The Waterhead Boutique Hotel in the Lake District is located on the banks of Lake Windermere. The Waterhead Hotel, near Ambleside, cleverly combines traditional Lakeland elegance and its stunning setting with the comfort of a new luxury four-star Town House Hotel.
Location
The Waterhead Boutique Hotel has stunning views across the lake towards Coniston with its backdrop of the magnificent Old Man of Coniston mountain. It is only a 2-minute drive (there is a regular bus service) or a 10-minute walk via a flat pathway to the pretty village of Ambleside, where there are many cafes, shops, and a cinema. Other well-known Lake District towns and villages are within easy reach, including Hawkshead, Ambleside, Windermere, Grasmere, and Keswick.
Style & Character
The hotel enjoys a unique location on the edge of Lake Windermere. This bespoke hotel boasts its restaurant, bar, and 41 well-appointed rooms. For me, the highlight of the Waterhead is that it has magnificent views.
The view from Waterhead provides the perfect ‘Swallows and Amazons’ landscape and a great venue to start any lake district adventure on foot or on water. With its prime position on the shores of Lake Windermere half a mile from Ambleside, it is ideally located for exploring the Lakes, walking the fells, taking a cruise on Windermere, or simply visiting the many local attractions in Ambleside and nearby towns and villages.
Rooms
Due to the layout of the hotel, each room is individual, and all rooms vary in size and layout, giving each one a character of its own. The beds are large with excellent pillows, and toiletries in the modern bathrooms are by The White Company. Lake View rooms with some rather nice extras, including gin and tonic with ice bucket, bottled water, nuts, crisps, sweets, and a bowl of fruit. Some rooms also have an electric fire in the corner, which is a great addition, especially in the winter. Little touches, such as stocking on Christmas morning and the present from Santa, show how loved this hotel is and how much effort they put into making each guest’s stay special.
The hotel provides dog beds, doggy dishes, dinner mats, and doggy treats if you bring your four-legged friends. You can have breakfast and supper in the bar area (dogs are not allowed in the restaurant).
Service & Facilities
Guests of The Waterhead hotel receive full complimentary membership of their sister hotel’s leisure complex Low Wood Leisure Club, located at Low Wood, just 1 mile away. Facilities include a feature pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, solarium, gymnasium, squash court, and hair and beauty salons.
Food & Drink
The Bar and Grill Restaurant at the Waterhead present diners with a menu championing local ingredients with a modern-day twist on popular, regional dishes set in a bright, modern setting with subdued décor and interesting lighting, adding a contemporary element, all of which serve to create an intimate, relaxed environment.
The Waterhead Bar and Lounge offers diners an all-day menu set in a relaxed, modern environment with a choice of enjoying the lake views from the comfort of the bar or lounge or ‘al fresco’ on the hotel’s lakeside garden and terrace. The gin cocktails here are sublime!
Conclusion
You might be tempted by other more expensive hotels in the area, but once you have tried the Waterhead boutique hotel, you will keep coming back. It has all the little niceties of a luxury hotel without the slightly antiquated feel that can happen in some English Country House Hotels (which this certainly isn’t!). Enjoy a day exploring the Lake District and then an alfresco evening drink with immense views over Lake Windermere. What more could you want?
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