It's not often you're swept off your feet by a hotel.
Some do so by offering the latest in style and comfort whereas others let the location do the talking. The Gilpin Hotel does both. Located deep within the Lake District, specifically Windemere, you'll travel through miles of beautiful countryside and classic stone buildings to arrive at your destination.
The journey only prepares you for the destination as you remain surrounded by picturesque landscapes even when pulling into Gilpin's facility. The goal my partner and I had coming here was to take as much weight off our shoulders as we could. We wanted an escape from technology and people and hoped this would be the break to do so finally.
READ MORE: Win a £250 Buyagift voucher and make treasured memories this Christmas
The choice is yours whether you stay in the hotel or the standalone suites/lodges. We opted for the spa suite. Behind its initially small doors lies a beautiful, retro-chic interior, spacious enough for an entire family and private grounds large enough for a get-together.
The first thing you notice when you step in is how luxurious the space is. Ceilings far out of reach are held up with window walls, most of which open to the garden area boasting a private hot tub, sun loungers and even a pond. One side of the suite is glass whereas the other is a mix of natural stone or aged wood. A cosy beige living room is decorated with neutral pillows and cushions, complimented by a corner ceiling fireplace that heats the entire room suite immediately. All of the furnishings are inoffensive and the first thing you want to do is kick your feet up and relax. And because it's the season, a stylish minimalistic Christmas tree was also erected.
The kitchen is small but effective, complete with a wine fridge and numerous appliances for tea and coffee lovers. Just a glance away from both the living room and kitchen is the first of the spa facilities, namely the massive circle tub large enough for company. It's an open plan area not for those shy about who they're sharing the suite with, especially as the double shower is hidden behind just a shoulder-height frosted window. Directly opposite both facilities is this beautifully ornate vanity carved from some sort of tree I'm sadly not educated enough to recognise. It may feel odd to be able to watch television from where you're bathing, especially with the windows looming over you, but the sheer size of the suite and its styling make you feel unbelievably at ease and comfortable.
Kicking things up a notch, an actual spa is found in the next room. A multifunction full body massage chair – strong enough to knock your bones back into place – sits centre next to a lounge bed placed under infrared lighting. A full steam room and sauna room lie built-in toward the back, fully customizable right down to the LEDs. You wouldn't be mistaken for thinking this is a state-of-the-art spa suite, because it is, it's just located in your room. Once again, floor-to-ceiling windows make the spa area feel all the cosier as you can sit back and unwind while looking out at the gorgeous countryside. While in there myself, the rain was light enough to cast a mist in the distance and just about hit hard enough on the window to create noise. You could've fallen asleep.
Bearings gathered I flicked the Sonos sound speakers on, which stretch to every room and are customisable through the app, and began to unwind. It was a horrible day by Met Office standards but being locked away in this beautiful suite with every relaxation method readily available was outstanding. It took all of 20 minutes after arriving for me to declare the Gilpin as one of my favourite getaways in recent memory.
A few hours passed and when my partner and I weren't making the most of the facilities, we were prepping for Gilpin's masseuse team to visit. Guests can book a personalised massage focusing on one of three problem areas. Over an hour you'll be worked on to your specifications and preferences to ensure you feel like a new person upon lifting yourself from their table. when night hits, you can't see through the miles of pure darkness outside. You're visually isolated but it feels amazing locked away in this beautiful glowing suite.
If you do decide to venture out, just a brief walk away are two restaurants: Source and Spice. If the rain is too much, Gilpin will send a buggy to ferry you directly from your doorstep to said restaurants. My partner and I dined in Source, a beautiful attachment to the main hotel complete with several waiting rooms, a bar, seating areas and a reception room. Decked out with wood finishes, orange lighting and soft furnishings, loosely decorated with ornate busts and lamps, you could arguably spend quite a bit of time here without dining at all. Lounge areas like this have a deathly silent tone where you're scared to speak for fear of being heard but the ambience and quite lively music put you right at ease.
Following a quick cocktail, we were ready to eat. Provided with the option of a la carte or tasting menus, we chose the latter, adding wine pairings. Over the next two hours, we were treated to a delightful 10-course menu varying in taste, style, and even methods of consumption – namely a gin and tonic starter encased in a bubble you eat via a spoon. Dishes were delivered swiftly but in time with our pacing, which we noticed both the sommeliers and waiters keeping track of without interruption. Highlights included the loin of venison with spice beetroot, endive and kampot pepper or the butter-poached cod with vermouth sauce. It's a pallet-clashing menu but a delight to undertake. Thoroughly full and immensely impressed by Source, we decided to relax with yet another cocktail in the lounge. You could experience either one solo but I would suggest doing both to lap up the experience.
The entire time all we wanted to do was relax – and we did. There wasn't an option to decline. If you weren't in a massage chair you were in the sauna or sampling delicious food. There is nowhere to turn on this break you won't be swept off your feet. After hours of luxury, it was time for bed. Staff had pulled the numerous pillows from the king bed and neatly arranged them on the window sill large enough for sitting. We chose to leave the curtains open overnight so we could wake up to the view and my god was it magnificent.
As far as the eye can see are hills and mountainsides with expansive fields, lakes, rock edges and greenery in the forefront. There were squirrels and birds at our window with a soft mist gathering not too far away. It was like staring into the 100 Acre Wood. Breakfast is optionally served in bed or the restaurant so we stayed wrapped up watching the world and animals go by. There's really nothing I could change. Even the weather, as moody as it was, reinforced that cosy feeling we all love to have when locked away inside without a reason to leave during the winter. It felt every bit like a film.
Win a £250 Buyagift voucher and make treasured memories this Christmas