URBAN PLANNING

WHETHER YOU HEAD NORTH OR SOUTH, THERE'S A SOPHISTICATED SHORT ENGLISH BREAK TO ENJOY

-  MEGAN DAVIES, TRICIA MARTIN, POLLY BROWN, LYNNE HYLAND

NORTH

THE QUEENS HOTEL, LEEDS

This 232-room Art Deco hotel, which has welcomed guests including Nelson Mandela and Princess Grace of Monaco, had a £16 million revamp last year. Our room was a chic and spacious double featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, trendy panelling, and a relaxing seating area but we were here to explore.

First stop was the four-star hotel's Grand Pacific restaurant and bar, where the moody decor in blacks, browns, and golds pays homage to the golden age of high society. After a lychee cocktail, we were shown to our velvet booth and we dined on Asian fusion cuisine, choosing the duck gyozas and roast cod loin, followed by strawberry and hibiscus trifle. The elegant high tea in Café Pacific is also not to be missed.

The hotel is a two-minute walk from Leeds train station and a seven-minute walk from Leeds Art Gallery, where we soaked up some contemporary British art before a spot of retail therapy. The Corn Exchange houses indie shops and eateries, while the various arcades cater for every shopping need. Look out for the Yorkshire Soap Co shop with its striking pink frontage.

DOUBLE ROOMS AT THE QUEENS HOTEL ARE FROM £92. SEE THEQUEENSLEEDS.CO.UK

ROOMZZZ, NEWCASTLE

Newcastle is renowned for its nightlife and the bars around the Bigg Market are where the Geordie Shore gang used to live it large. But it's not all about the Jaegerbombs. The city boasts some impressive architecture, including the Norman chapel and Edwardian Central Arcade, plus a great art scene.