The Penn, Cumbria

The Penn – Boutique holiday stay, Windermere

The Penn is more than a place to sleep, it’s part of the holiday experience. Stylish, comfortable and effortlessly calm, it offers everything you need to switch off, recharge and enjoy your time in the Lakes. This thoughtfully styled holiday stay offers comfort, character and an ideal base for exploring Windermere, with lakeside walks, local dining and relaxed nights back home all right on your doorstep.

The draw: Six individually styled room tiers cater to every kind of trip, from the family-sized Penn Suite with its king bed, additional single room and bathtub, through to the compact, budget-friendly Tiny Penn for solo travellers. It’s a self check-in property with keyless access, so guests get a unique entry code ahead of arrival rather than a formal front desk, and it’s dog friendly too, with five pet-friendly rooms and a dog pack of bed, bowl and treats provided in-room. The location does a lot of the work as well, sitting roughly 300 metres from Windermere train station with direct trains from Manchester.

Address: Ambleside Rd, Windermere, LA23 1AQ, Cumbria

Hours: Check-in from 3pm, check-out by 10am. As a self check-in property, arrival and departure are flexible within these windows rather than tied to reception hours, with late check-out not available.

Vibe check: Calm, characterful and unfussy, designed for slow mornings and unhurried evenings rather than a full-service hotel experience. Best suited to couples, small families or solo travellers who want a stylish, independent base for exploring the Lakes without the trappings of a traditional hotel stay.