Windermere Hillthwaite Hotel

“An unforgettable experience.”

I stayed at Hillthwaite to celebrate my 25th birthday with my boyfriend. We booked one night with a fantastic winter offer, which included a room, bed, and breakfast at an excellent price. Upon arrival, Elaine kindly informed us we'd been upgraded to the signature Room 16. The room was breathtaki… more

I stayed at Hillthwaite to celebrate my 25th birthday with my boyfriend. We booked one night with a fantastic winter offer, which included a room, bed, and breakfast at an excellent price. Upon arrival, Elaine kindly informed us we'd been upgraded to the signature Room 16. The room was breathtaking—immaculately clean, spacious, and beautifully decorated. The bed was adorned with swan-shaped towels and a Hillthwaite Theo Bear plus a birthday card for me. The room featured a large TV, a stylish dresser, and a well-stocked tea and coffee station with a mini-fridge. The bathroom had a luxurious bath with a TV fitted into the wall and a lovely shower, along with simple toiletries provided. There were bath robes and slippers provided to use for the duration of our stay. The highlight was the stunning view of Lake Windermere from the bay window, where we relaxed in two comfy chairs. Regardless of where your room is, there are two beautiful lounges to sit and take in the views. After exploring the room, we enjoyed a half-hour swim and sauna. The pool, though small, was perfect for couples or families, with careful scheduling to avoid overcrowding. Towels are provided for the pool at reception. In the evening, we dined at Quayside in Bowness, overlooking the lake. The next morning, we had a delicious breakfast included in our stay—eggs royale for me and a full English for my boyfriend. The staff were wonderful, attentive, and made us feel truly special. Our stay at Hillthwaite made my birthday unforgettable. We sent a thank-you card as soon as we returned home and can't wait to visit again.

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“Fabulous afternoon tea”

My daughter and I had afternoon tea at the Hillthwaite today. We had five star treatment from the gentleman who looked after us. We were in the conservatory with the most stunning views and the food was delicious. We would definitely recommend. And we'll be back.

“Good location”

Located well for Windermere and Bowness. Stayed here for one night as a treat. The 'Garden Room' did not really have a garden view. The room was adequate in size. There was a dirty mark on the bedding. The evening meals were well presented and the food was delicious. Special mention for the sti… more

Located well for Windermere and Bowness. Stayed here for one night as a treat. The 'Garden Room' did not really have a garden view. The room was adequate in size. There was a dirty mark on the bedding. The evening meals were well presented and the food was delicious. Special mention for the sticky toffee pudding: 10/10. Breakfast was also good. More attention to detail would have avoided be handed a sticky menu. Overall very good. Would stay here again.

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“Lovely location and well presented but overall experience was let down by a few things”

Clean and well presented hotel. Room size was fine and we liked the soft sensor lighting in the bathroom. Really lovely scenery and views. Rooms were way too hot without the ability to change the temperature. We had to sleep with the windows open. I found the need to book a time slot for breakfast… more

Clean and well presented hotel. Room size was fine and we liked the soft sensor lighting in the bathroom. Really lovely scenery and views. Rooms were way too hot without the ability to change the temperature. We had to sleep with the windows open. I found the need to book a time slot for breakfast too restrictive for guests who are on holiday. I can understand that at a B&B but not at a large hotel. I stay in hotels very often and the usual system is just an open time slot. They need to be much more flexible and have systems in place to be able to handle this. Two of our party are vegetarian and they should research meat alternative sausages and the ones they use are fried vegetable and the tasteless kind vegetarians would get offered in the 1990s. Most places now use soya or quorn type version. If your prices are quite high then you must research vegetarian food and understand it. The receptionist on check in wasn’t very friendly or welcoming. No lift and no offer to help with our bags or show us to our room. We felt the staff were not relaxed at all which suggests it’s badly managed. They advertise a cocktail menu and yet when we ordered it seemed to cause problems and we were told the drinks maybe not be right as they are not sure how to make them. The prices for cocktail were more expensive than London in my experience so they really do need to be very experienced to charge these prices. A young guy at the bar said it was table service but then asked us to come and get our drinks. The hotel is clearly not set up for an adapting to the wishes of clients. We weren’t made to feel welcome to stay late at the bar. It felt awkward and quiet. The hotel seems to shut down around 10pm. No atmosphere really after 8pm. A paper sign pinned in the hallway is bit patronising too: an image of a face with finger to lips saying to be quiet as guests are sleeping. I think most people would realise this and if they don’t they are probably not the type to read a sign and correct themselves. Overall we could feel an underlying tension from the staff. I wonder if the management is unkind. We won’t be able to recommend it.

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