A ‘beautifully intimate hotel’, a five-minute drive from Windermere, Cedar Manor garners nothing but praise from readers for its luxurious bedrooms, thoughtful touches and spot-on service. ‘The setting is beautiful, the accommodation is excellent, the staff and food are wonderful.’ Bedrooms have a contemporary country house style with striking wallpapers and fabrics, Herdwick wool carpets, bespoke wood furniture and great attention to detail. ‘Our lovely room had a great bed and was well furnished and quiet.’ Another reader adds: ‘The REN products and fine bedlinens, robes, thick towels, and welcome chocolates were a lovely touch.’ There’s a short evening lounge menu including cheese and meat platters; otherwise the hotel provides a list of local eateries, with helpful notes. If you want to indulge beforehand, the afternoon tea is ‘a splendid balance of savoury and sweet selections’. Breakfast includes a Cumbrian Grill, ‘probably the best cooked hotel breakfast I have had’. Throughout, the ‘fantastic, friendly’ staff under friendly owners Jonathan and Caroline Kaye provide a ‘flawless service’. (Steve and Sue Rowes, DB, and others)