11 of the Best Family Hotels in the Lake District

Families vacationing in the Lake District enjoy a wealth of culture and natural beauty. Rich with rolling hills, history, culture, and of course, lakes, the area offers an endless stream of activities and enjoyment. 

However, families need a place to stow their luggage and rest their heads. With so much to do, some visitors may even need a day at the hotel to rest and prepare for more adventures, or simply to enjoy the amenities of the specific resort they are staying in. 

Finding a hotel that will please the entire family is tricky. Parents want to strike the correct balance between luxury and comfort. Fortunately, the Lake District has a healthy supply of accommodations that will please parents and children alike. 

Lyzzick Hall Hotel 

Lyzzick Hall is straight out of a fairy tale. Dating back to 1845, the building is nestled in beautiful gardens on Skiddaw.  

Skiddaw is England’s third-highest peak, granting guests a beautiful view of the Lake District National Park. Lyzzick’s staff is supremely knowledgeable and friendly. Families can trust the hotel’s employees to offer tips about local hiking areas and walking trails. 

Visitors to the national park need a home base, and Lyzzick offers comfortable, inviting accommodations. The building has a dining room and a public restaurant. Visitors also enjoy: 

• A plush lounge designed for comfort
• A private bar with a focus on Spanish wine
• Beautiful garden
• Outdoor dining

While the Lyzzick’s luxury will delight adults, the parents needn’t worry about leaving the little ones out. The staff knows the best local attractions to share with children. The dining room provides a kid-specific menu but will happily accommodate your child’s individual tastes. The hotel has only 27 rooms, so your family will have plenty of space and privacy.

Hillthwaite 

Hillthwaite’s location is ideal for those seeking the country’s comfort and privacy while still enjoying the activity of the surrounding towns. The hotel’s 34 bedrooms sit on a hillside, allowing guests to enjoy a picture-postcard view of the surrounding area. 

Hillthwaite is nestled between Windermere and Bowness, both bustling towns with plenty of excitement. A wide array of activities are available to families staying at the hotel, including:

• Windermere Lake Cruises
• The World of Beatrix Potter
• Brockhole
• Crags Adventures
• Kendal Golf Club
• Blackwell
• Let’s Ride guided bike tours
• The Lake District Walker guided tours

Hillthwaite has 34 rooms, ranging in luxury and expense. These include:

• Cozy
• Classic
• Classic Plus
• Occasion
• Signature

Every room comes with a complimentary breakfast, free wireless internet, and coffee and tea-making equipment. 

Hillthwaite understands that family vacations are expensive and offers several package deals to accommodate your financial needs. Check their website often for seasonal sales and discounts, as this hotel offers them frequently to attract visitors. 

Lakeside Hotel Windermere

As the name suggests, the Lakeside Hotel & Spa immediately abuts a beautiful, clear body of water, visible from many of the rooms.

Families need only step out the hotel’s door to enjoy one of nine Lake District walks:

• Fell Foot to Gummers How
• Finsthwaite to High Dam to Steam Railway
• Lakeshore to Bowness to Lakeside
• Lakeshore, Cunsey, and Sawrey
• Wray Castle to the Ferry
• Roman Fort and River Banks to Ambleside or Rydal
• Ambleside and Waterfalls 
• Waterhead Pier to Orrest Head, Windermere, and Bowness
• The Viewpoints over Windermere

The hotel rooms accommodate whatever degree of family togetherness you crave. The eight family rooms allow you to keep your child with you or allow them (and you!) their own space in a second, internal bedroom. 

Lakeside provides a children’s menu for younger diners, as well as babysitting services for parents hoping for a night alone. 

The facility allows easy access to ten different cruises, the steam railway, and the Lake Aquarium. Families who kick back at the hotel can take advantage of the 17-meter swimming pool to exercise and play. 

Coniston Inn

The Coniston Inn has a long history of drawing high-profile guests. Luminaries like Tennyson and Darwin stayed at the inn, attracted, no doubt, to its beautiful surroundings. The Coniston’s 42 rooms are cozy and accommodating. 

Not only are the rooms family-friendly, but many are also accessible, and some allow pets if you want to bring your furry family members along on your trip. 

