Review of Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel, by Angela Moore

The Holbeck Ghyll is a very good little boutique hotel, with possibly the best position in Windermere, high on a hill above the lake. You get no traffic noise here, as you do at the Samling (which this boutique hotel overlooks). It's got a bit of everything - cosy English chintziness in the main house, more contemporary chic in the Lodge. It's more formal than Linthwaite House but still manages a relaxed, welcoming feel.

The facilities

The boutique hotel's house itself is lovely; built in the 1870s, it has arts and crafts flourishes in stained glass and carved wood. It was built to take advantage of its marvellous position, so the sitting rooms (fireplaces, wooden floors, rugs and fresh flowers) have panoramic views over the lake. There are also views from the dining room. The food at the restaurant, Michelin-starred, is reputed to be excellent.

Outside Holbeck Ghyll, the silence is only broken by the noise of the rushing stream. There are little wrought-iron tables to sit at on a stone terrace. If the weather gods smile on you, you can dine outside in summer, under the stars. If it rains, there's enough room downstairs so that you can find a private corner in which to curl up comfortably with a book.

The boutique hotel has a generous policy towards well-behaved children - babysitting and baby-listening, extra beds, children's menus. No kids in the dining room after 7.30, which is fair enough. It also has a couple of cottages which you can book, which are perfect for a family trip.

Overall? Unpretentious and comfortable, high service levels, everything beautifully put together - a winner.

The rooms

The boutique hotel has 23 rooms in all, the majority in the main house and some newer rooms in the annexe. Rooms in the main house are chintzy and traditional but very appealing - light and elegant rather than fusty. They also fit these surrounds well - that view is so wonderfully English. If you can't see the lake from your room you will have access to a terrace with a view. There are a few lovely surprises - here a proper fireplace, there a private terrace.

Holbeck Ghyll's annexe Lodge is a bit of an ugly duckling of a building from the outside. On the inside, though, it's all swan. Well-proportioned rooms with lots of space and décor that's contemporary but still English and elegant. There's no chocolate suede in sight - rather sage greens, subtly patterned wallpaper, smart bathrooms. The Miss Potter Suite has triple access onto its own private terrace, complete with a private hot tub.