Gilpin sits in its own grounds a few miles above Windermere, up a winding country lane, and it is the hotel that most visitors to the southern Lakes dream of for an anniversary, a honeymoon or a winter treat. It has three personalities. The Edwardian main house holds about half the rooms plus the restaurants and the sitting rooms, with a log fire in winter. Modern suites and lodges are scattered across the grounds, many with private hot tubs and some with their own saunas and steam rooms, so you can soak outdoors under winter stars. A mile away, the Lake House, a former fishing lodge on a private tarn, has six rooms, its own spa facilities and an indoor pool. Dining is a headline: SOURCE is the Michelin-starred tasting-menu restaurant, and Gilpin Spice is a casual pan-Asian restaurant with two AA Rosettes. Children are welcome from the age of seven, and the atmosphere leans quiet and grown-up.
Location and getting around
Gilpin is not a walk-to-the-pier hotel. It is a few miles from Windermere and Bowness, so you will want a car or a taxi for the lake, the cruises and the villages, though parking at the hotel is free. The reward is silence, woodland and a sense of being far from the crowds. Windermere railway station is a short taxi ride, and the Hill Top, Hawkshead and Grasmere day trips are all within a half hour by road.
The rooms
Choose by mood. Main house rooms have the old-world feel, with garden suites that add private verandas and hot tubs. The grounds suites and lodges are modern and spacious, ideal in winter when a hot tub with a view across the garden is the whole point of the stay. The Lake House rooms share a cedar hot tub and a Japanese soaking bath, with the lake outside the window. Rooms vary widely in price, so match the category to the occasion and book early for weekends and Christmas week.
Good to know
Breakfast and dinner are central to the stay, so many guests book dinner at SOURCE ahead of arrival. The grounds hold gardens, lawns and some friendly alpacas and llamas, and the spa facilities are part of the appeal. Pets are not mentioned as welcome, so check the policy before you travel with a dog. It suits couples, small celebrations and anyone who wants a gourmet winter weekend; families with children under seven and travellers who want to stroll to the lake should choose elsewhere.
Why stay here
- ✓Michelin-starred SOURCE restaurant
- ✓Gilpin Spice pan-Asian restaurant
- ✓Private hot tubs in many rooms
- ✓Spa suites with sauna and steam room
- ✓Lake House with indoor pool
- ✓Garden grounds with alpacas and llamas
- ✓Log fires in winter
- ✓Free on-site parking
Good questions
Is Gilpin close to Windermere and Bowness?+
It is a few miles up a country lane, so a car or taxi is needed for the lake and the villages. Free parking is available at the hotel.
Can children stay at Gilpin?+
Children are welcome from the age of seven. It is a quiet, couple-oriented retreat, so families with younger children should choose a different hotel.
What is the Lake House?+
A former fishing lodge about a mile away on a private tarn, with six rooms, its own spa facilities and an indoor pool. Guests there share a cedar hot tub and a Japanese soaking bath.
