- Play Hard
- 29th May 2026
- 0
- 0 minute
Why Gilpin Hotel is the ultimate luxury spa staycation in the Lake District
Tucked into the hills above Windermere, Gilpin Hotel is the kind of place that quietly redefines what a hotel stay can feel like.
There’s a particular kind of hotel that doesn’t need to shout about itself. No grand lobby statements, no trend-chasing aesthetics, no sense that it’s performing luxury for the sake of it. Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, set across two gorgeous estates in the Lake District, is exactly that kind of place. Discreet, deeply considered and consistently brilliant, it has built a reputation over decades as one of the finest small hotels in the country.
And for North East residents, it’s closer than you might think. Just over an hour and a half from Newcastle, the Lake District is one of our most beloved and accessible escapes, and Gilpin sits at the very top of what the area has to offer. Whether you’re planning a landmark celebration, a proper restorative break or simply a long overdue treat, this is a hotel that delivers on every level. It is, in the very best sense of the phrase, worth every penny.
A warm welcome
This is a family-run hotel in the truest sense. The Cunliffe family have owned and shaped Gilpin Hotel for over 30 years, and that personal investment shows in every detail, from the warmth of the welcome to the care that has gone into every corner of both properties. January 2026 saw the arrival of new General Manager Chris Cooper, who joins from The Grand in York where he was Hotel Manager that took Hotel of the Year at the 2022 Cateys. He brings with him over 15 years of luxury hotel experience across some of the finest properties in the country, including Rockliffe Hall right here in County Durham.
The atmosphere is intimate without being precious, relaxed but extremely considered. Whilst they do hold exclusive weddings and events at the Lake House, these book out the entire venue. So during your stay, expect total peace – there’ll be no weddings, conferences or children under seven during your stay – just very warm and welcoming staff, fresh flowers and genuinely unpretentious service.
TWO HOTELS, TWO EXPERIENCES
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is made up of two distinct hotels on two separate estates, just over a mile apart, and choosing between them is a very pleasant dilemma to have.
Gilpin Lake House
Gilpin Lake House sits a mile away on its own 100-acre private estate, with just eight bedrooms sharing the boathouse, spa treatment room, hot tubs, sauna and swimming pool. This is a genuinely rare thing. It’s a place that feels like an entirely private retreat while delivering everything you’d expect of a boutique hotel.
Guests at the Lake House can be transported to and from Gilpin Hotel for dining and drinks, and the property is also available for exclusive hire, making it one of the most beautiful and intimate wedding venues in the north of England.
Gilpin Hotel
Gilpin Hotel is set in 21 acres of Lakeland countryside, with accomodation ranging from beautifully appointed bedrooms through to some of the most extraordinary suites you’ll find anywhere in the country. All six Junior Suites and six Garden Suites feature decked or slate patios with their own outdoor hot tubs. The five Spa Lodges go further still, each with an ensuite spa featuring rainmaker showers and steam rooms inside, and hydrotherapy hot tubs and saunas outside.
Then there are the five Spa Suites, and these are something else entirely. Each features a bedroom that appears to float over a pond with mountain views, a spacious living area with lounge, dining table and bar, a huge circular stone bath and a double shower. The ensuite spa room includes a sauna, steam room, infrared lounge bed and a state-of-the-art automated massage chair. It’s the kind of amenity that turns a one-night stay into a full, deeply restorative experience, and is a suite that could genuinely hold its own against anything in Europe.
There are two restaurants, a Champagne bar, a lounge and terraces – and a unique touch in the form of its resident llamas, alpacas and pot-bellied pigs.
DINING AT GILPIN
Michelin-Starred dining at SOURCE
SOURCE – Gilpin’s flagship fine dining restaurant – deserves a feature entirely of its own. Formerly known as HRiSHi, Source holds a Michelin Star and four AA Rosettes and is open every evening, as well as Friday and Saturday lunchtimes (perfect for a leisurely lunch before heading back to your in-room spa…). The team – led by chef Kevin Scanlan – work with exceptional seasonal ingredients, with menus built around local produce, sustainability and meticulous detail. Dishes are introduced with real knowledge and genuine enthusiasm, and the wine pairings are as considered as the food itself.
The menu rotates to reflect what’s seasonal and what’s at its very best, so no two visits are quite the same. Past highlights from guests have included an outstanding trout dish, beautifully constructed bread courses and a succession of flavour combinations that you don’t forget in a hurry. Service is warm and unpretentious. This is not a restaurant that rushes, and the setting is dark and romantic without being moody.
Gilpin Spice
Gilpin also houses Gilpin Spice, a relaxed, two AA Rosette restaurant serving pan-Asian dishes inspired by the spice trail, with cuisines spanning the Philippines to China.
Expect a vibey atmosphere – there’s an open kitchen where you can see the chefs at work, and even some tables at the pass so you can enjoy the evening at the ‘chef’s table’.
The fact that the hotel runs two such distinct and accomplished restaurants side by side, at Michelin Star and casual level respectively, says everything about the ambition here.
Wherever your mood takes you on any given evening, Gilpin has it covered.
Gilpin, Crook Road, Windermere LA23 3NE
Subscribe
Subscribe now to receive our twice-weekly emails and exclusive offers for High Life North readers.