The Coniston lets guests choose their poison, picking either a mountainside or lake view. Mountain view rooms overlook:

• Coniston Fells
• Old Man of Coniston
• Dow Crag
• Wetherlam

The lake view rooms overlook:

• Coniston Water
• Grizedale Forest
• Pier Cottage

The inn is conveniently located. Visitors can enjoy the many local attractions, including:

• Wordsworth House and Garden
• The Lake Distillery
• Brantwood House
• Rydal Mount and Gardens
• The Old Man of Coniston
• Wray Castle
• The Armitt Museum & Library
• Bassenthwaite Lake
• The Ruskin Museum
• Hill Top, Hawkshead
• Grasmere Gingerbread
• The World of Beatrix Potter
• Lake District Golf

The inn offers many seasonal packages and discounts, so make sure to peruse their website.

Lindeth Howe 

Lindeth Howe is an absolute must for “Peter Rabbit” lovers. Beatrix Potter owned the hotel, and it still bears her mark in theme and decoration. Guests can relax in one of the hotel’s multiple cozy lounges or grab a drink at the bar.

Families will particularly enjoy the Lindeth Howe’s many mini-break packages, including:

• Christmas at Lindeth Howe
• New Year at Lindeth Howe
• Crimbo Limbo
• Pre-Christmas Escape
• Best of the Lakes
• 3 for 2 Nights in Autumn
• Be-gin with Gin
• Cumbrian Escape
• Potter Around Blackwell
• Hot Dates
• Sunday Savers

The four-star hotel has every luxury travelers could want. The Lindeth offers accessible rooms. Each of the 34 rooms is uniquely decorated and tricked out with everything necessary to pamper tired vacationers. If you enjoy theming and want to stay in a location close to numerous activities, Lindeth is for you. 

Cragwood Country House Hotel

The Cragwood Country House Hotel sits alone on a private plot of land, surrounded by verdant gardens and a beautiful lake. The hotel offers guests luxury and comfort in equal measures. The family rooms are spacious and can comfortably accommodate two adults and two children. 

During the day, visitors can enjoy the many walking paths. The local walks range in difficulty, so advanced hikers will find many challenges, and casual ramblers will find pleasant ambles.

16 local lakes offer plenty of opportunity for aquatic fun; frequent cruises explore the waters, but guests can also:

• Hire a boat
• Wakeboard
• Paddleboard
• Swim

Guests who prefer attractions to nature have a wealth of options nearby, including:

• Brockhole
• Hilltop Farm
• Blackwell
• Graythwaite Estate
• Lakes Aquarium
• The Lakeside Motor Museum
• Ulverston and Cumbria Crystal

Haweswater Hotel

Dreamily located in the Haweswater Nature Reserve, Haweswater Hotel is ideal for animal and plant lovers. Visitors can enjoy the reserves of one hundred square miles of peace and natural beauty. The location is the perfect escape for families of outdoor enthusiasts. They can participate in a variety of activities, including: 

• Running
• Biking
• Walking
• Hiking

The myriad gardens provide shelter to friendly red squirrels visitors can admire. 

Parents and kids can enjoy dinner together since Haweswater’s restaurant offer a children’s menu for the selective tot.

The hotel provides maps for walks and bike rides, including:

• Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk
• Concrete Road to Shap
• Bampton, Askham to Lowther Castle
• Old Corpse Road
• Gatescarth Pass

Select rooms allow well-trained dogs to stay. If you and your family love being outdoors and plan on enjoying the walking trails the Lake District offers, Haweswater Hotel may be the perfect place for you. 

Windermere Manor Hotel 

The Windermere Manor Hotel’s setting is as regal and majestic as its name. Located conveniently near Windermere Village, Bowness-on-Windermere, and Ambleside, the hotel offers guests easy access to every perk of the Lake District. 

The hotel’s accommodations are homey yet luxuriant. Beyond bedrooms, visitors are encouraged to enjoy the facility’s drawing rooms, chapel, and conservatory.

