TWENTY boutique hotels, B&Bs and luxury country houses in Cumbria have been listed in ‘The Good Hotel Guide’.

The Lake District, and surrounding areas, offers some spectacular walks and scenery with beautiful lakes, fells and mountains – making it one of the most enchanting locations to visit in the country.

We’ve taken a look at the very best places where you could stay when visiting Cumbria which have been registered in the leading independent guide to hotels in Great Britain.

Comments have been based on readers' reviews to The Good Hotel Guide.

In alphabetical order based on location:

  • Cuckoo Brow Inn (Ambleside) – described as a ‘Lakeland gem’. The country inn nestled between Windermere and Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top home offers ‘robust food, a relaxed atmosphere, toasty log-burners’, as well as ‘quiet and peaceful rooms’.
  •  Ees Wyke Country House (Ambleside) – With spectacular views over Esthwaite Water, this ‘restful and relaxing’ hotel makes you feel instantly at home. Beatrix Potter herself spent three summers at this Georgian residence before buying her home at Hill Top, in Far Sawrey.
  • Randy Pike (Ambleside) – A former hunting lodge now turned is B&B. Its three house suites and stand-alone pavilion are styled with ‘tremendous pizzazz’.
  • Rothay Manor (Ambleside) - A contemporary country house with a hint of a private member’s club.
  • Lindeth Fell (Bowness-on-Windermere) - This Edwardian country house lies is part of the Storrs Collection. On cold days you can take tea by the fire in one of the lounges. When the sun shines, sit out on the terrace, or order a packed lunch, and picnic by the tarn in grounds.
  • Storrs Hall (Bowness-on-Windermere) - This Georgian hall has a relaxed country-house feel, with formal and casual dining options, and bedrooms ranging from family friendly to seriously swanky.
  • L’Enclume (Cartmel) – This three-star Michelin restaurant with rooms has received a plethora of awards. The rooms are ‘warm, welcoming and very calming’ and each come with their own expresso machine. One reader described the restaurant as ‘a fabulous foodie experience - around 15 courses that look as exquisite as they taste’.
  • The Grasmere Hotel (Grasmere) – This small country-house hotel is set back behind a leafy drive with a garden bordered by the River Rothay. Individually styled bedrooms are attractive, unshowy. ‘Vintage-style trunks as bedside tables add character’.
  • The Yan at Broadrayne (Grasmere) - A contemporary hotel offering sleek bedrooms and a popular bistro. There are also two glamping pods.

(Image: The Yan at Broadrayne (top l),The Punch Bowl Inn (top r), Storrs Hall (bottom l), The Grasmere Hotel)

  • Victorian House (Grasmere) – A dog friendly property which boasts original Victorian features alongside boutique decor in the bedrooms. Expect a light and airy feel with serene, muted colours, vintage rugs on slate floors, modern art, and plush sofas in the public rooms.
  • Hare and Hounds (Kendal) - An equestrian theme runs through this Georgian former coaching inn. Spread across four buildings, the characterful, on-trend bedrooms have a rainfall shower, an espresso machine, slow gin and Bramley toiletries.
  • The Punch Bowl Inn (Kendal) – A village inn in Lyth Valley which offers 'top-notch food', 'great service' and country-style bedrooms.
  • The Sun Inn (Kirkby Lonsdale) – This dog-friendly pub with rooms deftly mixes historic charm beams, crackling fires and exposed stonework – with an updated, modern touch.
  • Augill Castle (Kirkby Stephen) – Located within 15 acres of grounds, this family-friendly Victorian-folly castle is ‘a magical place to stay’.
  • The Black Swan (Kirkby Stephen) -This four-star, dog-friendly hotel has all the hallmarks of a much-loved village inn, which has a particular reputation for its food.
  • The Swan Hotel & Spa (Newby Bridge) - Family and dog-friendly hotel which has a spa and easy access to lake-based activities. Bedrooms have bold patterned wallpaper, oversized headboards, and minibar; loft suites have an electric log-burner, an in-room bath, a super-king bed with pop-up TV.
  • 1863 (Pooley Bridge) – Located in a touristy village on the River Eamont, at the head of Ullswater this restaurant also offers a selection of rooms. One reader described having ‘one of the finest dining experiences’ they had ever had.
  • The Black Bull (Sedbergh) - This 17th-century former coaching inn, provides 'fantastic food with an Asian twist' along with uncluttered, contemporary wood-panelled bedrooms.
  • Another Place (Ullswater) – There is a wide choice of bedrooms in this original Georgian house with contemporary annexes and suites. You can also eat in the fine-dining Rampsbeck Restaurant.
  • Cedar Manor (Windermere) – A boutique Victorian gothic hotel close to the town centre. Readers praised the individually designed contemporary style bedrooms. ‘Even four days of wind and rain could not ruin our stay’.
  • Gilpin Hotel and Lake House (Windermere) – ‘Lakeland luxury at its finest’ one guest said. The hotel offers Michelin-starred dining, private hot tubs in the majority of its indulgent rooms and a spa complete with hot tub and sauna.

(Image: The Black Swan (top l), Gilpin Hotel & Lake House (top r), 1863 (bottom l), Another Place (bottom r)