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Gilpin
The staycation is officially back and having a moment.
While overseas travel is firmly back on the agenda, there's been a noticeable shift in how Brits are approaching their holidays. Rather than viewing a UK break as a compromise, travellers are increasingly seeking out destinations that deliver the same sense of escapism, indulgence and relaxation without the airport queues and last-minute flight cancellations.
Few places embody that better than the Lake District. Home to rolling fells, glass-like lakes and some of the country's most celebrated hotels and restaurants, the UNESCO-listed national park has become a go-to destination for luxury seekers looking to switch off closer to home.
Among its standout stays is Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, the family-owned hospitality brand known for pairing Michelin-starred dining and wellness-led experiences. I recently checked into both Gilpin Hotel and Gilpin Lake House to see if they really live up to the hype they've built, on and offline.
Gilpin
I went in with no real expectations. I tend to do that with travel now, avoid over-researching, so I'm not arriving with a pre-written social media version of how something is meant to feel.
And almost immediately, Gilpin met that mindset with an instant calm. There were no grand, performative entrances or overwhelming lobby moments. Instead, it felt more like arriving at the house of an incredibly rich aunt who happens to live somewhere beautiful.
Despite its secluded setting, it's surprisingly easy to reach for me – especially from the North. From Manchester, it's just over an hour by train to Oxenholme, followed by a 15-minute taxi ride.
One thing worth noting to avoid confusion: Gilpin Hotel and Lake House sit on separate estates. It initially threw me, but in reality, they're just a 10-minute drive apart – and if you don’t fancy thinking about logistics, there's an in-house Porsche transfer service that gets you from A to B.
Gilpin Lake House Spa Suite
I started at the Lake House, an eight-room hideaway set within 100 acres of private land. From reception, which feels more like a well-kept country home than a check-in desk, I was led to one of the spa suites, Knipe.
The scale of it is what hits you first. The interiors border on Scandi: high ceilings, pale woods, soft light, and carefully considered details like binoculars by the window, a selection of travel magazines and a Patek Philippe collection coffee table book for good measure.
Becca Monaghan
In most luxury hotels, the centrepiece is generally a chandelier or statement bed. Here, it's the bath. Oversized to the point it feels tastefully theatrical – imagine something between a spa installation and a private pool. To paint a picture, it even has a set of steps leading up to it.
There's also a walk-in (or sit-in, depending on how you use it) shower-steam-room that feels closer in size to a boutique kitchen. Everything is generous in scale: walk-in wardrobes, an open-plan living space, and a fridge stocked with soft drinks, beers and champagne on arrival.
Becca Monaghan
Despite the classic country-house feel, there are futuristic tech touches woven throughout.
A study-like room features a massage chair that maps your body and adjusts pressure zones automatically – slightly uncanny, but brilliant. And then there's the Gilpin app, which replaces most of the usual hotel choreography of travelling to and from reception with questions or requests. Instead, you're a simple text away from that next glass of bubbles.
Becca Monaghan
But the real showstopper is the outdoor area – especially when you're used to the hustle and bustle of city life.
The terrace stretches out with sun loungers, dining space and soft seating, all overlooking an uninterrupted lake with rowing boats ready for guests to set sail if they wish.
Gilpin
Space and subtle old money luxury are clearly the recurring themes here, and it's rare to find a property that offers this much private room to yourself.
Not to mention, this scale of property wouldn't be complete without its own private hot tub and sauna.
Should you manage to tear yourself away from the suite, the wellness offering is equally impressive. There's an indoor pool, two outdoor hot tubs tucked discreetly within the grounds, and a treatment room positioned right on the water's edge. With floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lake, even a massage feels elevated by the setting.
Gilpin Hotel Spa Suite
The shift from Lake House to Gilpin Hotel is subtle but noticeable. Both are equally beautiful, but the vibe is slightly different. While the Lake House feels hushed and heritage-led, the hotel spa suites feel sleeker and more contemporary.
