Rothay Garden

Classic Cumbrian Spa hotel on the riverside

Surrounded by soaring Lakeland fells, Rothay Garden is a luxury hotel set in two acres of Lake District parkland in Grasmere village. You'd be hard pushed to find a prettier spot.

From Our Guestbook

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Know It All

Hit the Spot
Grasmere village, at the heart of the Lake District

Come here for...
• Grasmere's fabulous fells on the doorstep  • Award-winning cuisine and hearty Lakeland breakfasts  • Quiet escapes – the hotel never hosts large functions. • Hands-on owners who believe in the personal touch.

Amenities
There's a riverside Spa for unwinding, a convivial bar lounge with open fireplace, two acres of landscaped grounds and award-winning dining overseen by Masterchef Andrew Burton.

Good to know
Quality is the watchword here – and it shows.

Bedtime...

Bedrooms
30 rooms and suites

Special features
All rooms have a ten-channel flatscreen TV and radio, free internet connection and Wi-Fi, fine bedlinen, robes and slippers, eco-friendly toiletries and a tea/coffee welcome tray. Most have a separate shower and bath. Riverside and Garden suites have sun lounges and private patios or balconies, oversize baths and (in some) air conditioning. The five luxury Loft suites are the lightest and brightest, and have a lounge area, oversize bath and two TVs, including a bathroom tile TV. These are named after the fells they look out onto.

Pillow Talk
We especially loved Room 18 (a Grasmere room), with its two terraces, and the nicely private Loughrigg Loft suite – though its sloping ceiling may not suit extra tall guests.

Eat & Drink

Dining In
Masterchef Andrew Burton and his talented team have made Rothay Garden’s two-rosette Garden Restaurant one of the Lake District’s culinary highlights. Seasonally inspired modern European menus feature many of the region’s abundant locally sourced produce, whether hand made cheese and home cured meats or its famous lamb and salmon. We enjoyed cannon of Lakeland lamb and a wicked strawberry mille feuille.

Guests dine in elegant surrounds overlooking the hotel’s two-acre gardens. Light bites are available throughout the day in the lounge or gardens. There’s also a 200 bin wine cellar featuring many of the owner’s personal favourites.

Breakfast
Served until 10am. Specialities include smoked kippers with herb butter and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs.

Room service
Available morning and evening.

Activities

See & Do
Dove Cottage, poet William Wordsworth’s Grasmere home, is a ten minute walk away and includes a fascinating museum.  Grasmere also has plenty of galleries and gift shops as well as Sarah Nelson’s famously pint-size  gingerbread store, whose fans include a number of TV chefs.

Walks abound around Grasmere, whether you are novice or experienced fell walkers. Loughrigg Terrace, Easedale Tarn, Alcock Tarn, Helm Crag and the Coffin Trail are just a few of the better known shorter routes. Major climbs such as Helvellyn, Langdale Pikes, Fairfield Horseshoe and Scafell Pike are all within reach, and famous peaks such as Coniston Old Man & Skiddaw are just a short drive away.

Spa
Build in some down time at the hotel's Riverside Spa. Soak in the Hydrospa while soaking up views of the fells beyond,  unwind in the herbal pine sauna and the Aroma room, get a drenching under the two monsoon feature showers (choose between tropical warmth or arctic cool) or lie back on the heated infra-red loungers – perfect for a snooze. Tired feet get a lift from the Reflexology walk, with its heated pebble panels.

A range of wellness treatments – reflexology, Reiki or massage – are bookable in-room.

Diary Dates
June
Enjoy boating regattas, stone skimming and lake swims at the Windermere on The Water festival.

August
Check out the cultural treats awaiting at the Lake District Music Festival.

See traditional sports like Cumberland wrestling, fell running and hound trails in action at Grasmere Lakeland Sports.

November
Coniston Powerboat Records week kicks off on the water, while the Kendal Mountain Film Festival has plenty to entertain movie buffs.