Review: Gilpin Hotel – a luxurious Lake District getaway to eat, sleep and unwind

With two hotels on two separate estates a mile apart, Gilpin Hotel and Lake House is the very epitome of luxury. Whether you’re after Lakeland views, spa facilities, your very own hot tub, or a suite overlooking the mountains, you’ll find the perfect package for a real treat of a getaway. It also has two very different restaurants, one of which is Michelin starred, led by two high-profile chefs.

For Barney Cunliffe and his wife Zoë, who run Gilpin on a day-to-day basis, sustainability is at the heart of the venue. This includes reducing food miles, a ‘nose to tail’ ethos across the restaurants, and their own ‘vertical farm’.

With its Windermere location, an area boasting some of the best walks in England, Gilpin is perfectly placed for those who want to turn a Lake District hike or two into an unforgettable weekend away. There’s a bounty of natural beauty on the doorstep, and all the luxurious pampering touches you could need for a stay that’s both relaxing and rejuvenating. This is not a cheap break, of course, though winter provides some great deals. But for a special occasion, it’s unbeatable.

Stay in a spa suite or a floating bedroom with mountain views

Gilpin Hotel offers a range of breathtakingly beautiful accommodation. All 30 bedrooms have Lakeland views, with most leading directly onto the gardens. There are a selection of junior suites and garden suites all with their own outdoor hot tubs, as well as five spa lodges which come with their own spa (rainmaker showers and steam rooms inside, hydrotherapy hot tubs and saunas outside).

If you really want to treat yourself, check out the spa suites, with stunning touches including a bedroom ‘floating’ over the pond with views to the mountains. You’ll also have a living area with a large lounge, a circular stone bath and double shower, and your very own spa room with a sauna, steam room, infrared lounge bed, and an automated massage chair. Plus a huge outdoor hot tub to really relax and unwind in the clean country air.

Or if you’re staying at Gilpin Lake House, which is a mile away on a separate estate, you can take advantage of the Lake House spa, boat house, hot tubs, as well as a picturesque private lake and grounds.

Choose from Michelin star or pan-Asian dining

Gilpin Hotel offers a choice of dining options, with Michelin starred Source offering the more decadent option. Executive chef Ollie Bridgwater arrived at Source at Gilpin Hotel (previously named HRiSHi) in January 2023, having previously spent a decade at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck, which has three Michelin stars.

The tasting menu takes diners on a journey, with a procession of locally sourced and exquisitely prepared dishes. The menu changes seasonally, and on our visit, dishes included a chilled gazpacho of herbs, scallop and pickled radish; roast Scottish lobster with lettuce, peanut and chilli; a silky loin of cod with almond, asparagus, roe and jamon; and sirloin of beef with onion, morel, wild garlic and ale. The tasting menu is £120, with a three-course a la carte option for £90.

For a more relaxed lunch or dinner, Gilpin Spice is headed up by award-winning Welsh chef Tom Westerland, formerly of Lucknam Park and Ember at Crockers in Henley-on-Thames. With two AA Rosettes, the laid-back restaurant has an open kitchen serving pan-Asian dishes inspired by countries along the spice trail, such as chilli paneer fry; Cumbrian saddleback pork belly with tonkotsu, kimchi, sesame and pickled ginger; or Herdwick lamb rump boti. Larger dishes are around the £18 – £20 mark. 

There’s also an option for an indulgent afternoon tea (from £30) or cream tea (from £10.50) for a little pick-me-up. They’re served every afternoon.

Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, Crook Road, Windermere, The Lake District – thegilpin.co.uk.