Gilpin Hotel and Lake House

By many standards, Gilpin is the Lake District’s most luxurious hotel with no-expense-spared rooms, Michelin-starred dining, numerous staff, and acres of space. Last year it upped its game again with five extravagantly large glass-cube spa suites with private garden, spa and circular bath. The Cunliffe family, who have owned this ‘exceptional hotel’ since 1988, know their loyal guests well. Other faultlessly comfortable rooms include smaller spa lodges overlooking a pond, Scandi-style garden suites with hot tub and sauna, and smart country house rooms in the main Edwardian building. Six Lake House rooms, in a lodge on a 100-acre estate half-a-mile away, have a period charm and exclusive access to an indoor pool and woodland spa. Dining is a choice between Michelin-starred HRiSHi, which offers Modern British cuisine with an Asian twist, such as masala-braised lamb with caramelised onion, and the colourful Gilpin Spice with its Pan-Asian small and large plates. Everything, from the blingy cocktail bar and sheltered terrace to the restful sitting room, is designed for indulgence. The hotel is a member of Relais & Châteaux.