I have always wanted to stay at this hotel. It’s been on my bucket list for a long time! Keswick and Derwent Water may be one of my favourite places in the world and Ladore falls is nestled on the shores of Derwent Water with stunning views of the lake and Catbells. While Pip was away on a school trip we took advantage and had a night away without her.
The hotel:
The hotel itself somehow manages to be modern and also very traditional at the same time. It’s beautifully decorated and comfortable but still has all the traditional touches and throwbacks to how it would have been if you had stayed there 100 years ago. The fact the your room key is still an actual key is a lovely touch.
The hotel has 87 rooms, consisting of a mixture of suites and bedrooms. There is plenty of choice and somethings for everyone. We had a classic room overlooking the back of the hotel which was extremely comfortable with a double bed and ensuite bathroom and we had the most amazing night’s sleep.
The hotel has a large bar area, 2 restaurants, a lounge area and next door is the spa and gym. The grounds are beautiful and the view is amazing. The hotel overlooks Derwentwater and Catbells.
Food:
We went all in on the food and sampled as much as we could in the short time we were there.
Afternoon tea
We started with afternoon tea in the Lake View restaurant which was served in a window seat overlooking the lake. We had a selection of sandwiches, savoury scones and sausage rolls and then a selection of tiny cakes and warm scones with jam and cream accompanied by a pot of tea. All totally delicious and just the right amount of food, in fact we did take some of the cakes away with us to eat later. We had a traditional afternoon tea and a vegetarian tea and there is also the option to add a glass of something alcoholic if you wish.
Dinner at Mizu
We opted for dinner at Mizu rather than the Lake View restaurant where the menu is more traditionally British. Both menus looked amazing so it was a hard choice. Mizu serves a selection of Asian dishes and you can pick from sushi, dumplings, noodle dishes and Asian inspired tapas. Andy had sushi and a wasabi beef dish and I went for vegetable gyoza and tofu pad Thai. The menu has an impressive amount of choice and the food looks beautiful and tastes amazing.
Breakfast.
Breakfast is served in the Lake View Restaurant, there is a breakfast buffet of fruits, yogurts, cereals and pastries and a selection of cooked food to order from the menu as well as teas and coffees.
The spa
The spa is a newly built building next to the hotel with its own parking. Spa sessions are 2 hours and are included with some of the rooms and are £30pp for all other rooms. Spa packages are also available which include 2 hours in the spa and a treatment or a meal.
The spa consists of an outdoor pool with several different areas with different jets and bubbles. The pool has a fantastic view of the lake and is one of the warmest outdoor pools I have ever been in. There are sun beds around the pool and and outdoor Finnish sauna and cold drench bucket.
Inside there are heated beds, a laconium, salt steam room, aroma steam room, ice fountain and herbal sauna along with various experience showers.
The spa also has a spa serving everything from healthy smoothies to alcoholic drinks which can be enjoyed in the comfortable seating area or out by the pool.
There are several treatment rooms and a relaxation room that we were able to enjoy while we were waiting for our time slot.
Our only moan about the spa was that 2 hours was not enough as we had a wonderful time, helped massively by the sunshine but I think it would have been just as lovely on a grey day.
The Gym:
There is a small gym in the spa which is available for hotel guests and spa users.
Around the hotel:
The hotel is approximately 3 miles from Keswick and surrounded by beautiful Cumbrian countryside. There are plenty of walks you can do from the hotel including Catbells and we had a lovely evening walk down to the lake and managed to spot ducks, ducklings, geese, goslings, cows and deer. Keswick is nearby and has some of my favourite shops, restaurants and bars.
Getting there:
Lodore Falls is approximately 10 minutes by car from Keswick so everything Keswick has to offer is right around the corner. There is a regular bus service to Keswick from right outside the hotel and also footpaths and walking routes so you can easily walk to Keswick. The Derwentwater launch also stops at the pier near the hotel although wasn’t running when we were there as the water level in the lake was too low.
Child friendly?
The hotel is marketed towards adults and while there were a couple of families with older children (mid to late teens) there were no families there while we were. Children are not allowed in the spa or pool area. I think it’s definitely one that we we wait until Pip is older to take her to.
Pet friendly?
The hotel is dog friendly and dogs are allowed in all the bedrooms and some of the suites for an extra fee. They will even provide beds and bowls. It’s worth noting though that dogs are not allowed in the bar or restaurants but there is a separate area in the long for dogs and you are able to take meals in there, the tables in the area are all low tables.
We visited in June 2023.
Go everywhere, Do everything 