Review: Gilpin Hotel & Lake House – a luxury stay in the Lake District

The Lake District has a unique charm. The same can be said of the Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, located a ten-minute drive (or an hour’s scenic hike) from the iconic village of Windermere.

Nearly four decades after the hotel was first opened as the Gilpin Lodge Country House Hotel in 1988, the Gilpin has been transformed into a five-star boutique hotel and is a member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux network of independently owned luxury hotels.

Extra-special spa suites

As the name suggests, the Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is split into two parts, which are situated just a short walk from each other. The main Gilpin Hotel has 30 bedrooms. While some of these are in the main building, the real crown jewels are the five detached spa lodges and the five spa suites.

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To say they are luxurious is an understatement. I’ve stayed in other properties with individual hot tubs, but this was extra special. My spa suite also had a steam room as well as a separate sauna, not to mention a massage chair that delivered a “zero-gravity experience”.

It was clear much thought had gone into making the room as comfortable as possible – from the decor to the furnishings, all of which were of good quality and that went for the all-important hot tub, too.

From the vantage point of the tub (which was properly hot – always a sign of a superior establishment), I watched ducks swimming in a nearby pond. At night, as I luxuriated in the bubbles, I viewed the stars twinkling in the heavens, unimpeded by any light pollution. I even noticed a herd of llama grazing in a field nearby.

As for restaurant options, the Gilpin Hotel has two. Gilpin Spice has a more relaxed atmosphere and the pan-Asian cuisine served here is delicious – the pumpkin-seed curry I enjoyed was light and fragrant.

The other restaurant, called Source, has one Michelin star, and Ollie Bridgwater, an alumnus of Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in Bray, oversees the kitchen. Source offers a pair of exquisite tasting menus for dinner from £105 per person.

Book the whole house

The main Gilpin Hotel is magnificent, but the Lake House is also striking. Situated on the banks of the Knipe Tarn, which adventurous guests can either row on or swim in, there are six rooms, which share a heated indoor pool, sauna, outdoor hot hub and a spa treatment room. If you are feeling extravagant, it’s possible to book the entire property as either a wedding venue, or just for the exclusive use of your group.

The Lake House also has a grill restaurant that offers a delicious afternoon tea, which I was lucky enough to try. This gave me the opportunity to sample everything from the tasty and traditional coronation chicken wraps and home-made sausage rolls, right through to the buttermilk scones and the chocolates, all the while enjoying the views of the lake as well as the 100 acres of grounds, which are home to plenty of wildlife.

A souvenir of a life well lived

Gilpin Hotel & Lake House prides itself on having a team of dedicated and friendly staff. During my visit they certainly lived up to the hotel’s reputation.

Whether it was showing me around the property, delivering a breakfast spread to my room, or arranging for me to have an invigorating Indian head massage, they delivered a warm and personal service that made me feel like a truly valued guest.

The day after I returned home, I received an email from the hotel telling me they had found a charger in my room and they posted it back to me.

One particularly nice touch I found in my suite, alongside a complimentary spa hamper, was the gift of a copy of Slightly Perfect – the Gilpin founder John Cunliffe’s entertaining account of how he bought back the house that his family had previously owned and turned it into an award-winning hotel. Sadly, he died five years ago. But judging by my stay, it’s clear that he would be proud of the way in which his children are carrying on his legacy.

Matthew was a guest of Gilpin Hotel & Lake House. From £280 per night for a classic bedroom in winter to £1,150 per night in summer for a spa suite. Lake House rooms start at £385 per night in the winter. Spa treatments start at £95 per person.

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