Check out that Granola
A relaxing weekend break cannot be beaten and the Lake District is always one of my favourite destinations. We drove up to the Lakes on Thursday and arrived in 20 degree sunshine and clear skys. The weather was typically mixed over the next few days with a few incredible ones and a few with those famous showers.
We stayed in the Luxury Windermere Suites which were beautiful and right in the centre of Windermere. The Suites are spacious with great facilities including a fantastic breakfast, Jacuzzi bath, bathroom TV, walk-in shower, walk-in wardrobe and our Suite had a lovely secluded patio to enjoy the sunshine. We booked 'Ambleside' which was one of eight Suites in the Hotel, all named after local towns. The large patio doors let in the beautiful morning sunshine and the heated floors are a real winner with tired feet after a long walk.
The breakfast menu has everything you could wish for on it with options from fresh fruit, granola, smoked salmon, eggs benedict and the local Full English. You can choose what time time you would like it and it gets delivered to your room, in our case through a breakfast hatch. You can then enjoy it outside, at the pretty table in your room or in bed!
Windermere town is just 2 minutes from where we stayed and the larger Bowness-On-Windermere is around 10 minutes walk down to the harbour. Windermere is a pretty town with independent Coffee Shops, Interiors Shops and a great choice of Restaurants including the brilliant Porto which was recommended by the Hotel. This was easily my favourite meal of the weekend with a small, beautiful Dining Room and a really exquisite menu. Ensure you book this one to avoid disappointment. We started with the Arancini Risotto balls with poached pear and toasted walnuts and the Lamb Koftas with pickled cucumber which were incredibly presented and tasted even better. We then indulged in the Pan Seared Fillet of Loch Duart Salmon with a Lobster bisque and the melt in your mouth Pork Belly. Dessert had to be the Porto Chocolate Orange!
Our weekend in the lakes involved more than just drinking too much wine. We took out a boat on Lake Windermere one morning which in 10 miles long so has plenty to explore. At around £20 for 2 people I'd highly recommend this. We took the Ferry over to the West side of the lake and did a long, beautiful walk though woodlands and alongside stone walls and wild flowers. It was pretty fresh that day so I was glad of my new Mountain Warehouse Stalactite warmstretch top. Check out the hidden away National Trust Cafe for a really decent cup of freshly brewed coffee and some homemade flapjack.
We drove up to the Kirkstone Pass which is the Lake District's highest pass with views over the valley. The road has a gradient of 1 in 4 - steep! There is the Kirkstone Pass Inn at the top which is perfect for a Shandy.
If you didn't have enough of a reason to book the Windermere Suites also has links to the Beautiful Macdonald Spa besides the Harbour which gives residents free access to the Spa during your stay. Just a 10 minute walk and you can lounge besides the Luxury indoor pool with views over the coast or enjoy the Steam Room, Sauna and Ice Room. What better way to treat yourself?
We stayed in the Luxury Windermere Suites which were beautiful and right in the centre of Windermere. The Suites are spacious with great facilities including a fantastic breakfast, Jacuzzi bath, bathroom TV, walk-in shower, walk-in wardrobe and our Suite had a lovely secluded patio to enjoy the sunshine. We booked 'Ambleside' which was one of eight Suites in the Hotel, all named after local towns. The large patio doors let in the beautiful morning sunshine and the heated floors are a real winner with tired feet after a long walk.
The breakfast menu has everything you could wish for on it with options from fresh fruit, granola, smoked salmon, eggs benedict and the local Full English. You can choose what time time you would like it and it gets delivered to your room, in our case through a breakfast hatch. You can then enjoy it outside, at the pretty table in your room or in bed!
Windermere town is just 2 minutes from where we stayed and the larger Bowness-On-Windermere is around 10 minutes walk down to the harbour. Windermere is a pretty town with independent Coffee Shops, Interiors Shops and a great choice of Restaurants including the brilliant Porto which was recommended by the Hotel. This was easily my favourite meal of the weekend with a small, beautiful Dining Room and a really exquisite menu. Ensure you book this one to avoid disappointment. We started with the Arancini Risotto balls with poached pear and toasted walnuts and the Lamb Koftas with pickled cucumber which were incredibly presented and tasted even better. We then indulged in the Pan Seared Fillet of Loch Duart Salmon with a Lobster bisque and the melt in your mouth Pork Belly. Dessert had to be the Porto Chocolate Orange!
Our weekend in the lakes involved more than just drinking too much wine. We took out a boat on Lake Windermere one morning which in 10 miles long so has plenty to explore. At around £20 for 2 people I'd highly recommend this. We took the Ferry over to the West side of the lake and did a long, beautiful walk though woodlands and alongside stone walls and wild flowers. It was pretty fresh that day so I was glad of my new Mountain Warehouse Stalactite warmstretch top. Check out the hidden away National Trust Cafe for a really decent cup of freshly brewed coffee and some homemade flapjack.
We drove up to the Kirkstone Pass which is the Lake District's highest pass with views over the valley. The road has a gradient of 1 in 4 - steep! There is the Kirkstone Pass Inn at the top which is perfect for a Shandy.
If you didn't have enough of a reason to book the Windermere Suites also has links to the Beautiful Macdonald Spa besides the Harbour which gives residents free access to the Spa during your stay. Just a 10 minute walk and you can lounge besides the Luxury indoor pool with views over the coast or enjoy the Steam Room, Sauna and Ice Room. What better way to treat yourself?
