There is a relaxed, timeless ambience at this grown-up 19th-century country house (Relais & Château), but things have moved on apace, with fine dining now at the very heart of the operation.

‘This is one of the best country houses we have stayed in,’ writes a reader, of this white-painted Georgian gentleman’s residence with glorious views over Esthwaite Water to the Langdale Pikes.

With its indulgent bedrooms, Michelin-starred dining, attentive staff and guaranteed privacy, many look to Gilpin as the ultimate in Lakeland luxury.

With an enviable position on Windermere, this Georgian hall has a relaxed country house feel, with formal and casual dining options, and bedrooms ranging from family friendly to seriously swanky.

With its towers and battlements this Victorian-folly castle, in 15 acres of grounds, looks imposing yet 'you actually feel like it is your castle'.

Banish images of fast-food outlets and slot machines when you break your journey at Tebay on wild and woolly Shap Fell, 60 miles from the Scottish border.

To find a gem in a quiet corner of the visitor-thronged Lake District is not easy, but this smart village inn in the lovely Lyth valley is, as one reader reports, ‘always a favourite’.

Refreshingly different from some of the more traditional Lake District offerings, this contemporary hotel is in a beautiful setting overlooking Grasmere.

‘In a beautiful setting at the tip of Lake Windermere, overlooking the River Leven,’ this family-friendly hotel unveiled an extension in 2022.

‘A friendly, proper local pub bar, as well as a restaurant’, this 18th-century coaching inn at the heart of the Lowther Estate is set back from the A6, with a view of fields and grazing horses

Welcoming owners ensure guests’ dogs feel at home at their country house B&B, an elegant retreat in the Eden valley, with well-appointed bedrooms in the main house and coach house, and first-class breakfasts.

Many regard Borrowdale as the Lake District’s most picturesque valley, and this comfortable Edwardian country house has one of its finest locations.

They're serious about their food at this idyllic manor house hotel on the outskirts of Ambleside, with walks from the door and superb facilities for both humans and their four-legged friends.