Quirky. Bohemian. A bit of bit bonkers. That’s my summing up of The Tempus, a brand new resort on an expansive Northumbrian nation property a couple of miles from Alnwick.

The property is impressed by Lewis Carroll’s fantastical Alice-in-Wonderland world, but it surely’s not Alice themed.

I flew my drone up over the resort’s grounds within the early night, however all I may see on my display had been sheep. No white rabbits. Or Cheshire cats. Or mock turtles.

And there are not any Queen of Hearts suites or hookah-smoking caterpillar statues in dimly-lit corners.

As a substitute, that is Alice in Northumberland, an altogether totally different kettle of crocodiles, not a lot Jabberwocky as Geordiewocky.

Carlton Reid checks into The Tempus, a new hotel on an expansive Northumbrian country estate a few miles from Alnwick

Carlton Reid checks into The Tempus, a brand new resort on an expansive Northumbrian nation property a couple of miles from Alnwick

The Tempus is inspired by Lewis Carroll¿s fantastical Alice-in-Wonderland world, but it¿s not Alice themed, Carlton notes

The Tempus is impressed by Lewis Carroll’s fantastical Alice-in-Wonderland world, but it surely’s not Alice themed, Carlton notes

The hotel complex is mainly new-build, but it also incorporates some original 18th-century farm outbuildings

The resort advanced is principally new-build, but it surely additionally incorporates some unique 18th-century farm outbuildings

The resort opened in Could and fizzes with natural world wallpapers by Manuel Canovas and ‘Fabulous Ruby’ zigzag-striped woollen carpets from rug and flooring specialist Essential Buying and selling. The restaurant has leaf-covered cocktail tables with glittery floral partitions, sports activities curved couches upholstered with flamboyant prints, and there’s a bar with disco balls.

The advanced is principally new-build, but it surely additionally incorporates some unique 18th-century farm outbuildings, together with a roundhouse that might have as soon as featured a plodding horse powering a threshing machine. This roundhouse, often known as a gin gang, is the resort’s reception at this time, and as an alternative of a bored, dizzy horse, there’s a round sofa hugging a room-filling tree adorned with LED lights.

There’s an unique stone hearth in room 203.

The 15-room vacation spot resort, only a mile from the A1 because the crow flies, is a satellite tv for pc of Charlton Corridor, a luxurious wedding ceremony venue owned by 30-something property developer Richard Shell. He lives on the property in a secure cottage along with his spouse and two younger youngsters. ‘We stay at Backyard Cottage,’ says the resort’s welcome letter, ‘give us a wave if you drive previous!’

Shell grew up on the tenant farm subsequent door. His father, Tom, owns the sheep I noticed on my drone flight.

Finding out enterprise research at Edinburgh College, Shell did an MA dissertation on how farmers can preserve viable companies.

The 15-room destination hotel, just a mile from the A1 as the crow flies, is a satellite of Charlton Hall

The 15-room vacation spot resort, only a mile from the A1 because the crow flies, is a satellite tv for pc of Charlton Corridor

The hotel fizzes with flora and fauna wallpapers by Manuel Canovas and ¿Fabulous Ruby¿ zigzag-striped woollen carpets from rug and flooring specialist Crucial Trading

The resort fizzes with natural world wallpapers by Manuel Canovas and ‘Fabulous Ruby’ zigzag-striped woollen carpets from rug and flooring specialist Essential Buying and selling

Prices for King rooms start at £195 for bed and breakfast and £285 for dinner, bed, and breakfast based on two people sharing

Costs for King rooms begin at £195 for mattress and breakfast and £285 for dinner, mattress, and breakfast primarily based on two folks sharing

Carlton writes: 'The Tempus is very keenly priced, especially for anybody used to paying for luxury gaffs in many of Britain¿s big cities'

Carlton writes: ‘The Tempus could be very keenly priced, particularly for anyone used to paying for luxurious gaffs in lots of Britain’s massive cities’

Carlton writes: 'The bright, brash, clashing decor is hip but could repel those who favour beige in all things'

Carlton writes: ‘The intense, brash, clashing decor is hip however may repel those that favour beige in all issues’

Suite life: Carlton describes his stay at the luxurious hotel as 'mood-enhancing'

Suite life: Carlton describes his keep on the luxurious resort as ‘mood-enhancing’

Beginning his post-university profession in a buyer expertise division for a part of the Royal Financial institution of Scotland, Shell left to progress in property improvement following the sale of his Edinburgh flat. He made but extra money from Bitcoin buying and selling. In 2014 he transformed a part of the household farm – Doxford Farm – into a country but hip wedding ceremony venue after noticing the Southern England development for barn weddings. Doxford Farm’s massive oak-beamed barn rapidly grew to become considered one of Northumberland’s most magical tying-the-knot spots.

