The Cottage In The Wood

The Cottage In The Wood sounds like something from a fairytale, and well, it is. It’s a beautiful boutique hotel in Keswick in the heart of the Lake District, near some of the region’s most picturesque lakes and mountains. 

If things couldn’t get even more fantastical, you’ll find it on a place called Magic Hill. Beatrix Potter, eat your heart out. 

There are four different types of rooms: Mountain View, which gives incredible views across the forest valley to the Skiddaw mountain range, plus there’s the Cottage itself, with rooms that date back to the coaching inn days. 

As for one-off rooms, choose between Treetops, based up high, with velux windows that give awe-inspiring views of the stars. Or the room we stayed at: the Garden suite, a stunning and secluded space down a flight of steps with a private garden. 

The style is exactly what you want from a trip to the Lakes, original rustic features with all-important modern touches. That means a gloriously comfortable bed, spacious bathrooms and a cosy ambience that’s never too warm, never too cold. There’s even a TV, but if you’re coming to the most breathtaking part of the country and staying in to watch Homes Under The Hammer, then you need to have a word with yourself. 

Then there’s the red squirrel. Forget those ten-a-penny grey scruffs, a bona fide family of red squirrels live in the trees next to the cottage and regularly come out to put on a show (well, eat some nuts) for guests. We spotted one while having breakfast, and yes, that’s another childhood wish come true. 

Speaking of breakfast, here, it’s the stuff of champions. Alongside some hearty, healthy options, such as seasonal fruits and sea trout, you’ll find the ultimate Lake District breakfast. It’s all about local sourcing, meaning free-range eggs from Scales Farm (based on the slopes of Blencathra, one of the most beautiful of the Cumbrian Mountains), and traditional sausage and bacon reared and prepared in nearby Wabethwaite village.

And we haven’t even mentioned the accompanying Michelin-starred restaurant, headed up by husband and wife team Beth and Jack Bond. The food is worth a detailed review in its own right, so we’ll cover the tasting menu in next week’s review (spoiler: unmissable). 

Once upon a time – 1640 to be exact – The Cottage In The Wood was a coaching inn on the Whinlatter Forest pass. Four centuries later, it’s one of Cumbria’s standout places to stay. This is the kind of holiday destination that lives long in the memory.