Where to stay
Country houses on the lake shore, walkers' inns at the end of the road, and town hotels you can reach by train. Each one is somewhere we would happily stay.
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House
Luxury Hotel, Windermere, ££££, dogs welcome
A Relais & Chateaux retreat offering garden suites, a private lake house and some of the finest hotel dining in the north of England.
The Swan Hotel
Country Hotel, Grasmere, ££, dogs welcome
This 17th-century coaching inn sits right in the heart of Wordsworth country, where literary pilgrims and fell walkers converge. Stone walls, oak beams, and roaring fires create the perfect base for exploring the central fells. The Swan's traditional charm feels authentic rather than contrived, with locals propping up the bar alongside visiting ramblers.
Another Place - The Lake
Lakeside Hotel, Ullswater, £££, dogs welcome
A relaxed lakeside hotel on the shore of Ullswater built around the outdoors, with paddleboarding, kayaking and open water swimming on the doorstep. Eat in Rampsbeck, The Living Space or the Glasshouse, then swim in the pool looking out to the fells.
Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa
Fine Dining, Keswick, ££££, dogs welcome
A grand country house hotel set in 400 acres of deer park and woodland beside Bassenthwaite Lake, beneath Skiddaw. Expect 43 individually styled rooms and an award-winning spa.
Borrowdale Gates Hotel
Country House Hotel, Borrowdale, £££, dogs welcome
A tranquil retreat in Borrowdale's green heart, with fell views from every room and a kitchen that champions Cumbrian produce.
Brimstone Hotel
Luxury Lodge, Langdale, ££££
A collection of luxury suites and lodges in the Langdale Valley with a stunning spa, fire pit, and slate-clad architecture that feels both modern and rooted in the Cumbrian landscape.
Cedar Manor Hotel
Boutique Hotel, Windermere, ££
An intimate Victorian hotel where personal touches and seasonal cooking create one of Windermere's most relaxing stays.
Inn on the Lake
Modern British, Ullswater, £££, dogs welcome
A contemporary lakeside hotel offering stunning views across Ullswater's pristine waters. Features modern accommodations and a restaurant celebrating local produce.
Langdale Chase
Lakeside Hotel, Windermere, ££££, dogs welcome
A Victorian lakeside mansion on the shore of Windermere, welcoming guests since 1891 and given a careful restoration, with AA Rosette dining, a lakeside boathouse and watersports on Windermere.
Lindeth Fell Country House
Country House Hotel, Bowness, ££
An Edwardian Arts and Crafts house above Windermere, now a 14-bedroom five-star B&B with its 1909 Restaurant, afternoon teas and Thomas Mawson gardens. It is part of the Storrs Collection and also hosts weddings and exclusive-use stays.
Linthwaite House
Boutique Hotel, Windermere, £££, dogs welcome
A Leeu Collection hotel on a hilltop above Windermere, with 36 individually designed rooms, a private tarn with rowing boats and Simon Rogan's Henrock restaurant serving produce from his own farm.
Lodore Falls Hotel & Spa
Spa Hotel, Borrowdale, £££, dogs welcome
Set beside the Lodore waterfall on the shore of Derwentwater, with the award-winning Falls Spa, a 16 metre outdoor hydro pool looking across to Catbells, and Mizu Pan-Asian dining.
Macdonald Old England Hotel
Traditional Hotel, Bowness, £££, dogs welcome
This Victorian grande dame commands prime position right on the shores of Windermere, where you can watch steam launches chug past from your bedroom window. The hotel's traditional elegance suits its lakefront setting perfectly. It's the kind of place where afternoon tea feels obligatory and evening drinks on the terrace watching the sunset over England's largest natural lake become a cherished ritual.
The Castle Inn
Historic Inn, Kendal, £
This 16th-century coaching inn in Kendal's historic heart has been serving travellers for over 400 years and shows no signs of stopping. Low beams, flagstone floors, and a genuine pub atmosphere make it feel authentically Cumbrian rather than touristy. The Castle Inn remains refreshingly unpretentious, offering honest accommodation and local ales in a building steeped in centuries of stories.
The Daffodil Hotel & Spa
Contemporary British, Grasmere, £££
A luxurious lakeside retreat offering panoramic views of Grasmere Lake. Features an award-winning spa and elegant dining rooms serving locally sourced cuisine.
The Keswick Country House Hotel
Country House Hotel, Keswick, ££
A grand Victorian hotel set in four acres of tended gardens beside Keswick's old railway station, two minutes' walk from the market town centre. Expect classic dining in the Lonsdale Restaurant and views out to the surrounding fells.
The Samling
Country House Hotel, Windermere, ££££
A boutique country house hotel perched on a hillside above Windermere with panoramic lake views. Just 12 rooms means the service is impossibly personal, and the restaurant sources much of its produce from the 67-acre grounds.
The Wordsworth Hotel
Luxury Hotel, Grasmere, £££, dogs welcome
A much-loved hotel in the heart of Grasmere village, now part of The Inn Collection Group and reopening after a major refurbishment with dog-friendly rooms and a relaxed pub-style dining offer.