17-04-2025
The most romantic hotels in the Lake District for a relaxing retreat
There are plenty of deliciously romantic hotels in the UK, but as the home of the Romantic Poets – Wordsworth, Southey, Coleridge – it should be no surprise that, with such sublime scenery, the Lake District has responded with some seriously special places to stay. Some are buildings – often historic – which either capture the views or sit amidst romantic gardens and woodland; some offer high degrees of privacy, often with treats such as secluded hot tubs and terraces; while others are just unashamedly seductive in their bold or flirty room design and furnishings with lashings of velvet, mirrors and moody lighting. Here's our pick of the most romantic hotels in the Lake District.
How we review
Every hotel in this curated list has been visited by one of our expert reviewers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis. They stay for a minimum of one night, test at least one meal and trial other experiences that the hotel might have to offer.
Brimstone
Lake District, Cumbria, England
9 Telegraph expert rating
This modern, chalet-style retreat is tucked amongst a profusion of woodland, in one of the area's finest fell-walking valleys. The building resembles a rather grand ski chalet, though inside, by contrast, all is smooth and calm with soft carpets, sleek oak doors, wide corridors, moody landscape photographs and a soothing palette of milky coffee, muted bronze and pale grey. Ease aching limbs after a day spent outdoors with a full-body treatment featuring stretching techniques and hot ceramic pods, then head over to the bubbling indoor-outdoor pool for a dip. There's also a Finnish sauna, an ice fountain and various relaxation spaces.
The Samling
Lake Windermere, Lake District, England
9 Telegraph expert rating
The Samling sits above the eastern shores of Windermere in acres of gardens and pasture, with woodland behind and head-swivelling views of the lake and fells beyond. It's more townhouse than country house, and the 12 bedrooms are perfectly executed studies in creamy calm: think powder-soft carpets, milky walls, velvet sofas, pillow-heaped beds and the sleekest of furniture. There's space to relax indoors or outdoors, with a sitting room and snug 'library', a hot tub and a private lake jetty. Unexpectedly, for a small hotel, there's a choice of dining options: either a bells-and-whistles, fine dining taster menu in the main glass-walled restaurant, or more casual à la carte in The Gathering, a converted Dutch barn. Both have sensational views over the water and grounds.
Rothay Manor
Ambleside, Lake District, England
9 Telegraph expert rating
This is a smart, country house-style hotel with relaxing, elegantly understated bedrooms and some excellent walking routes nearby. Two sitting rooms, both with fires, overlook the gardens and south-facing broad terrace, the latter invitingly set with tables and chairs. Bedrooms are generous in size and are the sort you can happily lounge around in – soft-coloured walls are jazzed up with bold wallpapers; big beds have blanket throws and pale-painted furniture is offset by chunky leather tables. The eight Pavilion suites are in a league of their own, with deep velvet sofas, floor-to-ceiling windows and willow-fenced patios. Breakfast is a delight with a delicious 'starter' of fruit salad, compote, granola and yogurt, followed by an excellent cooked choice, and in the evenings there's a choice of dining: either three-AA-Rosette menus or a bistro offering.
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House
Lake Windermere, Lake District, England
9 Telegraph expert rating
This property is the epitome of an elevated, modern country hotel. It's set on the eastern edge of the Lake District National Park, on a minor road between Kendal and Bowness, and offers plenty of luxuries, from private hot tubs and saunas to Michelin-starred dining, as well as legions of staff. The 36 rooms vary widely but were all designed with fanatical attention to detail and dedication to comfort. The emphasis on design has been turned up a notch in the Garden Suites and Spa Lodges, while the six Lake House rooms offer the most privacy. If you can rouse yourself, maps for walking routes can be borrowed. Otherwise, there's a spa with two treatment rooms and a rooftop garden with a pond and hot tubs.
