Once a titan of heavy industry, these days Newcastle is just as renowned for the tourist trade setting up shop on its sunny seaside shores read more...
Inner-city chic
The regeneration of the Newcastle city centre belies the fact this coastal city has always been a working town. While much of the city's wealth stems from its steelworks and surrounding coal mines, the rapid urban renewal of its central business district has made Newcastle accommodation increasingly sought after.
The Newcastle CBD is home to several boutique hotels, including the perennially popular Clarendon Hotel in the heart of the city centre. It boasts both a legendary Art Deco bar and spacious outdoor beer garden, as well as chic contemporary rooms. For a further taste of inner-city opulence, the harbourside Crowne Plaza Newcastle is just a short stroll from Civic train station facing the Newcastle foreshore.
Sampling the suburbs
While Newcastle's well-worn cityscape is undergoing rapid gentrification, its surrounding suburbs stand aloof as testaments to the city's cosmopolitan composition. Trendy Hamilton has long been a fashionable retail hub, with eclectic Beaumont Street boasting not only boutique fashion outlets and crowded cafes, but also the well-appointed Boulevard on Beaumont self-contained suites.
Stockton is the only Newcastle suburb lying north of the Hunter River. Despite being barely seven kilometres from the CBD it can feel like a world away, with connecting Stockton Bridge transporting you to a suburb which retains a genteel country air. Renowned for the melancholy beauty of Stockton Beach, this once industrial suburb boasts several accommodation options if you're looking to stay outside the city centre.
Basking by the beach
Newcastle hugs the eastern seaboard and not surprisingly, the city is famous for its beaches. The likes of Newcastle Beach, Nobbys Beach and Merewether Beach are all within close proximity of the city centre, making Newcastle an ideal beachside location for a weekend getaway or longer holidays.
Several Newcastle hotels enjoy prime beachside locations, including The Novotel Newcastle Beach and Noah's On The Beach, with the beach itself just a short stroll from both hotels. Nearby Merewether Beach is the place to be for boutique bed and breakfasts, with the accommodation on offer mirroring the suburb's laidback style.
