The Allendale Bunkhouse does not have an online availability calendar, as we are taking bookings, remotely, from the office, on the phone, via email etc. – it would just be impossible to keep the calendar up to date at all times. Also sometimes smaller groups are compatible (i.e. a walking group with cyclists) and at other times they are note (i.e. a hen group and a school group), so we want to be able to advise on this without the restrictions of a booking calendar. Finally we have a second venue, Deneholme, and for some groups it may be suitable to move to this venue with their booking enquiry, when the Bunkhouse is already taken. Therefore, please contact us to enquire about availability.
At the Bunkhouse, we provide a duvet and pillow per bed as well as bed linen. The beds are made ready for your arrival. We do not provide towels, hair dryers or toiletries, such as shampoo/shower gel. We do provide loo rolls. If you have forgotten any toiletries, the Allendale Coop sells a good selection (closed on Sundays).
To make a booking you would typically email (welcome@the-dale.co.uk) to enquire about availability or check the dates on our calendar. If you can provide a date/month/time of year and approximate number of people wanting to stay as well as whether or not you require any outside catering and/or outdoor activities, we are able to come back with a price immediately. We would then need a postal address to make out a deposit invoice and email it to you. Once the deposit is paid, your booking is confirmed. The booking cost is due two weeks prior to arrival and your deposit will be returned within a week of your departure.
A £200 booking and damage deposit is payable to book the entire Bunkhouse for exclusive use. This booking deposit secures your booking and acts as a damage deposit. This will be returned to you, once you have left the Bunkhouse in a tidy condition and no damage has been caused. We will not deduct any damage cost from your deposit payment, without agreeing this with you. I.e. we will not charge £20 for a broken plate – just the actual, like for like replacement costs. However, we will charge a £50 – £100 cleaning fee if dirty dishes are left, rubbish is lying around, and glass waste has not been taken off site.
There can always be an emergency, please contact the appropriate agency (fire/police/ambulance) as well as Tony Beck, the property manager, on 07791707097. Please also contact Tony at any time during the day if there is a problem with the Bunkhouse or if there is anything we can do (within reason) to make your stay more comfortable. However, supplying a couple of eggs or a pint of milk at 11pm is not classed as “within reason” 😉
For emergency services: The Bunkhouse location is Market Place, Allendale, Allendale, Hexham, NE47 9BD
In principle, well behaved dogs are allowed at the Bunkhouse, however, you must ensure that the entire group is happy with your bringing your dog along. Dogs do not incur any cost for their stay, but their owner is responsible to ensure the dogs do not jump up on any furniture and if they cause any damage or excessive dirt (i.e. on walls, chairs etc) they will be billed for the additional cleaning or replacement costs. So far we have not been bitten, so we are happy to welcome dogs.
The Allendale Bunkhouse has a small private garden where you can sit out and watch the stars or enjoy the evening sun. The garden features a flagged patio area, stone steps up to a lawned area and a small under-cover seating area – all in all a great location for a BBQ with double patio doors leading into the Bunkhouse kitchen and dining area.
There is the much larger Manor garden beyond the Bunkhouse garden which can be used by prior arrangement and features a sunset gin deck with picnic tables, children’s play area, two bonfire pits and a large lawn for all your garden games.
Please note that all outdoor spaces need be looked after and treated with respect and that noise outside should be minimal after 10pm out of consideration for the neighbours.
The Bunkhouse has a fully equipped domestic kitchen. There is a full height fridge and freezer, a full-sized dish washer, cutlery and crockery for up to 30, utensils, pots and pans etc. We have recently updated the standard size cooker to a range size state of the art “machine”! This way, cooking for larger groups is easy!
Since opening in 2014, the Bunkhouse has had many enquiries from young teenagers wishing to book the Bunkhouse for birthday and end of year parties. In principle that is fine, but the booking must be made by a responsible adult over the age of 21 who will also attend the party and stay at the Bunkhouse. This is for insurance and health and safety reasons and not least out of common sense.
The location of the Bunkhouse is on the Market Place – there are also two pubs on the same large market place, some of them have live music events that go late into the night. The bedrooms facing away from the market place (bedrooms number 1, 2, 5, 6) are relatively unaffected by the noise, but the front facing bedrooms, though double glazed (numbers 3, 4, 7, 8) can let in some of the music and laughter sounds from the square. On the flipside, there is practically no restriction to how noisy you want to be in the Bunkhouse.
Your neighbours are an elderly lady with her carer (both get very anxious with late night noise in the garden) on one side and The Dale Manor, Cottage and Townhouse guests which are also our customers. Please enjoy the outdoor space, but keep it lower level after 8pm and really, really low, after 10pm.
The Bunkhouse is situation directly on the Market Place in Allendale with plenty of free parking available either immediately outside the Bunkhouse (space for about 6 cars) or on anywhere else on the Market Place. We have never encountered any guests not finding a space.
With large group bookings staying several nights, there tends to be a LOT of rubbish. Therefore, from June 2016 a new rule applies: all guests must take their own bottles home with them or dispose of them at the glass recycling place in Allendale (past fire station up Shilburn road) or Hexham (by Wentworth Leisure Centre). All other rubbish must be separated into RECYCLING and GENERAL and disposed of in the correct bins in the larger Manor garden. Glass must be kept separate! There are more than enough bins to facilitate this separation. If this rubbish is not separated/taken away as described above; a £50 charge will be deducted from your deposit payment.
A mere few steps from the Bunkhouse is a very well stocked coop, selling groceries, cleaning products, freshly baked bread, local free range eggs etc. Next door is a very good butcher and we also have a gift shop, art gallery with cafe and shop, a post office and shop, a traditional sweet shop, 2 pubs serving food (though not every day, it is advisable to book in advance), an Indian restaurant and take away and even a beautician. Plenty to browse and all you require, we hope! Hexham with much larger facilities (Tesco, Waitrose, green grocers, garage etc) is 12 miles away, a 15 minute drive.
There is a regular bus service from Allendale to Hexham, Haydon Bridge and Allenheads. In Hexham/Haydon Bridge there are busses and train connections towards Carlisle and Newcastle upon Tyne. The airport at Newcastle is a 40-minute drive from Allendale. We are happy to arrange group transportation from any location if required. You can also contact the local taxi company Langley Taxis.
When you book the Bunkhouse for exclusive use you have the entire building and gardens to yourself. The maximum sleeping capacity is 25 plus any babies in travel cots. If you do want to invite additional or “party guests” who do not stay on site you must notify us in advance. There may be an additional charge and we may not be able to give this the go ahead due to fire regulations.