- Feel Good
- 20th Oct 2026
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Matfen Hall spa’s stunning transformation is coming soon to Northumberland
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If you’re searching for the best spa hotels Northumberland has to offer this year, Matfen Hall spa has just had a refurb and it’s one that’s set to impress.
The wait’s finally nearly over: Aurelius, Matfen Hall’s new wellness space, opens Monday 2nd November at the Grade II listed hall, set among 300 acres of Northumberland parkland.
Matfen Hall is one of the first, and only, five-star county spa hotels in Northumberland, and Aurelius hasn’t just had a refresh, it’s been built entirely from scratch.
Expect an 18-metre swimming pool, a jacuzzi pool, a Brass Monkey ice bath and enough thermal rooms to fill a whole day, alongside a sensory garden and an outdoor pool with countryside views stretching out across the estate.
A REFURB THAT’S CHANGED EVERYTHING
The old Matfen Hall spa has been reimagined from the ground up, and it shows in every corner of the building. Cloistered poolside lounging areas, graceful arches and soft natural light nod to the classical baths of Northumberland’s Roman past, tying the new interior back to the hall’s own history.
Outside, a vitality pool and sensory garden make the most of the estate’s grounds, and neither existed in this form before the refurb. It’s the kind of investment that separates a reimagined spa you’ll want to return to from a quick refresh. Nothing here feels like an afterthought, right down to how the light moves across the new pool through the day.
That level of detail is what makes this refurb feel like a real event rather than routine maintenance. Plenty of hotel spas add a treatment room and call it done; Aurelius has rethought the entire guest experience, from the moment you walk through the door to the moment you leave feeling like a different person.
PART OF A BIGGER FIVE-STAR STORY
This new spa isn’t a one-off project either. Matfen Hall just underwent a multi-million-pound refurbishment across the wider estate back in 2023, and it paid off: in May 2024, the hotel picked up an AA Five-Star rating, making it Northumberland’s first and only five-star hotel. Aurelius is the next chapter of that same ambition.
COLD WATER, HOT ROOMS AND A WHOLE NEW LAYOUT
The refurb has completely reworked the hydrotherapy offering, and it’s now built around contrast. Move between the 18-metre pool and the brand new Brass Monkey ice bath, then rinse off under experience showers or steam showers designed to reset the senses between rounds.
The thermal side has been rebuilt too. There’s a Himalayan salt sauna, a traditional sauna and an aromatherapy steam room, each new to the estate and each meant for a different kind of unwind. Afterwards, three separate relaxation spaces (Lux, Aqua and a private lounge area) give you somewhere quiet to switch off, rather than shuffling straight back to the changing rooms with wet hair and 10 minutes to spare.
THE EXCITING NEW SCIENCE BIT
This is where the refurb pulls Aurelius away from a typical hotel spa day. Whole-body cryotherapy drops temperatures as low as -110°C, and it’s aimed at reducing inflammation, speeding up muscle recovery and improving circulation, the kind of treatment you’d normally book into a specialist clinic rather than a country house hotel.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is on the menu too, supporting cellular regeneration, mental clarity and better sleep. Red light therapy rounds out the trio, targeting collagen production, easing inflammation and taking the edge off muscle discomfort. None of this existed at Matfen Hall before the refurb, and it’s a clear signal of how far Aurelius wants to push things.
YOU’LL LOOK GOOD IN THE NEW SALON TOO
All that self care really works up an appetite; head to the new Garden Kitchen for a relaxed menu that runs from a light lunch through to something more indulgent, served in a setting built specifically for the refurbished spa. The Salon at Aurelius is new as well, covering everything from a classic cut and shave to occasion-ready styling and nourishing hair treatments.
For anyone comparing spa hotels Northumberland-wide, it’s worth knowing the refurb also brought in dedicated spa days, overnight spa stays paired with dining, and a new membership scheme with access to the more advanced therapies.
Gift vouchers are available too, either as a set monetary amount or a specific experience, which makes for an easy present when a birthday calls for something more exciting than flowers.
NEW REASON TO VISIT NORTHUMBERLAND
Matfen Hall spa is easy to reach from across the North East, and the scale of this refurb makes Aurelius as good a fit for a full weekend escape as it is for a single afternoon of recovery after a hard week. With 63 bedrooms and a championship golf course on site, there’s a genuine case for turning a spa visit into an overnight stay rather than rushing home afterwards.
It’s worth treating the reopened spa as a destination in its own right rather than an add-on to a stay, given how much sits under one refurbished roof: water, heat, recovery tech, food and a salon, all inside a working country estate. That’s a rare combination for the North East, and it’s exactly why this refurb is worth building a whole day around.
For regulars who knew the old spa, the refurb is worth experiencing simply to see how much has changed; for anyone visiting for the first time, there’s no old version to compare it to, only a brand new one to explore.
Aurelius is open now for spa days, treatments, overnight stays and membership enquiries, with full treatment menus and spa day options listed on the hotel’s own site.
Rachael Ellis
Head of Content
After gaining a first in her BA Media and Journalism degree at Northumbria University, Rachael worked at Newcastle’s leading regional newspaper with her stories being picked up in national and global newspapers. She spent two very successful years giving a voice to those communities across the North East who otherwise…
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