Farlam Hall

This long-established country house hotel with a walled garden, set in a peaceful Cumbrian village, has had an elegant refurbishment without compromising ‘its sense of history and tradition’. The creeper-covered Victorian house, in six acres of gardens, has been lightened with soft colours, pale-patterned wallpapers and smartly upholstered armchairs. A Relais & Châteaux member, it still feels comfortably traditional with fires in sitting rooms, ‘extremely pleasant’ staff and garden views from the dining room. Evening meals are reassuringly ‘proper’ with canapés and white napery while the food is ‘modern country house’ and might include crab with spring pea custard followed by roe deer with black pudding. An excellent British cheese selection and ‘a good wine list’ pleased one couple. Large bedrooms, furnished in a ‘light-touch’ country house style of gentle colours with a mix of reproduction and antique furniture, have garden views and armchairs; a sofa in larger rooms. Most of the modern bathrooms include a bath and shower. For longer stays, there are now four cottages. ‘We would definitely stay again.’ (JB)