This Lake District hotel radiates out in all directions from its pretty, 18th-century core — with kids’ clubs at the back, shepherd’s huts in the front garden and a slate annexe to one side, while the glass-walled pool and all-day Living Space restaurant bind the two main buildings together. Inside, the decor is playful and posh. Oversized sofas slouch against a backdrop of 21st-century colour — sage, teal, mustard and russet — while shapely bentwood chairs scrape across restaurant floorboards. The library in particular is a treat, decorated with a constellation of lamps and a look-at-me wall of mismatched mirrors. But what’s most striking about the place is your fellow guests. Half of them are dressed in neoprene, en route to their next big Ullswater experience.
Overall score 8/10
Main photo: a shepherd’s hut at Another Place (Jeremy Phillips)
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Rooms and suites
Score 8/10
Variety is the watchword. Standard doubles, family suites, shepherd’s huts, a treehouse and a lush, self-contained cottage by Interior Design Masters winner Lynsey Ford are all available. In summer, the shepherd’s huts in the garden are a treat, especially for couples, who’ll love soaking in the free-standing copper baths or watching darkness fall from the glow of their firepits. Each hut has central heating and a wood-burning stove, but once winter comes you’ll probably want to be indoors, if only to avoid the dash through the morning chill to breakfast. Inside, the Georgian house suites in the original building are enormous — and decorated with feisty splashes of racing green and orange. The rooms in the modern wing are smaller, with quieter colours echoing Cumbria’s natural, earthy palette. Book one with a lake view to deepen the sense of space.
Food and drink
Score 8/10
There are three options: the Living Space for burgers and other well-executed pubby staples; the Glasshouse (from Thursday to Monday) for wood-fired pizzas; and the Rampsbeck for more gastronomic fare. Service can be slow in the Living Space, so families will probably be happier in the Glasshouse. Meanwhile grown-ups will enjoy tucking into chef Shaun Dixon’s deftly cooked dishes in the Rampsbeck. Tender rump of lamb with mint, crispy kale and a burnt aubergine puree is typical of his well-matched flavours. But whatever you eat, save plenty of room for breakfast. As well as top-notch coffee and an almost-endless buffet, you can make your own giant waffles.
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What else is there?
Score 9/10
“What else” is the whole point of coming here. Yes, you can go fell-walking. But why not give your hike a twist by joining one of the hotel’s guided outings to Angle Tarn, above Patterdale, and add some wild swimming to your expedition? Meanwhile, on Ullswater, hour-long paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing lessons await — as well as night-time star-gazing swims, clad in multiple layers of neoprene. Try two or three and you’ll transform your idea of what a Lake District holiday can be.
Where is it?
Score 8/10
A mile on from Pooley Bridge, the hotel has nabbed a plum spot on Ullswater’s northern shore — with a sizeable stretch of meadow beyond its garden and mesmerising views towards Barton Fell. It’s the perfect overture for a break that mixes water sports with fell-walking and a ride on the Ullswater Steamers up and down the lake. You will, however, need the car now and again for short hops: over to Askham Hall for a Michelin-starred meal, perhaps, or — if you’ve got children — up to Lowther Castle to hire bikes or explore its adventure playground. Penrith is the nearest town if someone needs a new pair of walking boots.
Price B&B doubles from £190
Restaurant Mains from £18
Family-friendly Y
Dog-friendly Y
Accessible Y
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