Arts & Collections have gathered five recommendations for the places to stay that offer the best “room with a view”. Surprisingly or not, the UK’s Lake District has made it to the list, with The Samling in Windermere.
To quote a bit from the description: “Built in the 1780s, The Samling is a large manor house set in 67-acres of estate grounds, among which there are several stone cottages… There are just 11 rooms in the hotel; only five are in the main house, and the rest are suites in the cottages. All are named after the local dialect for counting sheep – Yan (one), Tyan (two), Tethera (three), and so on… Breakfast in bed is a house speciality, so unless you ask otherwise it will automatically be brought to your bedside.” Furthermore, you can explore the environs on foot, horseback or bike, particularly Troutbeck and Hawkshead, as well as Grasmere and Kentmere. If you cannot walk back to the hotel, the staff will pick you up; and you can indulge in a seasonal menu, an impressive wine list, and the most delicious tea in a drawing room. The staff note that The Samling is a hotel in the country, not a stuffy country-house hotel, hence you are expecting a much warmer and relaxed welcome.
For booking details, visit Arts & Collections. I’d love to stay in their dark-blue bedroom.
Last time I visited Lake District was in January 2006. With my ex-family I stopped in Windermere; we had a meal, made some purchases, and drove back to Manchester. I cannot claim to have been all over the Lake District, but I did visit a few places, if always by car. It is true, however, that Windermere and Grasmere are among the most beautiful spots on the Lakeland map. I highly recommend that you visit them, and if you can stay at The Samling, I am sure it will be one of the most memorable trips. And hopefully, to entice you even more, below is a slideshow of my photos taken between 2002 and 2006. Note: they were all shot on film, I didn’t yet have a digital camera then.
