Hazel Bank Country House Borrowdale Valley

We had a luxurious 6 night stay at Hazel Bank with superb food, an extensive quality wine list and attentive hospitality. A marvellous location in the heart of Borrowdale provided a perfect conclusion to our wedding celebrations with a red squirrel in attendance!

A rare gem of a hotel: small, quiet, beautifully maintained (including very clean), owners very helpful but not obtrusively so. The hotel is situated down a drive which means it isn't adjacent to a road (traffic often an issue in the lakes, but not here). Hotel policy is to host staying guests only, so guests are not competing with casual visitors, which again keeps things quiet. Gardens / grounds well maintained, red squirrels (more ginger at this time of year!) easy to see. Beds very good (this conclusion from one of our party with chronic lower back pain), food very good too: we asked for a vegetarian option, and the quality was very high and the meals were prepared with imagination. Location of the hotel means that it's at the centre of different standards of walks, radiating in all directions. Planning to stay again.

Another excellent stay. Accommodation, wine and food all excellent. Very nice of Gary and Donna to accommodate our dietary requirements. Also a pleasure to tap Gary for his advice on wine and whisky - always appreciated! Thanks for a wonderful stay.

Great stay we really enjoyed ourselves and the town centre is a stone throw away so it really is a great base for the lakes. Staff were really pleasant and are happy to give you recommendations for coffee and lunch spots about the town centre :)

This was our second stay. We also visited in July 2021, think Covid. 😕 Donna produces brilliant food and Gary is very knowledgeable on the wine. The evening meal with drinks and canapés before is a great end to the day. We walked out on several days and drove a short distance for some walks on the other days. And who doesn’t like seeing red squirrels whilst you eat breakfast. We will return.

This is one of our favourite hotels , we really look forward to staying here , and our latest visit was definitely one of our best stays . Thank you Gary and Donna for a fabulous weekend and especially for collecting David so late from Keswick after he watched the football. It was a particularly hot weekend and Donna told us of a great spot nearby for swimming in the river which we really enjoyed. There is a new member of staff in the kitchen that’s a fantastic addition to the team , his desserts are some of the best iv tasted . Gary’s knowledge of wines and choosing the right one for you is always much appreciated. We love dining here , a lovely a**osphere , great food and wines and I like that the clientele dress smartly. Breakfast is the best . Every time we’ve stayed we’ve always seen red squirrels during breakfast time . You don’t get any better than this hotel we look forward to the next time .

From the moment you arrive at Hazel Bank you receive a warm welcome from Gary. It quickly becomes evident that the property is maintained throughout to a very high standard. The bedroom is very comfortable and well appointed whilst the bathroom is quite luxurious. Guests are invited to gather in the lounge for drinks and canapés at 7pm ahead of the evening meal. What a delight then awaits. Our two evenings saw fish and chateaubriand served as the main courses and both were outstanding. The flavours and tastes which emanated from each course during those two evenings were simply exquisite, and when enhanced by the attentive service, reflect enormous credit on everyone associated with Hazel Bank and we could not recommend it highly enough.

A splendid three day break at Hazel Bank. Every thing about the hotel is top notch. The welcome, the decor, the food and the service are all well considered and of the highest quality. I could go on and on about everything but will use one word instead - OUTSTANDING!

We have visited quite a number of privately owned country house hotels. This one is very special. As the Husband said when we were leaving - this is probably the nearest to perfection that we have found. We couldn't fault it and will most certainly be back. The location is stunning, the welcome was warm and genuine, the room (Castle Crag) was comfortable and welcoming. It was on the ground floor with a dual aspect - and everyone loves a dual aspect! Well fitted bathroom with walk in shower. L'Occitane toiletries. Huge bath towels. There was a decanter of sherry in the room - something I haven't seen for ages - and homemade biscuits. Usual coffee things in the room with fresh milk in the fridge just outside in the hall. What makes this place stand out is the food. It really is superb. There is a set menu which begins with canapes served in the lovely lounge at 7 p.m. As this is only a small hotel this is a great way to chat to other residents . The wine list is great with an interesting selection of wines by the glass and Gary took pleasure in recommending something a bit out of the ordinary. Dinner - cooked by Donna with huge attention to detail - was a delight. We enjoyed every course on the two nights were there. So much so that I forgot to take photographs but if my memory serves me right Night 1 was asparagus and onion veloute, ham hock terrine with carrot sorbet, duck breast with red cabbage and roast potato with sticky toffee pudding and clotted cream to follow. Night 2 was tomato veloute, mushrooms on sour dough, chicken, hasselback potato and baby sweetcorn with plum and cinnamon crumble to finish. All excellent. The service from Gary and from James was exemplary. Friendly but professional. Exactly what good service should be. We slept like logs both nights. Breakfast was of the same standard as dinner. Buffet table of fruit, cereal and yoghurt then hot food made to order. Great coffee. Great breakfast entertainment from the resident red squirrels who reliably turn up to munch on hazel nuts. We also enjoyed meeting the resident feline Charlie who was as charming as his owners. We were made to feel totally at home and were sad to leave. Would have to stay on at least another night but work called.