Weekend pass

I FIRST spotted the Waterhead hotel at Ambleside last year, when it was shrouded in scaffolding - not a great look, I admit, but I knew I’d have to come back and try it some day. The big attraction? Well, then it was merely the hotel’s location, slap-bang beside Windermere. But while keeping tabs on its progress, I learned that it was actually undergoing a £3 million renovation to transform it into the Lake District’s only four-star contemporary town-house hotel. Decision made.

Getting there

Head for Carlisle, then follow the M6 for Penrith. At Scotch Corner turn off onto the A66 for a short distance, then take the A592 for Ullswater. For a scenic shortcut to Ambleside, take the turn-off at Kirkstone Pass Inn, signposted for the Struggle. Just watch out for stray sheep along the way.

Eating in

The Bay restaurant features a light-filled conservatory overlooking the lake. You can enjoy a G&T and deliberate over the menu here before heading through to dining room, with its sumptuous leather upholstery and walnut-panelled walls.

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Ged Quinn, the head chef, uses local produce to create rich, classic cuisine with a modern twist. Typical main courses include tournedos of fell-bred beef wrapped in bacon with a Theakston’s beer reduction and parmentier potatoes, or Grizedale venison steak with raspberries and apricots in a red wine reduction and fondant potatoes. Even trusty favourites like bread-and-butter pudding are anything but run-of-the-mill here.

Room service

The Waterhead has 41 rooms, 24 of which have lake views. And the contemporary indulgence doesn’t stop when you leave the hotel’s public areas. Leather chairs nestle beside mango-wood furniture, while huge beds wait to swallow you up.

On the gadgets front, there is an LCD TV and DVD player with speakers in the bathroom, so that you enjoy a relaxing soak before dinner accompanied by your favourite sounds. Besides a view, a swish bathroom tops my hotel wish-list, and the Waterhead has splashed out with heated slate floors, generous double-ended baths, glass basins, funky showers, spiral chrome radiators, full-size Gilchrist & Soames toiletries and, of course, those speakers.

Plus

Just because you appreciate rugged scenery and enjoy a spot of walking, it doesn’t mean that you want to bed down in a youth hostel or a flowery four-poster. The Waterhead offers the best of both worlds - an idyllic lakeside location with oodles of contemporary chic and no chintz in sight.

Minus

For all the extras here, there are no leisure facilities. But guests get free use of the pool, spa and gym at the Waterhead’s sister hotel, Low Wood, just a mile away.

Location, Location, Location

The Waterhead is ideally placed for exploring the lakes, walking the fells or cruising on Windermere (boats leave from the pier opposite the hotel). There’s also boat hire or kayaking on offer at the nearby Low Wood Watersports Centre. If you can find your way past all the outdoor clothing specialists in Ambleside, there is a great selection of galleries and a designer glass studio, where you can watch your purchases being hand-blown. If you fancy taking in some of the scenery that inspired Wordsworth, there’s an easy six-mile circular walk from Ambleside to Grasmere, via Rydal Water and Grasmere Lake (www.lakeswalks.co.uk). And even if daffs don’t inspire you to put quill to paper, it’s still a breathtaking walk.

What’s the damage

A lake-view room comes in at 115 per person for dinner, bed and breakfast midweek, or 125 on Fridays and Saturdays. Check with the hotel for special deals.

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