A Warm Welcome and a Proper Breakfast on the Edge of Durham
Pour your coffee in the breakfast room at Gilesgate Moor Hotel and you understand quickly what guests come back for: a full English cooked to order, hot and fast, by hosts who treat you like a regular within minutes of arriving. This is a friendly, family-run pub with seven letting rooms on Durham's eastern edge, run by James and Sarah, and it has built its name on two simple things done genuinely well. A proper breakfast, and a personal welcome. The cooked breakfast is the single detail guests praise most, and the value runs it close, the two strengths that explain why a modest pub keeps its guests so loyal.
You are about a mile from the heart of Durham, the cathedral-and-castle city wrapped in a loop of the River Wear, with a Tesco Extra and retail parks on the doorstep and A1(M) junction 62 within a mile. The trade is clear and honest. You swap a city-centre address for free parking at the front, frequent buses passing the door, and a price that undercuts the big chains. For value-seeking visitors to Durham, whether you are here for a graduation, a university open day, the Great North Run or simply a weekend in a beautiful city, this is a characterful, well-fed base that works.
Rooms with Ensuite or Shared Bathrooms, and a Secure Entrance
The seven bedrooms are carpeted, comfortable and kept spotlessly, with simple pine furniture, white walls and the homely feel of a traditional inn rather than a chain. Each comes with a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee facilities, a hairdryer, a desk and free WiFi, and recent guests describe fresh, clean rooms after the current owners repainted and recarpeted throughout. The single thing to settle before you book is the bathroom. Two of the five room types, the Single and the Standard Twin, share a bathroom with one other room, while the Twin with Bathroom, the Family Room with Bathroom and the Deluxe Double with Shower are ensuite. If you want your own facilities, choose one of those three.
One detail no listing makes obvious helps the place feel more like a guest house than rooms over a pub. The bedrooms are reached by their own staircase with a separate secure entrance, so you can come and go without walking through the bar. Light sleepers should know the pub sits on a busy road, so it is worth asking for a room set back from the front if quiet matters to you on the night.
A Traditional Bar, a Log Fire and Buses to the City
Downstairs is a proper locals' pub, and that is part of the charm here rather than a drawback. A mahogany bar serves well-kept drinks, with bar snacks, pizzas and toasties through the day and a popular Sunday lunch, while a separate lounge has a wood-burning stove in a brick fireplace, a dartboard and the kind of patterned carpet that has seen plenty of good evenings. Solo travellers regularly mention being made welcome by the regulars, and a separate function room, partitioned from the main bar, handles small events and larger group bookings on request.
Getting into Durham could not be simpler. Free off-street parking sits at the front, with secure bike storage at the rear, and a Go North East 20 or 20A bus passes the door roughly every 20 minutes, or every 10 from the top of the street, for the short hop into the centre. The walk back is uphill, so most guests bus in and stroll out, or take a cheap three-minute taxi from the railway station.
Why Book Gilesgate Moor Hotel?
Gilesgate Moor Hotel is strongest for travellers who want a clean, friendly, genuinely good-value base for Durham, a memorable cooked breakfast and a personal welcome, and who are happy a mile from the centre with free parking and a quick bus in.
A breakfast worth getting up for
The cooked breakfast is the detail guests name first, with a full English served hot and fast and coeliac and vegetarian needs catered without fuss.
Free parking and easy buses
Free off-street parking sits at the front, with secure bike storage at the rear and buses to the city centre passing the door roughly every 20 minutes.
Family-run value
Warmly reviewed for value, with hosts James and Sarah praised for a warm welcome and rooms guests call clean, fresh and far better value than the chains.
Best-fit guests
Best for couples, solo travellers, families and event visitors who want a characterful, well-fed Durham base with parking and don't need a city-centre address.
