Hotel of the week

Low Wood Bay, Lake District

WHERE AND WHY

If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, you’ll do well to find a more ideal place to do so than Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa.

Sandwiched between Lake Windermere and the rolling hills of the Lake District, views from the windows of the Winander Club are picture perfect. Our deluxe room was finished to a high standard with its comfy queen-sized bed, a walk-in closet, and an unforgettable view of the hills from the bath in front of a Juliette balcony. Nothing was too much trouble for Stacey, who looked after us during our stay. Her knowledge of the area proved invaluable when we set out to explore The Lakes.

ON THE MENU

The hotel boasts two restaurants, The Windermere, which serves classic European dishes, and where we dined, Blue Smoke on the Bay. The menu is focused around the unique wood-fired grill chefs use to cook the dishes, giving a unique smoky flavour.

We enjoyed a starter of a crispy duck pancake (£10.50) which put my local takeaway to shame. For main, I had the well-seasoned Blue Smoke 8oz Cumbrian beef burger, slaw and chips (£21) and my boyfriend had a Blue Smoke 10oz Cumbrian dry-aged sirloin steak with onion rings and seasoned chips (£32).

I don’t know how we had room left for dessert, but we managed to share the brownie with ice cream and malted chocolate sauce (£8.95). Perfection.

Breakfast at the Winander Club featured a cold buffet, served at your table, as well as a set menu of meals to enjoy. Staff were more than happy to create dishes from items they already had on the menu.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE

You can’t go to Low Wood Bay without embarking on one of the three-hour thermal journeys. Even on a rainy day the outdoor heated infinity pool, hot tubs and fellside sauna are absolute musts.

Inside, the sheer number of steam rooms (including a coconut steam which will forever be on my mind), saunas, and scenic places to relax left us feeling semi-comatose. Pictures from the trip led to at least three friends booking in. With The Lakes just outside your door, there are endless exploring options.

We took a beautiful walk down to Ambleside, a town full of unique dog-friendly pubs, history and welcoming locals.

On the way back we watched the sun set over Lake Windermere and even saw a baby lamb take its first steps after being born halfan-hour earlier.

WAKE-UP CALL

Rooms from £158 a night, with full English breakfast. englishlakes.co.uk/low-wood-bay