Express & Star

Travel review: Perfect hotel in Lakes

With more than 40 million visitors a year, the Lake District doesn’t need a hard sell.

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The Wild Boar Inn

Cumbria and The Lakes themselves are the ideal spots to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

But to make sure your stay is perfect – you have to find the right accommodation.

That is easier said than done with a host of excellent hotels and B&B’s available.

One hotel that stands out from the rest, though, is the beautiful Wild Boar Inn.

Sitting on the outskirts of Crook, just a few minutes drive from Windermere, the hotel offers luxurious rooms, rip-roaring log fires and delicious food. A place that prides itself on warmth, you are made to feel at home as soon as you walk into the charming 19th-century building.

With its wooden floors, antique furniture and traditional decor, the Wild Boar has a quintessentially English feel. And that quality runs throughout with 34 rooms divided into classic, feature or luxury categories.

The focus is idyllic country living with all the rooms spacious in size. And they are decorated beautifully. Heavy curtains cover tiny old windows, antiques add character and charm. And there is even a wood-burning stove to keep you warm and snug should the weather turn.

As with all top quality hotels, though, the Wild Boar also has those mod-cons to make your stay run smoothly.

In every room, there’s a Nespresso machine while the bathrooms are traditionally decorated but with powerful rain showers and gorgeous, inviting, baths.

The rooms were my favourite thing about the hotel – they are charming and stunning.

But the Wild Boar also prides itself on its food.

The inn has its own smokehouse, which provides a host of smoked meats and fish for sharing boards.

The steaks are also delicious. And if you love real ale, you can enjoy delicious pints from the pub’s own on-site brewery – which are perfect to enjoy in front of the burning log fire.

Set in the peaceful Gilpin Valley, the location of the Wild Boar makes it feel sufficiently far away from the tourist hordes.

It is peaceful. Yet Lake Windermere itself is just three miles away and Keswick and Castlerigg Stone Circle are roughly a 45-minute drive. The location could not be better.

But there is one charming, additional, extra. At the rear of the hotel, literally, a 30-second walk from the back entrance, is 72-acre forest that is beautiful to explore.

It’s like your own, private, Cumbrian walk. And it is incredibly peaceful and relaxing.

My little girl couldn’t believe she was able to step out of her door and go exploring straight away. But she could – because the Wild Boar caters for all.

It’s rare to find a hotel that is charming, attractive and luxurious for adults but also family-friendly.

This beautiful little inn does it though. In fact, I can’t think of a box it doesn’t tick.

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