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Interesting Points About Gilesgate Moor Hotel
- Hosts James and Sarah run the pub personally, and recent guests single out a coeliac breakfast catered without fuss and locals in the bar who make solo travellers feel at home
- Bedrooms sit above the bar but are reached by their own staircase with a separate secure entrance, so you can come and go without walking through the pub
- The building is a 19th-century pit-terrace pub once called The Lord Seaham, repainted and recarpeted under the current owners
- Two of the five room types share a bathroom (Single and Standard Twin) while three are ensuite (Twin with Bathroom, Family Room with Bathroom, Deluxe Double with Shower), the single most useful fact to settle before you book
Rooms & Accommodation at Gilesgate Moor Hotel
Single Room with Shared Bathroom
Sleeps 1 · Shared bathroom · TV · Tea/coffee · Free WiFi
The cheapest way into the hotel and the right pick for a solo traveller watching the budget. A single bed, carpeted and heated, with a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee tray, hairdryer, desk and free WiFi, and a bathroom shared with one other room. Choose this if you want the lowest rate and don't mind sharing a bathroom; step up to an ensuite room if private facilities matter.
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Standard Twin Room with Shared Bathroom
Sleeps 2 · Twin beds · Shared bathroom · TV · Free WiFi
Two single beds and a shared bathroom, the best-value option for two friends or colleagues travelling together. Carpeted and heated, with a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee tray, hairdryer, desk and free WiFi. Choose this if you are happy to share a bathroom in exchange for the lowest twin rate; pick the Twin Room with Bathroom if you would rather have your own.
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Twin Room with Bathroom
Sleeps 2 · Twin beds · Private bathroom · TV · Free WiFi
A twin room with its own private bathroom, complete with both shower and bath. Carpeted and heated, with a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee tray, hairdryer, desk and free WiFi. Choose this if you are two travellers who want ensuite facilities at a fair price, without sharing on the landing.
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Family Room with Bathroom
Sleeps up to 4 · Private bathroom · TV · Free WiFi
The room for families, sleeping up to four with a double and two singles per a recent guest, and its own private bathroom with shower and bath. Carpeted and heated, with a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee tray, hairdryer and free WiFi. Choose this if you want everyone in one ensuite room close to a clutch of retail parks and the bus into the city.
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Deluxe Double Room with Shower
Sleeps 2 · Double bed · Private bathroom · TV · Free WiFi
A double room with a private bathroom, the pick for couples who want their own facilities and a touch more comfort. Carpeted and heated, with a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee tray, hairdryer, desk and free WiFi. Choose this if you are a couple after an ensuite double at a budget price, with breakfast included and parking outside the door.
Check PricesIs Gilesgate Moor Hotel Right for You?
Best Suited For
- Breakfast lovers: a full English cooked to order is the standout of the stay, with coeliac and vegetarian needs catered without fuss
- Value-seekers: consistently called far better value than the big chains
- Drivers and cyclists: free off-street parking at the front and secure bike storage at the rear
- Event visitors: a handy base for graduations, university open days, the Great North Run and Durham's summer events
- Families: a Family Room with its own bathroom sleeps up to four in a single ensuite room
- Solo travellers: a friendly locals' bar and hosts who, by all accounts, make you feel at home from the first night
Worth Considering Alternatives If
- You need your own bathroom on the lowest rate: the cheapest Single and Standard Twin rooms share a bathroom, so book a Twin, Family or Deluxe room for ensuite
- You want to be in the centre: this is about a mile out, with an uphill walk back, so plan to use the bus or a short taxi
- You are a light sleeper: the pub is on a busy road, so ask for a room set back from the front
- You want an evening meal at the property: catering is breakfast and bar snacks, pizzas and toasties, with no dinner service
- You are travelling with a dog: pets are not accepted
Amenities & Facilities
In-Room
- Carpeted, heated rooms with a private secure entrance
- Ensuite bathroom in the Twin with Bathroom, Family Room and Deluxe Double; shared bathroom in the Single and Standard Twin
