Gilpin Hotel & Lake House

“Exceeded all expectations”

Booked this hotel for a relaxing night away with my partner and we enjoyed every second of our stay. It exceeded all our expectations. This was our first stay at this hotel but definitely not the last one. The hotel itself is beautiful with elegant touches and relaxing spaces. The staff went above … more

Booked this hotel for a relaxing night away with my partner and we enjoyed every second of our stay. It exceeded all our expectations. This was our first stay at this hotel but definitely not the last one. The hotel itself is beautiful with elegant touches and relaxing spaces. The staff went above and beyond and every person we spoke to was very professional and friendly. The room was spotless and we slept very well. We had drinks in the bar before dinner whilst listening to a live piano music which you don't see much anymore these days. Really enjoyed it. We ate the Spice restaurant which was delicious. The service and the food quality was top class special mention to Gloria. Looking forward to our next stay.

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“Exceptional Personalised Experience”

My partner and I have stayed in many hotels over the years, but our recent stay at the Gilpin Hotel & Lake House genuinely stood out as something rather special. From the moment we arrived, there was an immediate sense that this wasn't just another luxury hotel. It has a wonderfully intimate charm… more

My partner and I have stayed in many hotels over the years, but our recent stay at the Gilpin Hotel & Lake House genuinely stood out as something rather special. From the moment we arrived, there was an immediate sense that this wasn't just another luxury hotel. It has a wonderfully intimate charm that is difficult to describe until you experience it for yourself. There's a calmness about the place, but also something intriguing that makes you want to explore every corner. It felt like somewhere designed for people who want to slow down, reconnect and simply decompress. As someone who works in a creative profession, I found it incredibly inspiring. The check-in process was warm, relaxed and very personal. Rather than feeling like another booking, we felt like welcomed guests. It was noticeable that several people seemed to know members of staff by name, and it quickly became apparent that many guests were returning visitors. That, perhaps more than anything, speaks volumes about the experience the Gilpin provides. The room was very cosy, spacious, personalised and luxurious with a huge bed and couch in the room and all other expected amenities, plenty of tea/coffee along with a well stocked mini bar. The interior design was excellent. Bathrooms were large and spacious and very warm - The view was very relaxing, although from our room we mostly were opposite woodland. The hotel ambience was excellent - very soothing background music which was pleasing, and enhanced the relaxation atmosphere. The hotel was exceptionally clean and very intriguing - you could sit in any of the rooms and look around - there were many different types of books, magazines, games to use if we wanted. One of the unexpected highlights of the evening was enjoying some live piano music while relaxing with pre-dinner cocktails. It created a sophisticated yet welcoming atmosphere and perfectly complemented the surroundings. It wasn't intrusive or overpowering—it simply enhanced the whole experience and made the start of the evening feel genuinely special. Dinner at the Spice restaurant completely exceeded our expectations. The restaurant itself is absolutely stunning, with beautiful décor that manages to feel contemporary while remaining warm and intimate. Every member of staff was attentive, knowledgeable and effortlessly professional, creating an experience that felt both relaxed and refined. The food quite simply blew us away. Between us we enjoyed two starters and two main courses, and every dish offered unique flavours, textures and combinations that we had never experienced before. It was obvious that an enormous amount of creativity and skill had gone into every plate. It wasn't just a meal—it was an experience. We both agreed without hesitation that we would return to the Gilpin for Spice alone. Breakfast the following morning was equally impressive. The quality of the ingredients, the presentation and the attentive service ensured that our stay ended just as strongly as it had begun. What impressed us most, however, was the people. Every member of staff we encountered was genuinely friendly, approachable and professional. There was an authenticity to the hospitality that cannot be trained—it simply felt as though everyone genuinely cared about creating a memorable experience for their guests. My partner was formerly Senior Operations Manager at the Pullman Liverpool, so naturally she notices the finer details of hotel operations. She commented throughout our stay on how impressed she was by the professionalism, warmth and consistency shown by both the staff and management. I completely shared her view. Likewise, as a professional musician who has performed in hotels for many years and currently holds residencies in prominent city-centre hotels, I have experienced hospitality venues from a slightly different perspective. The Gilpin has created something quite unique. There is an atmosphere and character here that is difficult to manufacture, that feels very genuine. In terms of getting here we travelled from Liverpool and the journey took 90 minutes in total and was a safe pleasant drive from leaving the M6 motorway. There were no difficult country roads to navigate and the views were excellent as well.. On a final note, we took a drive to the Lakeland Country House to check out the facilities. These were also excellent and deserve a review in their own right, which I will leave to my partner to do - we didn't stay here but on first impressions will seriously consider it in Autumn... On a final note, our sincere thanks to everyone who made our stay so memorable. We left feeling refreshed, inspired and already talking about when we might return in the Autumn. For anyone looking for a luxurious escape that combines exceptional food, outstanding hospitality and a wonderfully intimate atmosphere, we honestly couldn't recommend the Gilpin highly enough.

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“Very enjoyable, but why apply sneaky charges?”

Quirky hotel, wonderful, friendly staff, superb food at Spice, but very disappointing Spa. The Spa was an absolute joke, comprising of two outdoor hot tubs, each around 2 metres in diameter. What left a nasty taste, having paid £450 per night for B&B, was the sneaky Discretionary Accommodation Serv… more

Quirky hotel, wonderful, friendly staff, superb food at Spice, but very disappointing Spa. The Spa was an absolute joke, comprising of two outdoor hot tubs, each around 2 metres in diameter. What left a nasty taste, having paid £450 per night for B&B, was the sneaky Discretionary Accommodation Service Charge, of £27.97p, per night, added to the bill!!! Does this 5 star Hotel expect us to make our own beds, each morning?? Sorry, stayed at numerous locations in the Lake District, and won’t return to The Gilpin, and told all my pals about the “ripoff”

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“Average Stay”

I booked a 3 night stay for our 35th wedding anniversary and 60th birthday which i told them about beforehand. On arrival we had a card wishing us a Happy Anniversary. I was disappointed that a 5 star hotel didn't even offer us a complimentary glass of champagne or chocolates. We stayed during th… more

I booked a 3 night stay for our 35th wedding anniversary and 60th birthday which i told them about beforehand. On arrival we had a card wishing us a Happy Anniversary. I was disappointed that a 5 star hotel didn't even offer us a complimentary glass of champagne or chocolates. We stayed during the heatwave and i asked for a fan for our room, to which i was told she would look into it and get back to me and even offered me her personal fan. I never had a call back. The room was nice but very hot. The Spice restaurant was very good and the staff were very friendly but i would not give it 5 stars.

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