Three hotels in Cumbria have been recognised in a new awards scheme from the Michelin Guide.

The Michelin Keys have been created to recognise outstanding hotels around the UK which is the "culmination of countless hours of evaluation" from inspectors.

A hotel can be awarded One, Two or Three Keys, which is the equivalent of Michelin stars for a restaurant.

Discussing the Keys, the Michelin Guide explained: "These are places that significantly add to your experience as a traveller, each vetted by our hotel experts and judged excellent in five categories: architecture and interior design; quality and consistency of service; overall personality and character; value for the price; and a significant contribution to the guest experience in a particular setting."

The full list of the UK winners of Michelin Keys for 2024 can be found on the website here.

Which Cumbrian hotels won Michelin Keys?

The hotels recognised in the new Michelin Guide awards scheme were:

  • Windermere, England: Gilpin Hotel & Lake House (two keys)
  • Windermere, England: The Samling Hotel (two keys)
  • Grasmere: Forest Side Hotel (one key)
  • Windermere: Linthwaite House Hotel (one key)

Gilpin Hotel & Lake House

The guide said: "At the accessible end of the Lake District, a mile or two above Windermere, the grandest of the lakes, there’s a family-owned country house hotel which, over the last two decades, has quietly, painstakingly made a reputation for itself. Despite a welcome modern influence in the design — and in the architecture of its graceful expansions — Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is a classic.

"As its name suggests, it’s in a sense two hotels in one. The Gilpin Hotel is the original house, surrounded by modern lodges clad in natural wood and stone, while the more intimate six-bedroom Lake House is set on its own 100-acre estate, about a mile away.

"They’re linked by an on-demand shuttle service, and while the Lake House is supplied with its own treatment room, hot tubs, and saunas, Lake House guests are welcome at the Gilpin Hotel for dinner and for anything else that strikes their fancy.

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"And while some country house hotels go too far in the direction of playful modernity or historical correctness, Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is a measured blend of the two. Even the classic rooms in the old house have evolved with the times — they’re contemporary Georgian, not period-reenactment Georgian.

"And the modern rooms and suites in the newer buildings are just plain contemporary, their clean lines and cutting-edge gadgetry lending themselves to a feel that’s much more urbane than you might expect from the Lake District.

"The expansive and thougtful public rooms are meant to be lived in rather than rented out, and the spa is fully equipped. And the restaurants are impressive as well — the fine-dining Source is the recipient of a MICHELIN Star, and it’s joined by the more casual Asian-accented Gilpin Spice."

The Samling Hotel

They said: "It’s a dense country, and it’s hard to find a place that feels truly remote. But deep in the Cumbrian countryside of North West England, on a hillside above the shores of Lake Windermere, you’ll find the Samling, an 18th-century house that’s entering a new phase of life as an intimate 11-room boutique hotel.

"Here “intimate” isn’t an exaggeration. It’s a small enough house that it can be booked in its entirety for larger parties, and even when it’s operating as a normal hotel it’s smaller and less fussy than the ordinary country-house hotel. Rather than a period drama full of maids and footmen, it’s a bit more like a private vacation home — service is excellent, but secondary to the main spectacle, which is the house, the estate and the lake.

"Those surroundings, it must be said, are also a bit of a departure from the country-house hotel norm. Rather than acre after acre of manicured parkland, here you’re surrounded by a rough and wild landscape. From the stately rooms to the elegant restaurant to the bramble and bush on the hillside above the lake — the Samling is an experience of contrasts from beginning to end."

Grasmere: Forest Side Hotel 

The guide said: "Enjoy afternoon tea in the elegant fire-lit lounge while admiring the view over the deer-filled grounds towards the mountains.

"Both the guest areas and bedrooms have a modern country house style and there’s a laid back feel throughout."

Linthwaite House Hotel

They said: "The Lake District isn’t short of hotels or bed-and-breakfasts, but there are few that can compete on the level of Linthwaite House. Take a setting as striking as any (in this case an Edwardian manor house surrounded by fourteen acres of woodlands and gardens, looking out over the picturesque Lake Windermere), add the kind of style credentials many a city hotel would kill for, and what you’ve got is something special indeed.

"With just thirty-one rooms, it’s intimate enough, and yet with a professional edge as well — splitting the difference between formal and casual. The interiors, for example, show a designer’s hand, but they’re loose and eclectic enough to feel lived-in as well. CD players and satellite television are standard, as are luxurious modern bathrooms.

"The restaurant, Henrock, is the work of restaurateur Simon Rogan, and combines ultra-local ingredients with global flavors, while the conservatory and lounge serve cocktails with a view of Lake Windermere. Conference facilities and business services are available, but Linthwaite House’s guests are more likely to be couples on a romantic weekend than busy executives — the Lake District lends itself more readily to romance than to business, after all."