We check into Rothay Manor Hotel, a luxury Lake District bolthole that lifts the spirits and is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing retreat with some seriously good food.

Driving to the Lake District for a few days escape is always an absolute treat and so we were as giddy as Peter Rabbit in a vegetable patch when the call came to check out the beautiful Rothay Manor in the heart of Beatrix Potter country.

Rothay Manor, Cumbria, Ambleside, hotel, Lake District

Located on the outskirts of Ambleside at the northern end of England’s largest great lake, Rothay Manor is a beautiful boutique country hotel that has been reborn and reinvented to allow guests to unwind in country style elegance and the perfect bolthole from which to enjoy everything this glorious part of the world has to offer.

Close enough to walk into the town but comfortably set back from the busy centre for an altogether calmer experience, Rothay Manor has been earning rave reviews for not only its stunning rooms and location but for its seriously impressive award-winning food.

There are 23 rooms in total – 15 in the main regency-style building and eight in the newly built, contemporary Pavillion Suite, which blends effortlessly into its countryside surroundings and where we were lucky enough to stay the night.

Each of the rooms are individually designed, some with balconies and others, as in our case,  with a huge wrap around courtyard and delightful wooden hot tub to frolic about in.

Generously sized, sumptuously furnished and kitted out with luxurious fittings and amenities, our gorgeous garden room was fabulous. An enormous squishy bed, feather pillows, Egyptian cotton bedding, a seating area, desk, tea and coffee-making facilities and fluffy robes soon had us feeling at home.

Rothay Manor April 2022, hotel, restaurant, Lake Ditrict, Cumbria

But our favourite space was the bathroom. It’s huge, beautifully decorated with high quality features, a roll top bath, a stunning double shower and all the Bath House products you could wish for.

With 3 rosettes and a Michelin Plate under its belt, Rothay Manor takes food very seriously and with the creative talent of head chef Aaron Lawrence at the helm, locally sourced produce is expertly crafted into mouth-watering works of edible art.

There are two options for dinner in the main restaurant– the Signature – a six course tasting menu or the à la carte at £64 for two courses or £79 for three. We decided on the à la carte and it’s the kind of menu you want to savour, discuss and enjoy, all while trying to pace yourself with the delicious homemade bread and amuse-bouche that come your way.

It would be impossible to make a wrong choice, but we finally settled on Glazed Herdwick Lamb Shoulder, Loch Duart Salmon Cannelloni for starters and Lemon Sole with Crab Ravioli and Pan-roasted Orkney Scallop with crispy Belly Pork for mains with a recommended bottle of rose. All totally delicious and stunningly presented it was a meal worthy of all the rosettes you can throw at it.  We rounded things off with a selection of cheeses and port, served up by our wonderful and super-knowledgeable waiter for the evening.

They also offer a weekly Sunday roast between 12 and 2pm so if you’re ever passing this neck of the woods, be sure to give it a try.

You can’t talk about Rothay Manor without mentioning our four-legged friends, because this place is more than just dog-friendly, they absolutely love them and for an extra £25 a night, in selected rooms, they are treated like royalty with a deluxe dog bed, bowl, towel and treats thrown in. They are also allowed to dine with you in designated areas and ours couldn’t believe his luck as he trotted down the next morning for a sausage breakfast and loads of attention. There’s even a dog washroom for hosing down muddy paws after a day larking round the lake.

With literary museums are on the doorstep, no end of hills and fells to climb, lakes for swimming and paddle-boarding and some wonderful shops, cafes and restaurants to explore, this is a place that invigorates the soul and recharges even the flattest of batteries.

The team at Rothay Manor really know their stuff. Skill and passion combine to provide a getaway that is as comfortable and relaxing as it is luxurious. This is certainly one beautiful boutique hotel we can’t recommend highly enough.

It’s glamorous and chic yet cosy and fuss-free, and in the words of that famous lakeside dweller Beatrix Potter herself, located in “a near perfect place as I ever lived”.

She was probably right.

Rothay Manor Hotel, Ambleside, Cumbria LA22 0EH
T: 01539 433605
W: rothaymanor.co.uk