A beautiful boutique hotel in the Lake District has just been named one of the top three in the UK – and it’s easy to see why.
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, near Windermere, is one of only two properties in the north of the country to make the top 10 in the prestigious list.
The stunning hotel and spa has just 39 rooms, including its staggering spa suites, which are build on top of a natural pond with their own stone-built hot tubs on the decking.
It’s also home to two renowned restaurants – Michelin-star SOURCE, which has Ollie Bridgwater as executive chef, and Gilpin Spice.
And now the Gilpin Hotel & Lake House has landed itself in third place in the Top 50 Boutique Hotels. Quite the accolade.
ADVERTISEMENT
It’s climbed nine places since last year, and was beaten only by The Newt in Somerset and Lime Wood in Lyndhurst.
The team at the Gilpin says its new ranking in the list is down its ongoing renovations and improvements, which have included a new Spa Space at Gilpin Hotel, a Vertical Farm, more Spa Suites and the appointment of two new chefs.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hot Tub At the Lake House. Credit: Denise CreelyThe Gilpin Lake House. Credit: Ben Barden Photography Ltd. 2009
The hotel is operated by Barney and Zoë Cunliffe, who worked alongside Barney’s parents John and Christine until their deaths in 2020 and 2022 respectively.
The Top 50 Boutique Hotels is curated by and voted on by leading industry experts, hoteliers, travel writers and influencers.
Barney and Zoë said: “We are so very proud to be in this year’s list, and chuffed to bits to be so highly placed.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We’ve worked together as a family and team for 35 years to create Gilpin, and it has always been our aim to create a luxurious sanctuary – one that is filled with love and laughter, without any pretentiousness.
“We want our guests to feel at home here, to feel loved, and we hope that that is what our guests feel.
“It’s with great sadness that we can’t celebrate this award with Mum and Dad, but we know that they would be absolutely delighted. As always, we would like to say a massive thank you to Team Gilpin, who all work so hard and with incredible passion. Thank you.”
SOURCE restaurant at the Gilpin Hotel. Credit: Supplied
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House executive chef Ollie said: “Being named in a list like this gives credence to everything we have been trying to achieve at SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel over the past year, with the restaurant offering an extra dimension to the wider Gilpin experience.
“People come to Gilpin to get away from everything and when they visit SOURCE they’re looking for a sense of occasion as well as the food and wine, so we hope to live up to that ideal.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Also featuring on the Top 50 Boutique Hotels list in the north west were Another Place in Ullswater, Moor Hall in Lancashire, Hotel Gotham in Manchester, Rothay Manor in Ambleside, and The Samling Hotel in the Lake District.
The full list from 1 to 50, including special awards for food and drink and best service is available to view here.
You can find out more about Gilpin Hotel & Lake House and book a room here.
Urgent travel warning issued ahead of one of Manchester’s busiest event weekends of the year
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester is gearing up for what is set to be one of the busiest weekends of the year.
Manchester‘s biggest music festival, Parklife, returns to Heaton Park this weekend (Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June), with tens of thousands of people expected to make the journey to see headliners Calvin Harris, Sammy Virji, Skepta, and Zara Larsson, as well as many other well-known music names… but that’s not all.
Over at the Etihad Stadium, Take That are set to perform a series of shows across the weekend, while the Etihad Campus will also host the Women’s Netball Final at Co-op Live from 3pm on Saturday afternoon.
The city will also welcome Lily Allen and the B52s across three nights at the AO Arena, and the Women’s Cricket World Cup will draw thousands to Emirates Old Trafford on 21 June, when South Africa take on India.
So, as you can see, we’ve got a jam-packed couple of days coming up.
📣 This weekend is expected to be one of the busiest in Manchester, with multiple events taking place across the city.
🚗 Public transport, roads and venues are likely to be extremely busy.
🕛 If you’re travelling anywhere this weekend, please plan ahead and allow extra time… pic.twitter.com/iqtmlSpAOR
In fact, it’s estimated that more than a quarter of a million people are expected to be travelling to the various events over the weekend, and of course, this means the roads and public transport will be significantly busier than usual.
Whether you’re one of the many fans or just making a regular journey, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is advising everyone to ‘plan ahead’, allow extra time for their journey, and avoid the busiest areas and times.
To prepare for the increase in travel, TfGM has confirmed that there will be more trams serving event venues, alongside extended tram operating times, to ensure everyone gets home safely.
For travel to and from Parklife, the specific Parklife travel ticket – which will be available on the Bee Network app – is valid on trams and buses across Greater Manchester, and this includes relevant shuttle buses operating to and from the city centre.
An urgent travel warning has been issued ahead of one of Manchester’s busiest event weekends of the year / Credit: Steve Turvey (Supplied) | TfGM
Throughout the weekend, extra staff and TravelSafe Support Officers will be out and about across the transport network to help passengers, and TfGM will be working closely with police and other partners to manage roads and the transport network around the clock.
“We’re expecting it to be very busy across the network, with more than a quarter of a million fans travelling to various sports and music events,” commented Danny Vaughn, who is the Chief Network Officer at TfGM.
“We will have as many staff as possible on the network, running as many services as we can to ensure that the Bee Network is here to help you get where you need to go.
“So, for everyone looking to get out and about, please plan ahead, check the Bee Network app for updates and have a safe journey.”
A dedicated travel page for this weekend’s event has been set up, so you can find out everything you need to know and get live updates on the Bee Network website here.
Featured Image – TfGM
Travel & Tourism
The simple hack that can save healthcare workers money on their holidays
Danny Jones
With cost-of-living pressure ever-present in the background of most everyday lives, finding some spare pennies for a getaway feels more difficult than ever, and if there’s anyone who deserves discounts on a holiday, it’s healthcare workers.
That’s why, when we became aware of the simple hack that can save those working in healthcare services money on holidays, we thought we’d help spread the word.
We’re sure lots of you working within the sector already know plenty about this booking strategy, but for anyone who doesn’t, how do you fancy saving up to half a grand on your next jolly?
With searches for ‘holiday voucher code’ up by 73% on Google, and even the likes of TikTok seeing ‘money saving tips’ up by 45%, travel agency TUI have decided to team up with the Health Service Discounts platform for 2026.
Providing those who work for the NHS with a ‘Holidays for Heroes’ (HfH) access code on various popular peak-season trips, this exclusive discount can be added on top of all other seasonal TUI deals, including the company’s ‘First Choice’ package holidays.
With the HfH code alone guaranteeing workers an extra £100 off their bookings, play your cards right, and you could get up to £200 in total discounts overall.
How to access the healthcare ‘Holidays for Heroes’ deal
Separate from standard Blue Light card savings, here’s how it works, and don’t worry, it’s all very simple:
Ella Foden-Lynch, Partnerships Manager at Health Service Discounts, said in a statement: “Getting away is vital for wellbeing, especially for those in high-stress roles.
“With travel costs rising, affordable breaks are becoming harder to find, but by using discounts on flights, accommodation, and car hire, key workers can still enjoy quality time away. It’s not always about luxury; it’s about making rest and recovery realistic.”
So, for those of you healthcare heroes looking for a well-deserved break, we urge you to find an affordable holiday that suits you very soon. With cheaper airport pints also inbound later this year, here’s hoping you save even more spends for when you’re away.
Daisy Jackson -
2nd December 2023 
