Gilpin Hotel and Lake House
‘Nothing compares to this special place,’ says a Guide reader in 2017 after a return visit to the Cunliffe family’s glamorous country house hotel. More
Special offers
Contact details
Hotel information
Bedrooms
31. 6 in orchard wing, 5 in spa lodges in grounds, 6 in Lake House (½ mile from main house).
Open
all year.
Facilities
Gilpin Hotel: bar, lounge, 2 restaurants, terraces, gardens, 22-acre grounds (llama paddock); Lake House: lounge, conservatory, spa (hot tubs, 20-metre heated swimming pool), 100-acre grounds; free Wi-Fi, in-room TV (Sky), civil wedding licence, unsuitable for disabled.
Background music
in restaurants.
Children
not under 7.
Dogs
allowed in 2 bedrooms, not in public rooms.
Credit cards
all major cards.
Prices
[2017] per room B&B from £265, D,B&B from £334. Set dinner £65. 1-night bookings refused weekends and bank holidays.
Other reviews
VisitEngland Five Star Country House Hotel
Good Hotel Guide Review
‘Nothing compares to this special place,’ says a Guide reader in 2017 after a return visit to the Cunliffe family’s glamorous country house hotel. ‘They reinvent themselves constantly, and the staff couldn’t be nicer.’ Among the choice of accommodation ‘to appeal to all guests’: ‘well-equipped’ bedrooms in the Edwardian house; modern spa lodges in the grounds, with an outdoor hot tub and views of the Lake District moors; open-plan suites in the secluded Lake House that look over the water into peaceful woodland. In the Michelin-starred restaurant, chef Hrishikesh Desai cooks contemporary British-with-a-twist dishes (perhaps chilli-glazed lobster, claw fritters, confit lime and grapefruit). A new, informal dining room serves plates pepped up with Asian spices (tikka masala-marinated grilled whole fish, say). The cooking is thought ‘superb’, though a guest this year wished for larger portions. Bowness is a ten-minute drive away, but there’s plenty in the ‘lovely grounds’ to fill the day, including strolls through the Victorian flower gardens and a peek at the llama paddock. (Joan Campbell, and others). Gilpin Hotel and Lake House is also a member of Pride of Britain hotels.
- BBC Good Food: The best vegetarian hotels in the UK
- bt.com: Seven of the UK’s top country house hotels
- National Golfer: The best hotels for golf in the UK and Ireland
- Evening Standard: Six of the best hotels in the Lake District
- Independent: 10 hotels for a romantic British Break
Special offers
Indulgence Afternoon Offer
The Jetty Spa trail (worth £300) is just £200 when booking D,B&B at Gilpin Lake House. An afternoon of pure relaxation and indulgence for two, includes an aroma consultation, a swim in the lakeside pool, home-made fruit iced frappé in the salt snug, salt shower, and aromatherapy massage. Champagne in the Hot Tub with stunning views. Aromatherapy spa products to take home. Available Sun-Thur. Subject to limited availability.To benefit from this offer, please mention The Good Hotel Guide when booking.
Upgrade voucher
This hotel accepts room upgrade vouchers which entitle readers to a space available room upgrade. The voucher must be presented at check-in and is entirely at the hotelier’s discretion.
Tourist attractions
Lake Windermere
The largest natural mere (long, thin lake) in England.
Windermere Golf Club
An 18-hole course, founded in 1891.
Beatrix Potter's Hill Top house
Hill Top is a time-capsule of Beatrix Potter's life. Every room contains a reference to a picture in one of her tales.
Windermere Lake Cruises
45-minute to three-hour cruises across Lake Windermere.
Guest comments