- Hairdryer, towels and linen provided
- Flat-screen TV
- Tea and coffee maker, electric kettle
- Desk, alarm clock and wardrobe
- Ironing facilities and in-room hand sanitiser
Food & Drink
- Cooked and continental breakfast included, served 08:00 to 09:00
- Traditional bar serving snacks, pizzas and toasties
- Popular Sunday lunch
- Packed lunches on request
- Not available: Evening meals
Property & Services
- Shared lounge with a wood-burning stove and darts
- Family-run reception across the 16:00 to 23:30 check-in window
- Separate function room, partitioned from the bar, for events and groups
- Not available: Lift
- Not available: Pool, gym or spa
Connectivity
- Free WiFi throughout
- Socket near the bed
Parking & Transport
- Free off-street parking at the front (around six cars), including accessible parking
- Free secure bike storage at the rear
- Go North East 20 / 20A buses passing the door roughly every 20 minutes
- Durham railway station about a mile away (around 9 minutes by car)
- Newcastle International Airport about 24 miles (roughly 28 to 34 minutes by car)
Policies & House Rules
- Check-in 16:00 (last check-in 23:30); check-out 10:30
- Payment by Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Solo, Bankcard or cash
- Minimum age 18 to book alone; under-18s welcome with an accompanying adult
- Not available: Pets
- Not available: Smoking
A Mile from UNESCO-Listed Durham, on the City's Eastern Edge
Gilesgate Moor Hotel sits at Gilesgate Moor on the eastern edge of Durham, the cathedral and university city in County Durham, North East England, wrapped around a loop of the River Wear. The property quotes about 1.3 miles to the centre, with a Tesco Extra and retail parks on the doorstep and A1(M) junction 62 within a mile. It is an honest, character-led budget base rather than a city-centre hotel, and the swap buys you free parking and a quick bus into one of England's most beautiful small cities.
The headline draw is the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Durham Cathedral, the finest Norman church in England and shrine of St Cuthbert, and the adjoining Durham Castle, now part of University College, crown the peninsula above the river in one of Europe's great city panoramas. The medieval streets, indoor market and independent shops of the centre are a short bus ride away, while Crook Hall Gardens, with its walled gardens and medieval hall, lies just north. Further afield, the world-famous open-air Beamish Museum recreates North East life from the 1820s to the 1950s, and haunted Lumley Castle near Chester-le-Street is a short drive.
For something only a local would tell you, the city has more than 630 listed buildings, and Bill Bryson, a former University of Durham Chancellor, wrote of it: "If you have never been to Durham, go there at once." Time a visit for the Durham Miners' Gala in mid-July, the city's huge banner-and-brass-band day out, or for the riverside walks of late spring to early autumn. The hotel's own kitchen, the Tesco café opposite and city-centre spots like Flat White Kitchen and Fat Hippo cover the eating, with Newcastle just 12 miles north for a bigger night out.
- Durham city centre: about 1.3 miles · short bus ride. Medieval streets, an indoor market and independent shops in the heart of the UNESCO-listed city.
- Durham Castle: about 1.5 miles · short bus or taxi. Norman castle on the cathedral peninsula, now University College, with entry by guided tour.
- Durham Cathedral: about 2 miles · short bus or taxi. The finest Norman church architecture in England and shrine of St Cuthbert, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Crook Hall Gardens: about 1.4 miles · short drive. A medieval hall merging into Jacobean and Georgian houses, with walled gardens to wander.
- Lumley Castle: 7 miles · 12 min drive. A 14th-century quadrangular castle near Chester-le-Street, reckoned one of County Durham's most haunted buildings.
- Beamish Museum: 12 miles · 14 min drive. The world-famous open-air living museum recreating North East life from the 1820s to the 1950s.
- Hylton Castle: 12 miles · 16 min drive. A restored 14th and 15th-century stone castle on the edge of Sunderland.
- Newcastle International Airport: 24 miles · 28 to 34 min drive. The region's airport, also reachable in around 45 to 50 minutes by public transport via Newcastle and the Metro.
Getting to Key Locations
How to Get to Gilesgate Moor Hotel from Durham Station
- By bus from the centre: From Durham bus station, at the bottom of the hill below the railway station, take a Go North East 20 or 20A towards Sunderland or Houghton-le-Spring and alight at Gilesgate Moor. Buses run roughly every 20 minutes, or every 10 from the top of the street.
