The Best Hotels to Book in Keswick, UK

It’s hard to imagine a more apposite experience for the Lake District than staying in a centuries-old castle, and this handsome pile at the top of Bassenthwaite Lake ticks all the boxes. Crenellated stone walls rise above neatly trimmed lawns. Elsewhere, interiors are full of lush fabrics and atmosphere-conjuring lighting, and windows look out towards the silent lakeshore from this Keswick hotel. There’s a spa for grown-ups and a wildlife park for kids, and it’s dog-friendly, creating a great family package.

Fronting a wide, open square in the middle of Keswick, this is one of the area’s best hotels and sits inside an updated historic townhouse, with two bars, an award-winning steakhouse and a mid-century design ethos. Rooms are full of fun fabrics, locally woven blankets and portraits of Lake District sheep, backed up by impressive hotel amenities such as Bluetooth-enabled flat-screen TVs.

Rising solidly above the main street in Keswick, this sprawling, conservatory-fronted hotel brings the Lake District experience up to date, with a modern design sensibility that takes in funky printed wallpaper, 1960s-style fabrics and carpets with mesmeric patterns. It’s a cosy spot to retreat to after long days of walking in the hills, and there are kid-friendly and dog-friendly suites so that the whole family can come along for the hike.

Swapping the prevailing mid-century design theme in Keswick for a more traditional vibe, the Royal Oak is just what you’d expect from a Lake District inn. It has natural wood tones, tweed armchairs, handwoven blankets, wildlife prints and filling English breakfasts. It sits on Keswick’s main square, and boot trays are provided so that you can slip out of your hiking gear into warm, dry clothes for supper.

The stone frontage of Ravenstone Manor emerges from woodland at the foot of Skiddaw fell, meaning epic walking right from the front doorstep. It’s a 10-minute stroll to the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake in one direction and a two-hour trek to the summit of Skiddaw in the other. Rooms inside the 19th-century manor house are decorated in subtle tones that mirror the surrounding landscape, and public spaces are a relaxing escape when the weather comes down outside.

This dramatic stone manor rises at the head of Derwentwater, like an ancestral home from a 19th-century novel. Behind a grey-stone exterior, it has received a stylish modern revamp, and is one of the best places to stay in Keswick. The spacious rooms and suites are full of juxtaposing fabrics, designer chaises longues and framed photos of Lake District sunsets. There’s a stunning outdoor pool and spa with views towards the hills, perfect for soothing tired muscles after long Skiddaw walks.

At the south end of Derwentwater, the Borrowdale Hotel is a venerable Lake District pile – a characterful cut-stone manor, grey and austere on the outside, soft and cosy on the inside. Public spaces are tastefully nostalgic, and rooms are bright and modern. Also, there’s great walking right from the hotel porch. It’s worth paying more for the roomier classic and prestige rooms.

On the outskirts of Keswick, offering instant access to prime walking country, this tall, grey-stone house is every inch the Lake District B&B. Rooms are bright and flowery but easy on the eye, with warm radiators and soft carpets; the breakfast comes with black pudding, Cumberland sausage and all the trimmings. The B&B welcomes dog owners, cyclists and walkers, and there’s on-street parking.

There’s foliage on all sides at this tranquil country house hotel in Keswick at the head of Derwentwater. A stunning sprawl of low hills and high fells rises around the hotel, which sits pretty in a flowery garden. Rooms are full of summery colours, with windows looking out onto gorgeous Lake District views – the atmosphere is nostalgic but not old-fashioned.