DETAILS have been announced of a new £18m hotel development.

Ramside Hall Hotel, near Durham City, is to get 47 new bedrooms and a luxury spa with a 25 metre pool, hydrotherapy pool, saunas and various steam rooms, opening next spring.

There will be an infinity pool spa, a hot plunge pool, a mud chamber, 12 therapy rooms, a gym, dance studio and hair salon, plus an Asian-style restaurant and bar.

A new £3m golf course at Ramside opened earlier this year and new homes are also being built.

Tim Boyd, the four-star hotel’s general manager, said: “This is a huge development for the hotel and will be a massive boost for the North-East.

“We’re creating an amazing state-of-the-art leisure facility which will be suited to everyone, from visitors who want to get fit and keep in shape to anyone who just wants some rest and relaxation.

“At the same time the addition of the extra rooms will give the hotel even more capacity to cope with leisure and business travellers.”