The Riverside Hotel at Under Loughrigg, Ambleside, has been listed among the top ten B&Bs on the globe based on reviews posted on the TripAdvisor website.

It was placed ninth best internationally and among the top three in Europe in the Traveler’s Choice Awards.

Meanwhile, the Summer Hill Country House, also in Ambleside, finished tenth in Europe in the best B&B category.

“We were really surprised and delighted with it,” said Dave Milne, who runs the Riverside with his wife Brenda.

“It’s a bit of a reward because we’ve been here nine years and it’s taken that long to refurbish Riverside and build up its reputation.

“It was pretty run-down when we first bought it. It was stuck in the 70s and 80s. It’s a lovely Victorian house so we’ve tried to give it a blend of bringing it up to date while keeping its character.”

It is this character which has given the Riverside such a fantastic reputation. Out of 246 reviews on TripAdvisor, 241 gave the B&B the maximum rating of five stars out of five.

These sparkling reviews have led to a lot of repeat business.

“The comments we receive are mainly to do with how friendly and homely Riverside feels,” said Mr Milne. “People always mention the location because we are right on the river but we’re also only ten minutes walk away from Ambleside.”

The couple bought the B&B in 2001 – the year when the foot-and-mouth crisis began.

“When the first case of foot-and-mouth happened we thought: ‘What on earth have we done here?’ “It was a very difficult start because we left a comfortable life in London to come here.”

Another feature of a stay at The Riverside is the food which includes fresh fruit and smoothies for breakfast and home-made bread.

Leaving a busy urban life to set up a B&B in the country seems to be a theme developing in Ambleside. Mike and Patsy Derry joined forces with their close friends Robert and Zoe Ashworth to set up the Summer Hill Country House.

“Mike and I were teachers and Robert was a GP, so we were used to urban life,” Patsy said.

“It was one of those things you talk about and never really do, but we decided to bite the bullet and move to the Lakes.

“We’re very thrilled and excited to be up there among the best in Europe, particularly because we have only been open for two years.”

The success of Riverside and the Summer Hill is expected to increase tourism in Cumbria.

“This is not only a boost to domestic, but also overseas tourism,” said a spokesperson for Cumbria Tourism.

“It will raise our profile at this crucially important time of year as people begin to plan their short breaks and holidays.”

A Lake District campsite has been given the go-ahead to make major improvements.

The National Trust applied to the Lake District National Park Authority to make the changes to Low Wray Campsite on the west shore of Windermere.

The trust applied to relocate the shop/reception to an existing building in the centre of the site; convert the existing reception/shop into an additional staff bedroom; and connect two halves of the site by a new footbridge across the river.

The trust also proposed to relocate vehicle barriers to alleviate congestion around the existing hamlet of Low Wray; improve access within the site by a boardwalk to the new reception; improve existing parking areas adjacent to Vic’s Meadows; and relocate the children’s play area closer to the new reception.

Mairi Lock, the planning officer who dealt with the application, said that all the proposed works were “closely integrated with existing uses” and all were part of required improvements to the camp site “to upgrade facilities and assist in the operation of the site.”

The only new build was the bridge and the board walk.

Ms Lock added that it would not have an adverse impact on neighbouring properties but, because of the improvements, “could result in benefits to residents of properties close to the entrance of the site.”

Hiking enthusiasts seeking a luxury break on some of Britain’s most beautiful walking trails may wish to book a stay at a hotel that has won back its place in the prestigious Michelin Guide book.

The Samling Hotel in the Lake District has been awarded a star by the hotel and restaurant reviewer, the News & Star reports.

Hollywood icon Tom Cruise and David and Victoria Beckham are said to be some of the establishment’s most famous fans.

Michelin Guide editor Derek Bulming tells the newspaper: ‘There is now a greater geographical spread of starred restaurants and the inspectors will continue to seek out establishments serving particularly good food, wherever they are situated.’

The Samling could be perfectly located for people who wish to relax in luxurious surroundings by night while taking an Ordnance Survey map out and hitting the walking trails of the National Park by day.

Covering 2 292 sq km, the Lake District is Britain’s largest National Park.

Read more about the Samling Hotel here

Ordnance surveys

Grasmere is ideally located within the Lake District so that every valley may be explored, with just a short journey from the Luxury Lake District Hotel that is Rothay Garden.

