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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Travel
Helen Pickles

The best Lake District hotels for 2026, with spas and Michelin stars

Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is just 10 minutes from Windermere’s lakeshore - (Gilpin Hotel & Lake House)

The best Lake District hotels encapsulate all that is magnificent about the region, with carefully designed interiors that reflect the lakeland outside, and restaurants making the most of local produce.

They also succeed in is letting the great outdoors speak for itself, while providing guests with indulgent comforts after a day of adventure. You don’t have to be a seasoned fell walker to enjoy the Lake District’s natural offerings, as the area’s beauty can be absorbed from lake cruises. There are also grand houses with impressive gardens, plus the homes of writers, poets and artists to explore (poet William Wordsworth arguably put the region on the map). What’s more, there is a jaw-dropping food and drink scene, with 13 Michelin-starred restaurants, and numerous craft breweries and distilleries.

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