Linthwaite House
Windermere, Lake District, England
9 Telegraph expert rating
A relaxed country house hotel without the swags and fuss but with plenty of stylish warmth and comfort – and a Simon Rogan restaurant. It's close to the honeypots of Bowness and Windermere yet cocooned in gardens and with stunning views, meaning you need never leave. For real peace and privacy, opt for one of the six suites in the chalet-style buildings set in the grounds, a five-minute walk (or quick buggy ride) from the main hotel. With floor-to-ceiling windows – the best glimpsing the lake through trees – these are sleek, Scandi-style affairs with oak floors, textured wool upholstery, and coffee and cream tones; the biggest with real fires.
Randy Pike
Ambleside, Lake District, England
9 Telegraph expert rating
This large, flamboyant, neo-Gothic villa – with its scalloped eaves and central tower – originally belonged to nearby Wray Castle, a 19th-century faux affair. It's set atop a small hillock, two miles south of Ambleside, and feels very private. With their super-size everything – beds, sofas, bathrooms, garden views, cupboards of treats – the four bedrooms are ridiculously spoiling; only a diehard minimalist would feel uncomfortable. Expect pitch-pine floors, bold statement wallpapers, feather-boa-trimmed lampshades and velvet-trimmed silk curtains. Breakfasts are served in the room, and they don't skimp on the finer things: linen napkins, colourful china, Laguiole cutlery and shiny cloches to keep hot food hot. For evenings, the owners have good knowledge of local places in both Hawkshead and Ambleside.
• The best hotels with spas in the Lake District
Applegarth Villa Hotel
Windermere, Lake District, England
9 Telegraph expert rating
This adults-only luxury retreat is set in a Victorian villa in a secluded yet central Windermere location. It has been brought stylishly into the 21st century, while still retaining the richness of the original building. Parquet floors, oak panelling and grand stained glass windows form the background to bold wallpapers, statement chandeliers and jewel-bright velvet chairs and sofas. Bedrooms have been meticulously put together with a bold sense of style, and in-room massages can be arranged. The bar is a sophisticated affair opening onto the conservatory restaurant, and for warmer days, there's a large outdoor terrace – it's west-facing, so ideal for watching sunsets.
The Cranleigh Boutique
Lake District, Cumbria, England
8 Telegraph expert rating
The Cranleigh Boutique is an adults-only, luxury B&B, close to Lake Windermere, with rooms and suites designed for romance and seduction. The solid, slate-built exterior of the Edwardian villa gives little away. Step inside, however, and the gold-flecked wallpaper, statement chandeliers and gilt hostess trolleys invitingly stocked with champagne suggest this is way beyond your average stay. This is confirmed when you open your room door and are hit by a swirl of crushed velvet, nightclub colours, theatrical lighting and a fair amount of bling. It's breakfast-only, though for evening meals, guests receive a discount at the hotel's two sibling establishments, both less then a five-minute walk away.
Askham Hall
Penrith, Cumbria, England
9 Telegraph expert rating
This grand hotel, the medieval family home of the Earls of Lonsdale, offers authentic country house living in stately surroundings: vast rooms, scattered antiques and a well-worn but comfortable, informal and inviting air. There's a vaulted library with an honesty bar, plus a self-operated sauna. Outside there's a small, heated pool, but the real joy is the gardens with lawned terraces, colourful borders, vast topiary, a tangle of woodland and a substantial kitchen garden. Monthly dinners are held in the panelled, candle-lit private dining-room. Guests can explore the surrounding landscapes, fish on the rivers Eden and Lowther, or in the warmer months, take a dip in the heated outdoor swimming pool.
• The best Lake District hotels with hot tubs
The Windermere Suites
Windermere, Lake District, England
8 Telegraph expert rating
A bold and unashamedly sexy b&b with lashings of black and silver. Glass tables and white or silver-leaf-painted designer furniture – including French baroque-style beds – add bling while bathrooms are dark affairs with huge air-baths and mood lighting. Meals are served in-room on smart black trolleys and Villeroy and Boch white china, and the minibar is well stocked with a good choice of beers, spirits, wines and champagne at very reasonable prices. Attractions such as Dove Cottage in Grasmere, pretty Hawkshead village, Ambleside's shops and Beatrix Potter's house are within 20 to 30 minutes' drive.