Grasmere is ideally located within the Lake District so that every valley may be explored, with just a short journey from the Luxury Lake District Hotel that is Rothay Garden. The village of Grasmere is beautiful and charming positioned perfectly in the heart of the Lake District National Park. Many tourists choose to visit the close by ‘honey pot’ towns of Hawkshead, Ambleside, Coniston, Keswick, Bowness and Windermere. The River Rothay runs nearby and to the north west of Grasmere, is Helm Crag, with Nab Scar and Rydal Fell lying to the east, and Silver Howe and Yew Crag to the west.

Rothay Garden Hotel is built from the locally quarried grey green stone, so reminiscent of the region. The surrounding area is noted for its beautiful scenery and there are many delightful walks which suit a range of abilities. To the south of the village is Grasmere Lake where there are some gentle walks amongst the lower ground around the lake. Or Grasmere is located centrally for the more challenging walking of Helvellyn, Scafell Pikes, Skiddaw and the Langdale Pikes. It was this spectacular scenery in Grasmere that inspired much of the poet William Wordsworth’s best works; he described the area as “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found”.

Of all the Hotels in the Lake District, Rothay Garden is no ordinary Lakeland hotel. It is in fact one of the finest and contemporary four star Lake District Hotels. It is perfect for both a winter or summer break and the two acres of riverside gardens are a wonderful and relaxing place to let life pass you by. It is a comfortable, quality hotel where you can escape life’s pressures and seek peace and quiet.

Many Lake District Hotels try and offer good catering but Rothay Garden really does offer excellent food really makes the difference between a break away from home and a memorable trip to treasure.

There are many hotels in the Lake District but staying at Rothay Garden means you are also in the right place to visit the Grasmere Festival of Stars which takes place on the last weekend in November every year.

i-newswire.com

The Lake District is the perfect location for children. Endless activities to keep them occupied for example watersports, walking, Go-Ape, a zoo and the Ravenglass-Eskdale railway. It has long been an area popular with families.

An area full of activities and stunning scenery is the area of Keswick and Bassenthwaite. There are many Keswick hotels that offer child friendly rooms with excellent leisure facilities on site. These facilities include heated swimming pools, gyms, tennis courts, putting greens and some even have games rooms with both board games and computer games such as Wii consoles installed. The practical facilities within these hotels come in the form of flexible meal times for children, the use of complimentary high chairs and cots, bed time books and stocks of essential items such as nappies, baby milks and food and dummies.

The Bassenthwaite Lake area encompasses some of the most well equipped hotels Lake District. The lake is one of the largest in the English Lake District situated at the foot of Skiddaw and in such close proximity to Keswick, it is a great location. The lake is 4 miles long and is the shallowest of all the lakes with its maximum depth just 70 feet. For parents interested in bird watching, it is one of the best places to spot an Osprey.

Bassenthwaite the village itself is one of the most beautiful Lakeland villages and is an ideal base for discovering the woodlands of Thornthwaite Forest and the trails of Dodd Wood. It is the northernmost and only true ‘lake’ in the Lake District; it is renowned for its peacefulness, accessibility and continually changing scenery caused by changeable weather and seasons. When the adults need to get away there’s Mirehouse which is most definitely worth a visit.

Alfred Lord Tennyson stayed at Mirehouse whilst writing his poem ‘Morte D’Arthur’ in 1835. It is a private house but open to the public on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons. The grounds and a tea shop are open daily though. Further on from Mirehouse is an open air theatre erected by the Tennyson Society is the location where Tennyson was thought to have written most of that famous poem. All around the lake and the surrounding area is a strong literary feel along with a popular place for artists.

Goosemire Cottages, the family owned and run Lake District self catering business, are pleased to launch their January sale.

Everyone is looking for a bargain at this time of year so why should the sales be confined to the high street? Goosemire Cottages are offering discounts on full weeks booked in each of their 46 self catering properties. The discounts range from £30 – £50 depending on the property size.

The number of self catering holidays in the UK has risen quite dramatically in the last 2 years. Various factors have contributed to this for example the poor Euro exchange rate resulting in tourists staying in the UK and the cost savings of self catering compared with a hotel stay. A self catering holiday allows freedom, the ability to cook within the property so saving on restaurant bills and is an excellent type of holiday for families and pet owners.

Goosemire Cottages have available 46 traditional Lake District cottages for discerning visitors (Ranging from 1 to 7 bedrooms, sleeping up to 10). Most are rustic 17th or 18th Century Lakeland cottages or lovely barn conversions, where antiquity and modern comforts have been beautifully combined. The atmosphere and idiosyncrasies of each property are reflected on their website which offers full online booking facilities and information and images on each of their properties.