Three years later, close by Charlton Corridor got here available on the market. Shell purchased it for £1million, commissioning his Edinburgh designer buddy Jo Aynsley to provide the Grade II listed Georgian mansion an off-the-wall makeover.

Aynsley is head of design at Jeffreys Interiors of Edinburgh, and he or she and her colleagues got free rein to show what had been a fusty stately dwelling into a cool wedding ceremony venue with rooms. The playful aesthetic might be greatest described as eclectic: urinals are purple kissy lips and there’s a steampunk-hatted stuffed giraffe referred to as George protruding of the wall above the principle staircase. Out of Africa? Nope, Clitheroe.

The hotel opened in May and lies three miles from the A1 on twisty country lanes

The resort opened in Could and lies three miles from the A1 on twisty nation lanes

Alnwick Castle, parts of which played Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films, is nearby

Alnwick Fort, components of which performed Hogwarts within the Harry Potter movies, is close by

'The Tempus has yet to be graded,' writes Carlton, 'but it¿s possibly a four-star property, and once the gardens mature and a planned spa is added, it could garner five stars'

‘The Tempus has but to be graded,’ writes Carlton, ‘but it surely’s probably a four-star property, and as soon as the gardens mature and a deliberate spa is added, it may garner 5 stars’

Room with a loo: Urinals at sister property Charlton Hall are styled as bright red 'kissy lips'

Room with a toilet: Urinals at sister property Charlton Corridor are styled as vibrant purple ‘kissy lips’

Playful paintings on display at Charlton Hall, which lies just a few metres away from The Tempus

Playful work on show at Charlton Corridor, which lies just some metres away from The Tempus

Unique corridor cabinetry and artefacts — equivalent to public sale notices from the 1870s and sports activities trophies — are combined with daring artworks and furnishings from designer names equivalent to Diane von Furstenberg, Mulberry and Edinburgh-based textile designer Lynsey Jean Henderson.

The corridor was reimagined as a sort of cheeky Kinder egg: plain on the skin however stuffed with surprises inside.

Charlton Corridor was the primary a part of Shell’s property empire impressed by Alice in Wonderland. The aesthetic was prolonged to The Tempus, steps away from the mothership. Charlton Corridor’s emblem is a top-hat-wearing owl, and the owl weathervane atop The Tempus’s clocktower continues the crossover.

‘Creativeness is the one weapon within the warfare with actuality,’ the Cheshire Cat instructed Alice, and at each Charlton Corridor and The Tempus, Aynsley has used this weapon to nice impact. The close by Alnwick Fort and Gardens have been the world’s honeypots so far, and they’re now joined by The Tempus, a rustic property resort coursing with colour-clashing nervous vitality. Staying there was mood-enhancing.

TRAVEL FACTS

Carlton and his spouse had been hosted in considered one of two junior suites at The Tempus. These look out over to the newly-planted resort gardens. The Tempus additionally has a bigger suite appropriate for honeymoons and different particular events.

Costs for King rooms begin at £195 for mattress and breakfast and £285 for dinner, mattress, and breakfast primarily based on two folks sharing. B&B in a junior or boutique suite begins at £325. A small King room in Charlton Corridor prices from £150 per evening.

The restaurant at The Tempus serves beneficiant parts of consolation meals, together with fish and chips (£19), lamb shank shepherd’s pie with gruyere (£18), and sticky toffee pudding (£7.95).

The restaurant’s bar has the resort’s most direct reference to Alice in Wonderland: the signature cocktails embody The Duchess The Duchess (sic), a mixture of rhubarb gin and lemon juice (£8.95), and Shrink Me Potion constructed from whisky, Disaronno, butterscotch and cream (£8.95).

The Tempus is three miles from the A1 on twisty nation lanes. It’s a magical place, as is close by Alnwick Fort, components of which performed Hogwarts within the Harry Potter movies.

The Tempus has 4 charging factors for electrical vehicles.

Fancy a marriage at Charlton Corridor? Higher be fast: the venue has bookings via to 2026.

PROS: ‘All the perfect individuals are solely bonkers,’ Alice instructed the Mad Hatter, and The Tempus is actually a bonkers place to remain. But, for all its bohemian spritz, that is one boutique resort that received’t break the financial institution. The Tempus could be very keenly priced, particularly for anyone used to paying for luxurious gaffs in lots of Britain’s massive cities. The Tempus has but to be graded, but it surely’s probably a four-star property, and as soon as the gardens mature and a deliberate spa is added, it may garner 5 stars, making it distinctive on this a part of rural Northumberland.

CONS: The intense, brash, clashing decor is hip however may repel those that favour beige in all issues.

Score out of 5: *****