- By taxi from the station: Durham railway station is about a mile from the hotel, so a taxi takes only about three minutes and is the easiest option with luggage. The main bus station is roughly 300 to 400 yards downhill from the railway station if you prefer the bus.
- On foot: It is around a 20-minute walk from the centre. The catch is that the return is uphill, so most guests bus or taxi back, especially after a day exploring the cathedral and castle peninsula.
- By car: By car the hotel is within a mile of A1(M) junction 62. There is free parking out front, with no charge and room for around six cars, plus secure bike storage at the rear if you arrive on two wheels. Late arrivals are fine up to the 23:30 last check-in.
Durham at a Glance
Durham is one of England's great small cities, built on a tight loop of the River Wear and crowned by a cathedral and castle that together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Norman cathedral, begun in 1093 and the resting place of St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede, is widely rated the finest Romanesque building in the country, and the view of the peninsula from the river is one of the most photographed in Britain. The city packs more than 630 listed buildings into a compact, walkable centre of cobbled lanes, an indoor market and independent shops, with a lively student population from one of the UK's oldest universities.
The calendar gives a clear reason to time your trip. The Durham Miners' Gala, known locally as The Big Meeting and running since 1871, fills the city centre on a Saturday in mid-July and draws well over 200,000 people for the banners, brass bands and the Miners' Festival Service at the Cathedral. University graduation weeks and open days drive demand through the year, and the Great North Run in September brings runners north, with buses laid on from Durham. Late spring to early autumn is the sweet spot for riverside walks and rowing on the Wear, while a base on Gilesgate Moor keeps you a short, free-parked drive from Beamish, the Durham Dales and the Heritage Coast.
Is Gilesgate Moor Hotel worth it?
Yes, if you want a friendly, family-run Durham pub with rooms that puts a standout cooked breakfast, a warm welcome from James and Sarah, free parking and honest budget value ahead of a city-centre address: guests review it warmly, the value especially, and the bus into the cathedral city takes minutes. Skip it if you need to be in the centre, want an evening meal at the property, or can't share a bathroom on the cheapest rate, in which case book one of the ensuite rooms.
What Guests Say About Gilesgate Moor Hotel
Scores and review counts are aggregated from verified guest bookings on major travel platforms.
Fabulous
Guests love the cooked breakfast and the personal welcome from hosts James and Sarah above all, and return again and again to how clean, friendly and good-value the place is for Durham. The breakfast and the warm hosting are the standouts, with the locals' bar and the convenience for buses and retail parks earning repeat mentions. The honest trade-offs are the out-of-centre location with an uphill walk back, shared bathrooms in the cheapest rooms, and some road noise.
A great-value gateway to a lovely city, well located and easy to find. The staff were friendly and very helpful, and the breakfast was fresh. Thank you James and Sarah.
Frazer
A great-value gateway to a lovely city, well located and easy to find. The staff were friendly and very helpful, and the breakfast was fresh. Thank you James and Sarah.
2026-05-28Lovely, clean and friendly, with excellent breakfasts and really good value. Very convenient for Durham, and we will stay again.
2026-04-30The whole package was perfect. A fresh, clean room, welcoming locals in the bar and an amazing breakfast. One of the best places I have stayed in as long as I can remember.
2026-03-22We really enjoyed our stay. The hosts made us feel at home, were very helpful and knew the area well. The room was spotless and we loved the breakfast. We will definitely be back.
2026-02-15Close to major roads with plenty of food outlets nearby and a bar downstairs. As a coeliac I was very well catered for, with plenty of choice, and it is great value unlike the greedy big chains.
2025-11-09A lovely stay, so welcoming and friendly, comfortable and with the breakfast spot on. I loved the original features of the old building, which has a lot of character.
2025-09-18An easy, comfortable overnight break. The team were warm and welcoming, and that superb breakfast set us up perfectly for the day.
2025-07-12James and Sarah gave us such a friendly welcome. The breakfast arrived hot and fast, a full English cooked to perfection.