For more information on the Goosemire Lake District cottages January sale or their last minute booking discounts, visit their website here

An appeal for Cumbrian hoteliers to let rooms cheaply received scores of responses after just a few hours.

The Open for Business campaign aims to convince holidaymakers that the Lake District is still able to provide good holiday accommodation despite recent poor weather.

The scheme will offer readers of regional newspapers the chance to book a room at participating venues for a fee of £9.99, to cover administration fees.

Organisers, the Lakes Hospitality Association and Cumbria Tourism, said more than 50 hoteliers signed up to the campaign after an appeal for participants was launched on Wednesday.

Lakes Hospitality Association chairman Jonathan Denby said: “The Open for Business campaign is a gesture of goodwill from the Lake District.

“It will welcome customers back and show that the roads are clear, the shops are open and the hotels and attractions are ready to welcome visitors again.”

Mr Denby added: “We are very pleased that the whole industry seems to be behind the campaign. We still have the beautiful countryside and the wonderful attractions. The Lakes are at their loveliest this time of year and we are looking forward to welcoming our customers back.”

A South Lakeland hotel is set to gain an extra star following a three-month £750,000 refurbishment.

The Wild Boar Hotel, near Windermere, will reopen in spring with four stars after a refurbishment to restore it to its glory days as a traditional coaching inn.

The plans include creating a smokehouse – making it the first hotel in the Lake District to do so. Meat, fish and cheese will be smoked on the hotel’s grounds and then sold as part of the restaurant’s menu.

The kitchen will become open-plan so diners will be able to watch their food being cooked. There will also be 17 individually designed rooms, with features such as copper baths and log fires, as well as contemporary touches such as iPod docking stations.

Simon Berry, managing director of English Lakes Hotels, which owns the Wild Boar, said: “We want to create something that we didn’t have in the rest of the portfolio. It is a traditional Lake District Inn but with innovative touches.

“There is a focus on real value for money, which is going to be increasingly important for people over the next few years.”

The refurbishment will see six new full-time positions creates alongside the existing 28-strong workforce at the hotel.

Westmorland Gazette

The decision has been announced as to which self-catering cottage in the Lake District and in the wider region of Cumbria is to be officially named the self-catering holiday of the year for 2009. This is a prestigious award coveted by all self-catering cottages in the Lake District and Cumbria, and an award that can only be won once. This year the award has been given to Hall Hills, which has a cluster of self-catering cottages just to the east of the Lake District National Park.

Situated a 15-minute drive outside the Lake District town of Keswick, Hall Hills is a recently developed business. The cottages only opened for business 12 months ago, after a painstaking conversion of the stone buildings of what used to be Hall Hills Farm. These are buildings that date back to the 17th century and had been an important local farm in that part of Cumbria.

Prior to the announcement, the proprietors of Hall Hills, Jude and Tim Walker, had been delighted with the news that they were among the three finalists, but because they are not quite within the official boundaries of the Lake District National Park they assumed there was no chance of getting any further in the competition for the self-catering holiday of the year. Hence the overwhelming joy when they heard the name of their business announced as this year’s winner.

Cumbria Tourism is to be commended for choosing a self-catering holiday resort outside the Lake District, and supporting less well-known Cumbrian destinations. The location of Hall Hills may not be within the hills and vales of the English Lakes, but it has its own beauty and at peak periods in the tourism calendar it has an unrivalled tranquility.

Hall Hills (http://www.hallhills.co.uk) had already been given a Gold Award for its 4 star self-catering cottages as recognition of the high standard of holiday accommodation on offer.

Being the winner for Cumbria, Hall Hills will now be automatically entered for the regional final to find the self-catering holiday of the year for the north west of England.

Holidaymakers are set to flock to the Lake District this summer, a new report has claimed.

According to a new Travelodge survey, the Lakeland national park in Cumbria is set to be one of the top destinations for domestic tourists – potentially meaning many hotels and restaurants in the region could be looking to recruit new staff to meet customer demand.

Hoteliers in popular tourist towns such as Bowness-on-Windermere, Ambleside, Keswick and Coniston will all hope for high occupancy rates based upon the report.

Cornwall, the Yorkshire Dales and the Scottish Highlands and Isles were also identified as likely honeypots as the UK tourism industry prepares for a bumper summer.

Paul Harvey, of Travelodge, said that with the Met Office predicting glorious weather and a majority of holidaymakers looking to stay at home, the resorts and destinations of the UK will be “jam packed with British tourists” this year.

“It is also clear that people are looking to have an affordable break, cutting back on how much they are looking to spend when compared to the summer of 2008.”