Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel

Very nice Inn in the Lake District. Rooms are nice with killer view of the lake. Could use AC. Restaurant is fabulous. Every dish was great; service was excellent with a terrific wine list. Love ordering dinner from the sitting room while enjoying a cocktail. They call you in to the dinning room as your first course is ready. Great food, service and ambiance.

Holbeck Country House and Spa is a luxury hotel overlooking the beautiful Lake Windermere, the fells and mountains, which all looks spectacular especially at sunset. Nothing beats, watching the sunset over the lake, relaxing and sipping tea, after you have had your pampering! So make sure you have had a spa and massage treatment just before the sun sets.
We were booked into the fabulous Lady Lonsdale room for our Spa Heaven break, with its high ceiling and a large comfy seating area with two sofas, and a fantastic view of the lake and fells.
The hotel has Michelin starred dining. A three course dinner, starting off with canapes in the Lounge, which were really nice and tasty and ending with petit fours and coffee. The service was impeccable and friendly. However, the lighting in the restaurant was quite low, so you could not see the food very well, but it all looked delicious and well presented. It was nice that each course was introduced. My choc desserts were sublime though with a small soufflé, and other choc delights. Overall the fine dining experience was, fine, I have had better.
Since this was fine dining, one felt one should not take photos, so I had to surreptitiously do it, without flash, so not to spoil the ambience, but with the very dim lighting, it was a quite difficult task!
The next morning, you can then enjoy the Michelin starred breakfast. I had the full English, although nicely presented, was not piping hot, the way I like it. The eggs were freshly fried so nice and hot, but the rest of the breakfast, the bacon, the black pudding, mushrooms and sausages were warm as obviously pre-​cooked, and the tomatoes were only lightly grilled, so was cold. Unfortunately the toast was no better, it was cold by the time it reached us so was quite hard, almost like eating a biscuit. I like my butter to melt in the hot toast, and this did not. But all the food tasted country fresh.
We took a short walk after breakfast to explore the lovely grounds, and the gardens. We followed the stream some way past the tennis court, but did not go all the way down to the Lake and Marina, as it was a few miles and we ran out of time ;-)
Overall, the stay was very pleasant and relaxing. The staff was also friendly and helpful. An extremely nice treat for our special occasion. I was well spoilt!
Windermere is so beautiful even in the mist! It finally cleared around lunch time, and the sun came out, so we took the hour and a half cruise round the lake from Bowness Pier, 7 minutes drive from the Holbeck Gyhll, and I learnt that it is the largest lake in England. The cruise only took in half of it, stopping at two piers which you can disembark and board again. The water was so, so clear and smooth, I was mesmerised, I could stare at it all day sitting on the boat, floating along the lake, soaking in the warm sun. Lovely!