Trying Lobster and cocktails at Seaham Hall’s Geko

I went along with my friend Donna for the launch of the hotel’s new Twilight Spa package, where food at Geko and spa access all come bundled together.

We arrived at the start of the bank holiday heatwave and headed straight down to the restaurant’s terrace, nabbing a spot on the comfy sofas with parasols, gardens in full view and the kind of sunshine that makes you consider quitting real life to move into a hotel permanently.

(Image: Will Foxx)

To kick things off, we were handed a complimentary glass of champagne and a Temple Spa hand cream – a very on-brand touch for a spa package.

We were also meant to get a canapé with our fizz, which never appeared, and there was a bit of a delay getting menus.

It was launch night, and you could tell staff had their hands full.

As a Seaham Hall member, I know this isn’t their usual standard, so I chalked it up to opening-night teething problems rather than a red flag.

Once menus did arrive, my eyes made a beeline for the cocktail list – as they usually do.

I technically go for the gym after work during the week, but somehow always end up on this terrace with a drink in hand.

This time it was a coconut margarita, because when the sun’s out you may as well lean fully into holiday mode – Donna went classic with a mojito.

Our lobster and sides (Image: Will Foxx)

For food, we shared a whole lobster with rice and added prawn toast and duck skewers on the side.

The lobster was cooked beautifully, soft and pulling away from the shell just as it should, dressed in Japanese-inspired seasonings that packed in flavour without overcomplicating things.

The prawn toast, though, completely stole the show – more art installation than side dish, piled high with layers of garnish.

Last time I was here I had the caviar crispy chicken, but this lobster was up there on the tasty scale.

Caviar chicken I’ve had previously at Geko (Image: Will Foxx)

Back to the prawn toast – it was nothing like your standard Chinese takeaway version; crisp, generously filled and honestly the best prawn toast I’ve ever eaten.

The duck skewers were just as impressive: juicy, well-seasoned and ideal for picking at between sips and gossip.

With the sun on our faces and the gentle sound of the new spa garden waterfalls in the background, lunch drifted seamlessly into spa time.

Seaham Hall’s new serenity garden (Image: Seaham Hall)

Outside, a live DJ, a “shed bar” for poolside drinks, heated infinity pools, Japanese-inspired planting and an outdoor ice plunge pool (strictly for the brave, not me) turned the afternoon into a mini holiday, with Donna saying she felt like she was “in Ibiza.”

Fire pits and day beds dotted around the garden made it the perfect place to let our food settle before hitting the hot tubs and saunas as the evening rolled in.

The Twilight Spa package, with food at Geko included, is now a permanent fixture and bookable via Seaham Hall’s website.

(Image: Will Foxx)

For a bank holiday treat or post-work escape, it’s hard to beat: good food, great setting and serious relaxation.

It’s less dinner and a spa, more “tempura-therapy” for the soul – check my ratings at the bottom.

Ratings (out of ten):

Food quality 10

Surroundings 10

Value for money 9

Service 9

The details

Geko at Seaham Hall, Lord Byron’s Walk

Seaham-Hall/dining/geko

Opening hours: Everyday 9.30am – 10pm.