2025-05-03Good to Know Before You Book
Ensuite or shared bathroom, so check before you book
Rooms come as ensuite or shared-bathroom, and it is the one thing worth settling first. Book the Twin Room with Bathroom, the Family Room with Bathroom or the Deluxe Double with Shower if you want your own facilities; the cheaper Single and Standard Twin share a bathroom with one other room.
Breakfast is included and served 08:00 to 09:00
Breakfast is included in the rate and runs from 08:00 to 09:00, and it is the highest-rated thing about the stay. The bar also does snacks, pizzas, toasties and a popular Sunday lunch through the day. There are no evening meals, but the city's restaurants are a short bus ride away.
Free parking, with a bus to the centre
Free off-street parking sits at the front of the building, with no charge and room for around six cars, plus secure bike storage at the rear. The hotel is about a mile out of the centre, so most guests use the bus passing the door, or a cheap taxi from the station, rather than the uphill walk back.
Late check-in, no pets, cancellation varies by rate
Last check-in is 23:30, so late arrivals are manageable if you let the hosts know your time. Pets are not accepted, and the minimum age to book alone is 18 (under-18s are welcome with an adult). Cancellation and prepayment terms vary by the room and rate you choose, so check the conditions for your option before you confirm.
Call Gilesgate Moor Hotel
Want to ask about an ensuite room, your arrival time or breakfast? Call the property directly.
0191 386 6453Photos of Gilesgate Moor Hotel
Frequently Asked Questions
Gilesgate Moor Hotel is on Teasdale Terrace at Gilesgate Moor, postcode DH1 2RN, on the eastern edge of Durham about a mile (the property quotes 1.3 miles) from the city centre. A Tesco Extra and retail parks are on the doorstep, A1(M) junction 62 is within a mile, and frequent buses run into the centre, where the cathedral and castle sit on the river peninsula.
Both options are available, and it is the key thing to choose. The Single Room and the Standard Twin share a bathroom with one other room, while the Twin Room with Bathroom, the Family Room with Bathroom and the Deluxe Double with Shower are ensuite. If you want your own bathroom, book one of those three room types.
Breakfast is included and served between 08:00 and 09:00, and it is the highest-rated part of the stay. Expect a proper cooked breakfast alongside continental options, with coeliac and vegetarian needs catered on request. The bar also serves snacks, pizzas, toasties and a popular Sunday lunch during the day.
Free off-street parking is available at the front of the building at no cost, with room for around six cars, and includes accessible parking. There is also secure bike storage at the rear. Because the hotel is a mile from the centre, most guests park here and take the bus or a short taxi into town.
A Go North East 20 or 20A bus passes the door roughly every 20 minutes, or every 10 from the top of the street, for the short hop into the centre. A taxi from Durham railway station takes only about three minutes, and it is around a 20-minute walk, though the return is uphill, so most guests bus or taxi back.
Pets are not accepted at the property, so it is not a suitable choice if you are travelling with a dog. Smoking indoors is also not permitted. Assistance arrangements are best confirmed directly with the hosts before booking.
Check-in is from 16:00 with a last check-in of 23:30, and check-out is by 10:30. Late evening arrivals are fine within that window if you let James and Sarah know roughly when you will arrive. The minimum age to book alone is 18, and under-18s are welcome accompanied by an adult.
Guests review Gilesgate Moor Hotel warmly and consistently, and it holds a Fabulous guest rating overall. The cooked breakfast and the value are the two standout strengths, with cleanliness close behind. Guests name the cooked breakfast, the warm welcome from the hosts and the value again and again. The most common caveats are the out-of-centre location, which draws the milder feedback, and shared bathrooms in the cheapest rooms.
Cancellation and prepayment terms vary by the room type and rate you choose, so check the conditions for your option before you confirm. The property accepts Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Solo, Bankcard and cash, and may pre-authorise a card before arrival.
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Ready to Book Gilesgate Moor Hotel?
A friendly, family-run Durham pub with rooms, a standout cooked breakfast, free off-street parking and a clear ensuite-or-shared-bathroom choice, a short bus hop from the UNESCO-listed city centre. Warmly reviewed by guests, the value especially.
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