Just a mile down the road, the spa suites sit hillside, glass-fronted and entirely self-contained.
Becca Monaghan
Each comes with its own private hot tub, this time overlooking a pond and rolling views with the occasional alpaca wandering in the distance.
One of the standout details here is having spa treatments in your own suite. Instead of heading to their on-site spa (which is also available for day spas and those who prefer to leave their room), a therapist arrives at your door and sets up in your private space. I opted for a facial and genuinely switched off for 50 minutes in a way that felt unusually complete.
Becca Monaghan
Each suite also includes a sauna, steam room, massage chair and an infrared lounge bed – an unexpected but very welcome nod to the wellness crowd (myself included, in my red light era) – and the whole space feels designed to be lived in rather than simply checked into.
Becca Monaghan
At night, the vibe switches again, depending on mood. Speakers are dotted around the suite so you can move from bath to bed to hot tub without losing the atmosphere with Spotify playing your own selection of hits.
Dining
I tried both restaurants on offer, SOURCE and Gilpin Spice, both housed at the second location, Gilpin Hotel.
SOURCE, the Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant, is unexpectedly easy. I'd braced myself for something more formal or slightly pretentious, but it's actually the opposite. The restaurant feels intimate rather than intimidating – couples, a few families, and the occasional solo diner all blended into a space that never made me feel out of place.
What stood out most wasn't just that the food was good, but that it was genuinely exceptional, filled with creativity, colour and packed with flavour. One dish in particular surprised me: the trout, served with a small cup of bone broth, which I initially wasn't entirely convinced by the name alone. I'll admit I’m slightly picky with richer, more mineral broths, but this ended up being the standout course of the entire menu.
SOURCE at Gilpin Becca Monaghan
Service played a big part in that. It was warm and friendly with gentle guidance on the order dishes should be eaten in to get the most out of each course. There's also the option of wine pairings, though I kept things intentionally minimal on the alcohol front that evening.
Gilpin Spice is the complete shift in energy, think pan-Asian dishes inspired by the spice trail, served in a space that feels deliberately unfussy.
Given the heatwave, I turned dinner into what can only be described as a very elevated picky bits situation. Small plates kept landing in the middle of the table: gochujang sesame fried chicken, egg fried rice with slow-cooked egg, chatpata aloo tikki bursting with colour and spice, and lighter salads to balance everything out.
Gilpin SpiceBecca Monaghan
Sitting at the chef's counter added another layer to the dining experience. There's something quite grounding about watching everything being prepared in real time, but without any of the intensity you sometimes get in open kitchens. It was calm, almost rhythmic.
Together, the two restaurants mirror the rest of the stay: SOURCE is precise, quiet and immersive in a more refined way, while Gilpin Spice is sociable, generous and slightly more playful.
Final thoughts
Gilpin sits in that rare category where everything feels considered, despite having a lot of space to play with that could otherwise become overwhelming and overfilled.
I wouldn't say it's a typical spa weekend away, rather, a deeper, much-needed switch off while not feeling completely disconnected or isolated in the middle of nowhere.
Gilpin Hotel and Gilpin Lake House offer two different expressions of that feeling: one more expansive and grounded, the other more cocooned and contemporary, but both stay with you in their own way.
I went in assuming I'd prefer the spa suites. But it was the Lake House that I preferred ever so slightly. Partly because I've never experienced anything quite like it, but mostly because of the sheer amount of private outdoor space – something that's surprisingly rare even at this level of five-star luxe.
If anything, Gilpin's biggest strength is how unforced it all feels. You arrive, you settle, and everything else just happens around you.
How much does Gilpin cost?
- Spa Suites start from £970 per night
- Spa Lodges start from £660 per night
- Garden Suites start from £480 per night
- Junior Suites start from £425 per night
- Master Bedrooms start from £335 per night
- Classic Bedrooms start from £280 per night
- Lake House Bedrooms start from £325 per night
- Spa treatments start at £90 per person
You can find more information about bookings here.
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