Gilpin Hotel & Lake House

At the accessible end of the Lake District, a mile or two above Windermere, the grandest of the lakes, there’s a family-owned country house hotel which, over the last two decades, has quietly, painstakingly made a reputation for itself. Despite a welcome modern influence in the design — and in the architecture of its graceful expansions — Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is a classic. As its name suggests, it’s in a sense two hotels in one. The Gilpin Hotel is the original house, surrounded by modern lodges clad in natural wood and stone, while the more intimate six-bedroom Lake House is set on its own 100-acre estate, about a mile away. They’re linked by an on-demand shuttle service, and while the Lake House is supplied with its own treatment room, hot tubs, and saunas, Lake House guests are welcome at the Gilpin Hotel for dinner and for anything else that strikes their fancy. And while some country house hotels go too far in the direction of playful modernity or historical correctness, Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is a measured blend of the two. Even the classic rooms in the old house have evolved with the times — they’re contemporary Georgian, not period-reenactment Georgian. And the modern rooms and suites in the newer buildings are just plain contemporary, their clean lines and cutting-edge gadgetry lending themselves to a feel that’s much more urbane than you might expect from the Lake District. The expansive and thoughtful public rooms are meant to be lived in rather than rented out, and the spa is fully equipped. And the restaurants are impressive as well — the fine-dining SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel is joined by the more casual Asian-accented Gilpin Spice.