I'm originally from newcastle, but now live in beweteen glasgow and edinburgh - would definatly recommend Newcastle.. there are loads of apartments in the city centre available for a weekend if you want to be close to restaurants/bars/shops etc, and some beautiful hotels a bit further out if you want to be somewhere scenic and can drive into the city.
Loads to do in Newcastle, Baltic Art Museum, Sage music centre, close to the coast, the list is endless...
Let me know if you want any more info!!