Lake District Spa: Armathwaite Hall Country House Hotel and Spa review

It’s amazing how many people claim to ‘really want to go’ to the Lake District. It’s a truly stunning little land, between Scotland’s gateway city of Carlisle and the Leeds, Bradford, Blackpool line.

But weighing up the options how many of us think of Spanish sun and book a flight rather than hop in the car?

After a week of walking, relaxing, frequenting tea rooms and pottering around bizarre English countryside museums (the Penrith Pencil Museum did indeed get a look in) and yes, watching a little rain, I’m flying the flag for the land of mountains and valleys.

The trip we planned took in several locations and levels of accommodation, beginning in a luxurious spa and ending in a tent. Most definitely, you’ll agree, the wrong way round.

[Champney's Tring - solo spa break away from city life]
[REVIEW: Feversham Arms and Verbena spa Yorkshire dales getaway]

Armathwaite Hall Country House and Spa

Bassenthwaite, a northern lake on the edge of the District offers a stunning backdrop to the traditional country house that is now Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa. With acres of ultra-green lawns and shady woods, as you approach it somehow manages to feel like an oasis despite being surrounded by natural beauty and watery views on all sides.

Huge and sprawling, with myriad rooms dressed to the nines, where you can sit and read in peace, I’d be lying if I denied spending much of my stay walking the corridors pretending I was an Austen-era lady accustomed to this grandeur.

The bedrooms are tastefully decorated, smart and modern, while maintaining the feel of the period. All have flat-screen TVs and most DVD players, though ours didn’t so if you have a stash of DVDs to watch on the quiet evenings, check first.

Wifi is also sporadic, so be prepared to have a technology break on your trip (especially as 3G appears to have yet to reach the Lakes).

Above our bath was a built-in TV and the bright, airy shower and bathroom gave the spa a run for its money…

The Spa

The combination of a walking holiday and spa has to be one of the most perfect juxtapositions of activities ever. After a day striding around Ullswater (around a 25 minute drive from Armathwaite), we woke up with sore everythings and feeling rather in need of a day lying around not doing very much.

In light of this I opted for a ComfortZone Comfort Touch massage to revive my aching muscles. And my therapist didn’t pull any punches. She quickly found exactly where my over-exertions of the day before had affected most and set to work kneading the tight muscles, staying just the right side of the pain/pleasure border.

The treatment is also designed to re-balance energy levels, and with six more days of walking to follow, it certainly gave me the boost I needed.

ComfortZone is an Italian brand and uses Mediterranean skincare secrets throughout the range of treatments. The products used were scent-free and gentle, leaving my skin feeling smooth without being sticky. Options for treatments cover pretty much anything you can think of, from Monticelli Mud detox to Ayurvedic invigorating massages.

An easy day can be spent in the spa, in and out of the (child-free) sauna, aroma room and steam room as well as the sitting in the hydrotherapy pool or doing lengths of the pool. And not to be missed is sitting in the outdoor jacuzzi – whatever the weather and ideally with a glass full of bubbles to match.

If you’re feeling particularly energetic there’s also a gym full of brand new, rarely used machines. Then you can then shake off by stretching in the steam room and sitting in one of the hot tubs for a  few more hours, feeling smug.

Food

The joy of a spa combined with a hotel is that you’re not encouraged/forced to eat like a rabbit (fine on a bonafide rejuvenating spa break but not so fun on holiday). There are two restaurants at Armathwaite. The main eatery is a formal affair in a grand room overlooking the lake, with outdoor seating for when the weather’s fine, to appreciate the spectacular views.

Food here is a six-course menu (including a tasty soup as an amuse booche and seriously delicious mango sorbet before the first course – which I wanted again for dessert).

A variety of fish, lamb and steak dishes are on offer, many flambéed in dramatic style in the corner of the dining room. A standout dish was the mackerel terrine starter.

As with many of the restaurants we visited during our trip to the Lakes, the food was tasty but unfussy. Despite the formal setting, there’s none of the pretension we’ve come to expect watching hours of Great British Menu, portions are sensible sized and it’s classic British eating rather than fancy Michelin-inspired fare.

Breakfasts are also served in this dining room, with a comprehensive buffet, excellent coffee and a choice of hot option. Yellow-yolked, free-range eggs cooked to your liking are a perfect start to the day and indulging in a Full English is surely essential to any British holiday.

If formality isn’t your thing but you don’t fancy driving anywhere for dinner, there’s a brasserie offering modern, Italian-based food in a Jazz-bar themed setting. Lunch is also served here if your Full English doesn’t get you through the day.

Localities

If you can drag yourself from the outdoor hot tub (something we struggled with), there is the Lake District Wildlife Park just next door. Unassuming as you enter, there’s actually a remarkable number of animals and excellent falconry demonstrations. See zebras, gibbons, otters, meerkats, reptiles and Disney-like Mandrills. You also get discounts for staying at the hotel so it’s worth a walk across the fields.

Hawk Walks from the Birds of Prey Centre are also available, as are a number of other activities you can organise with reception, such as tennis, mountain biking and fishing.

It makes an ideal base to drive to many of the Northern lakes and a sanctuary to return to. If only we hadn’t followed it up with several nights in a soggy tent!

Vital details: Room price starts from: £150pp, Spa Breaks from: £330 per room. Fore more details call 017687 76551 or see the website.