Charlotte and I had wanted to go to the Lake District for a while and I wanted to find a special place to take Charlotte for her birthday.

I had a look around for the nicest places to stay and the best hotels in the area and in the end settled on the Grasmere Hotel (as well as a minor detour to The Samling for afternoon tea!).

Without attempting to sound like we are over-pampered or indulge ourselves too often, we have stayed in some cracking hotels and locations in the past, both in the UK and abroad, including 5* hotels, so booking a 3* hotel was a bit of a risk!

A risk it may have been, but the simplest thing to say was that the risk paid off big time; the Grasmere Hotel was simply the best place in terms of value that I have stayed at in the Lake District.

In terms of location, the hotel simply couldn’t be in a nicer area. Grasmere is one of the most beautiful parts of the Lake District (which in itself is rivaled only by a few places in the UK for sheer beauty) and the hotel itself is close enough to the shops and to the best walks (which might, if you’re lucky, feature a red squirrel or two!) and even the Wordsworth museum.

Stunning views on our walk from the hotel

The early evening sun on the hills

If you visit the Grasmere Hotel looking for little frivolities and unnecessary frills you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a hotel with ample parking, a warm, cosy feel with a drying room for your soaked clothes, hugely friendly staff, and a lovely seating area outside, you will be in for an absolute treat.

I had picked the Beatrix room (named of course in honour of Beatrix Potter), the priciest option on offer (it is also typically booked out a fair amount of time in advance so bear this in mind). It was still amazing value considering the rate included breakfast and the room was so lovely.

If we had been staying for five nights or more, we would also have received a £5 per person per night room price reduction, which is certainly worth considering if you are wanting a staycation or wish to explore the lakes for longer.

The room itself was spacious, had a huge bed (which could be made into two beds if you’re with a friend) and a gorgeous, modern, sleek bathroom.

Lovely bathroom!

Of course, the TV is not super size (nor should it be with the views and walks on offer nearby!) but there are nice welcoming biscuits and teas and coffees and most importantly there was plenty of space to store lots of clothes. While I have had better views, it wasn’t exactly an awful view from our room and despite being near a road we were not disturbed at all by noise. In fact, we almost couldn’t believe how quiet it was during the night and in the early morning.

The gorgeous Beatrix room

All in all, whilst we did not get the chance to use all of the hotel’s facilities, the ones we did try were excellent and the manners, assistance, and friendliness levels of the staff were highly commendable. Some hotels are brilliant in terms of facilities and decor, but are ruined by the staff. The Grasmere Hotel is a hotel where the quality of the staff members shines through, making a good hotel a great one.

I haven’t even got to part two and the food yet but suffice to say the hotel is truly complemented by the quality of its food!

Most importantly, Charlotte thoroughly enjoyed her birthday present and I thank the staff and the hotel for helping to make that happen.