HOTEL REVIEW: FOREST SIDE, THE LAKE DISTRICT

Lake District has become our favourite family destination here in the UK. We visited Linthwaite House in Windermere last year and had such a good time that we decided to return to the Lakes again this summer. Lake District is app. 5 hours by car from London. It’s not great  for an overnight stay, but perfect for a long weekend getaway. It’s ideal for both families and couples. It really just depends on what you like to do. I love it for the scenery, hiking, spas and fine dining restaurants. It really does feel like being abroad at times. The air is so much fresher and for some miraculous reason we’ve always been blessed with good weather.

We spent 4 marvelous days in August at the wonderful Forest Side Hotel in Grasmere. Our stay was perfect from the moment we arrived. The hotel is tucked away from the village in the most romantic spot you can imagine, overlooking the mountains. Although it looks like a fairytale gothic mansion from the outside, the hotel interior has been fully modernised to a high standard. I pretty much picked the hotel based on its quaint location as I wanted to be walking distance to Grasmere village. Grasmere is one of my favourite places in Cumbria. It’s also worth a visit from an architectural and historical point of view. I love the walks in the village and admiring the picturesque cottages around Lake Grasmere. The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop does the most unique, chewie gingerbread biscuits I’ve ever tasted. It’s definitely worth a visit in you’re in the area. The town can get quite busy during the summer months, so if you’re looking for peace and quiet it might be better to visit off season, or choose a hotel within walking distance like we did.

So, lets start with the rooms. The entire hotel was renovated and modernised back in 2015, boasting 20 generous sized bedrooms.  I booked the master bedroom that can easily accommodate 4 people thanks to the two extra beds. It’s a really good size room, with nice views of the mountains.  The interior was quite traditional and romantic. I loved it. The high ceilings and Victorian windows made it feel spacious. The carpet was super soft and the wool comes from local Herdwick sheep, which was a nice touch.  The French style furniture suited the space perfectly. I think the view over the mountains was probably the best part about the entire room. It felt like being in the nature, except in  slightly more glamorous surroundings.

Interior Designer James Mackie and his team did an excellent job seeking inspiration from the nature and local wild life. The multi colour birds wallpaper in the bar area added nice contrast to the white walls. It works beautifully with the panelled bar and traditional style furniture. The entire bar area felt so comfortable and quirky that I didn’t want to leave. We ended up having lunch and after dinner drinks twice there during our stay. ‘Bringing the outdoors in’ was definitely an on-going theme at the hotel. It was refreshing to see some pops of colour as well as luxurious velvet furniture dotted around. And lots of patterns!  The bar staff were friendly and happy to make cocktails off the menu (which always gets them extra points).

The restaurant side of the hotel was a bit more formal and glamorous. The entire hotel oozes understated luxury and you can tell that they have invested in high-end finishes and materials. I also loved all the rustic details which you would expect to see in a Lake Forest luxury hotel. I think I would best describe the interior style as ‘Eclectic Forest Glam’. There were tons of rustic glam elements and picking one colour palette for each room helped to pull the look together. I find that most traditional interior schemes work nicely with slightly more glamorous accents. As a guest you feel like you’re being spoiled and it gives you a sense of escapism.

The best part about the hotel is the grounds and its location, nestled away in a wooded estate just 10 minutes away from the village. There is so much to do and you’ll find some hiking routes right next to the hotel. You will definitely need a map though, or you could get seriously lost! I also managed to get a private tour of the vegetable garden which is worth seeing. I got lots of inspiration for our own garden projects too. We recently planted a cat mint plant in our front garden and I totally stole the idea from this hotel. I love the ‘wild garden’ look and cannot wait to add more plants to our garden next spring.

The michelin-starred restaurant is a ‘must’, but don’t forget to book it in advance, even if you’re staying at the hotel. The food was delicious, although I found all the menus at the hotel a little limited. I didn’t mind, but you may not find your typical burger and chips on it. I would say it’s the ultimate destination for foodies and they welcome dogs (at extra cost). I would recommend it for families with older children (kids under 8 aren’t allowed to dine at the restaurant). And if you like hiking, you’ll love this hotel. It’s really well positioned for exploring Grasmere and the surrounding areas.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour and found my travel tips helpful!