THE LAKE DISTRICT - England 2012 and the Best of Wales - page 616

comforts. Expect Egyptian cotton sheets, bathrobes, flat-screen TVs, and Wi-Fi;
some rooms have four-poster beds and village or mountain views. Families can book
adjoining rooms with twin or single beds. Guests can enjoy cream tea in the lounge,
casual eating by the fireside in the bistro, or Cumbrian classics in the award-win-
ning restaurant.
Stock Lane, Grasmere, Cumbria LA22 9SW (turn left on the A591 at the G RASMERE VILLAGE sign, and fol-
low the road over the bridge, past the church, and around an S-bend; the Wordsworth is on the right).
www.grasmere-hotels.co.uk. & 01539/435592. Fax [phone] units. £118-£240 double;
£238-£360 suite. Rates include English breakfast. Dinner £15 extra. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Ameni-
ties: Restaurant; bar; exercise room; Jacuzzi; heated indoor pool; room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair
dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
EXPENSIVE
Swan Hotel Sir Walter Scott used to come here for a secret drink early in the
morning, and Wordsworth mentioned the place in “The Waggoner.” In fact, the poet's
wooden chair is in one of the rooms. Many bedrooms are in a modern wing, added in
1975, which fits gracefully onto the building's older core (only the shell of the original
1650 building remains). Bedrooms are comfortably furnished, each with twin or
double beds; the feature rooms have canopy or four-poster beds. The Walkers Bar is
popular with hikers (and their dogs) after a day on the fells, then clean up for British
roasts and steaks in the Waggoner's restaurant.
On the A591 (on the road to Keswick, 1 ⁄ 2 mile outside Grasmere), Grasmere, Cumbria LA22 9RF. www.
macdonaldhotels.co.uk/swan. & 0844/879-9120. Fax [phone] units. £125-£179 double.
Rates include breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; room service; spa.
In room: TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
MODERATE
Glen Rothay Hotel Built in the 17th century as a wayfarer's inn, this hotel adjoins
Dora's Field, immortalized by Wordsworth. Inside, the place has been modernized,
but original details remain, including beamed ceilings and paneling. The comfortable
bedrooms upstairs are tastefully furnished; three have four-poster beds and one a
super-king bed and Jacuzzi bath. The remainder have double or twin beds, and com-
pact tiled bathrooms, each with a shower.
On the A591 (1 1 ⁄ 2 miles northwest of Ambleside), Rydal, Ambleside, Cumbria LA22 9LR. www.theglen
rothay.co.uk. & 01539/434500. Fax [phone] units. £90 double; from £110 suite. Rates include
English breakfast. MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer.
Gold Rill Hotel This sprawling country-house hotel has the most prized loca-
tion hotel in Grasmere, alongside the lake yet only a 2-minute walk to the center of
the village. Surrounded by well-maintained gardens, the hotel has a heated outdoor
pool and a private pier. Each midsize to spacious bedroom is individually furnished,
some with king-size beds. For romantic breaks, you can arrange in advance for cham-
pagne, strawberries, and fresh flowers to be placed in the room. Guests can enjoy pub
lunches or a fine evening dinner here, often prepared with local produce.
Red Bank Rd., Grasmere, Cumbria LA22 9PU. www.gold-rill.com. & 01539/435486. 31 units. £106-
£128 double. Rates include English breakfast. MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; heated
outdoor pool; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer.
Lancrigg Vegetarian Country House Hotel With an emphasis on
vegetarian cooking, Lancrigg also caters to vegans and people with allergies. What's
more, the hotel is set in a beautiful, secluded valley that used to attract the Lake
poets to the area for inspiration. The spacious guest rooms are very English in style

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