The Windermere Manor offers guests a wide array of rooms for families. These include:

• Family Room (two adults, one child)
• Family Room Accessible (two adults, one child)
• Family Room (two adults, two children)
• Family Room Accessible (two adults, two children)

The hotel offers a heated swimming pool for guests to enjoy. Visitors who prefer to adventure off-campus have many options. Explorers can visit:

• Lake Windermere
• Windermere Village
• Bowness-on-Windermere
• Ambleside
• The World of Beatrix Potter

Families will particularly delight at the opportunity to enjoy a mountain goat tour. The manor offers a ten percent discount to any guests who book their mountain goat tour through the hotel.

Ravenstone Manor

Ravenstone Manor prioritizes comfort and warmth over luxury. The family-run inn permits dogs in nearly every inch of the building. Pups must steer clear of the kitchen and sitting-room couches but are welcome everywhere else.

Ravenstone maintains a cozy drawing room with a fireplace and plentiful board games for guests. Bedrooms are comfortable, with high-quality amenities. Each room has a television and tea and coffee-making apparatus. 

The hotel’s Keswick location puts guests near a wide variety of attractions and activities, including:

• Rheged Centre
• English Lake Tours
• Derwent Pencil Museum
• Derwent Marina
• Keswick Ministries
• Keswick Launch
• Go Ape Whinlatter
• Lake District Wildlife Park
• Keswick Climbing Wall and Outdoor Adventure Centre
• Keswick Museum
• Wordsworth House and Garden
• Kong Adventure
• Keswick Alhambra Cinema
• The Puzzling Place
• Keswick Brewery Tours and Shop
• Honister Slate Mine

Special rates are available through the website. This hotel is ready to be your cozy home away from home as you unwind in the Lake District. 

Ambleside Salutation Hotel & Spa 

The hotel rests amid the Lake District, benefiting from its dramatic rises and fall and lush scenery. Ambleside offers proximity to several activities, including:

• Classic
• Club
• Balcony
• Lakeland

The hotel rests in the midst of the Lake District, benefiting from its dramatic rises and fall and lush scenery. Ambleside offers proximity to a number of activities, including:

• Go Ape: a high wire adventure
• Horse Riding: full and half-day rides
• Country Lanes Cycle Hire: provides a variety of cycle options
• River Deep Mountain High: Gorge walking, canoeing, rock climbing, and kayaking  

The spa half of Ambleside thoroughly pampers guests. Visitors can exercise or enjoy one of the many spa treatments. Once you’re thoroughly relaxed, gather the family and wander off campus to one of the Lake District’s many historical sites or recreational attractions, including:

• The Armitt Collection
• Heaton Copper Studio Grasmere
• Dove Cottage 
• Wordsworth Museum
• Levens Hall and Topiary Gardens
• Fell Foot Park

Trip Advisor named Ambleside one of the top ten percent hotels in the world. Given its proximity to activities and attractions, it’s no wonder why guests flock to this wonderful location. 

Newby Bridge Hotel 

The Newby Bridge Hotel has 46 varied and beautiful rooms in its primary facility. The accommodations are fully equipped to provide guests with the most comfortable imaginable stay. 

The Hotel also offers Woodland Hot Tub Cabins, which are separate from the hotel proper. These charming little stand-alone facilities are more spacious than they appear. A family of four fits comfortably inside. Each cabin has:

• Wireless Internet
• Wood burning stove
• Television
• A terrace
• Garden seating
• A hot tub

Select rooms in the hotel permit dogs for a low additional fee. Be sure to note on your reservation that you will be bringing a dog with you on your stay, and be prepared to bring papers with proof of vaccination and registration for your pup as needed. Remember, the hotel has the right to refuse your request to bring your pets. 

Guests can enjoy a wide array of activities, including:

• Walking
• Lake cruises
• Cycling
• Golfing
• The World of Beatrix Potter
• Lakeland Motor Museum
• Mountain Goat Tours
• Shopping

Conclusion

Vacations are supposed to be relaxing, but selecting the right hotel can be stressful. You’ll want accommodations in a strategic location with so much to see and experience in the Lake District. 

However, the hotel room is part of the trip experience, and you deserve conditions that make you feel comfortable and luxuriant. These eleven facilities all provide a mix of coziness and elegance that will please the entire family. With so much to see and do in the Lake District, any one of these hotels will help you make the most out of your vacation.