Five Lake District hotels have been named among the best in the UK by Michelin.
The prestigious food guide has launched Michelin Keys – which it says are outstanding places to stay.
The Michelin Guide now includes over 5,000 hotels across the world. Each is vetted by hotel experts and judged excellent in five categories: architecture and interior design; quality and consistency of service; overall personality and character; value for the price; and a significant contribution to the guest experience in a particular setting.
It said: “Like the Michelin Stars for restaurants, the Michelin Keys are our most outstanding hotels.”
Hotels are awarded either three, two or one keys.
A total of 123 hotels in the UK and Ireland were recognised with key awards this year, with 72 hotels receiving one key, 27 receiving two keys and 14 receiving three keys.
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House and The Samling, both in Windermere, have been awarded two keys.
Inspectors heaped praise on Gilpin Hotel & Lake House which it describes as providing classic country house hospitality and a lack of pretentiousness combined with ‘unique contemporary Georgian style’.
Special praise was reserved for the restaurants at the property, including Source at Gilpin Hotel which Michelin highlighted as perhaps Gilpin’s greatest draw, serving sophisticated, award-winning dishes crafted from local Cumbrian ingredients.
Thomas Ferrante, general manager at Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, said: “We’re beyond excited to announce that Gilpin Hotel & Lake House has been awarded a Two Key distinction by the Michelin Guide.
“Equivalent to the prestigious Michelin stars for restaurants, this award recognises our hotel as a truly unique and exceptional destination. It’s an incredible honour that celebrates the character, consistency of service, and care of our guests, which are at the heart of everything we do.
“Only two hotels in the Lake District have received this [two star] accolade today, and we couldn’t be prouder to be one of them. A huge thank you to our amazing team and wonderful guests for helping to make this milestone possible!”
Forest Side at Grasmere, Farlam Hall near Brampton and Linthwaite House in Bowness were awarded One Key from Michelin.
Alasdair Elwick, general manager of Forest Side, said: “Receiving the Key is recognition of the amazing team, epic suppliers and loyal guests that the hotel is proud to celebrate. The whole hotel are absolutely delighted with the announcement, it’s great for the team to be recognised for the fantastic work they do.”
The Michelin Guide said of Linthwaite House: ‘’The Lake District isn’t short of hotels or bed-and-breakfasts, but there are few that can compete on the level of Linthwaite House.
“Take a setting as striking as any (in this case an Edwardian manor house surrounded by 14 acres of woodlands and gardens, looking out over the picturesque Windermere), add the kind of style credentials many a city hotel would kill for, and what you’ve got is something special indeed.’’
Karen Irving, general manager at Linthwaite House, said: ‘’We’re all absolutely over the moon to have been awarded our first Michelin Key.”
