exploring Durham and the surrounding areas. Fantastic hotel staff (thanks to the front desk team for being so friendly and efficient, and to Andreas in the restaurant for making our mealtimes such a pleasure), clean, comfortable, and with many rooms having great views of the river or cathedral. The restaurant is very pleasant with a good, varied menu, and there was a great variety of breakfast options. We had a great stay and wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Me and my mum stayed here between July 18th and 22nd. We had a really good time, Durham is a wonderful city with lots of lovely scenery and history, with the Marriott being very central and so making it very accessible. We never ate out because the food was fantastic, and our rooms were very comfortable. In terms of service, we'd like to give special praise to Emily, one of the bar staff; she was thoughtful, gave good advice on food choices and local attractions while displaying a generally nice and sociable personality. She was very friendly and welcoming. The cleaners were also fantastic, with excellent service as we were a bit messy.