Many regard Borrowdale as the Lake District’s most picturesque valley, and this comfortable Edwardian country house has one of its finest locations.

A whitewashed cottage on a steep woodland pass may seem an unlikely setting for Michelin-starred dining, but this restaurant-with-rooms charms both the eye and the palate.

For many guests, Hazel Bank is the epitome of a small country-house hotel, offering 'fantastic food, a great wine selection, charming hosts' along with the a picturesque valley setting, captivating views and walks from the doorstep.

Beyond a tree-lined drive, this Victorian villa, home to a small country house hotel, is in the safe hands of new owners Simon and Kate Hustler.

With its indulgent bedrooms, Michelin-starred dining, attentive staff and guaranteed privacy, many look to Gilpin as the ultimate in Lakeland luxury.

They're serious about their food at this idyllic manor house hotel on the outskirts of Ambleside, with walks from the door and superb facilities for both humans and their four-legged friends.

There is a relaxed, timeless ambience at this grown-up 19th-century country house (Relais & Château), but things have moved on apace, with fine dining now at the very heart of the operation.

To find a gem in a quiet corner of the visitor-thronged Lake District is not easy, but this smart village inn in the lovely Lyth valley is, as one reader reports, ‘always a favourite’.

The humble setting of this former coaching inn, half a mile from the Scottish border, belies its chic bedrooms and creative cooking.

In a touristy village on the River Eamont, at the head Ullswater, this restaurant-with-rooms provided our inspector with ‘one of the finest dining experiences I’ve had’.

In ‘England’s book town’, under mighty Howgill Fells on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, this is just the place for a drover’s platter and a pint – or Korean beef, shiso and sesame with a shot of wasabi vodka.

Refreshingly different from some of the more traditional Lake District offerings, this contemporary hotel is in a beautiful setting overlooking Grasmere.

‘A friendly, proper local pub bar, as well as a restaurant’, this 18th-century coaching inn at the heart of the Lowther Estate is set back from the A6, with a view of fields and grazing horses

Cosy, low-ceilinged and wood fire-warmed, this smartly refurbished 17th-century pub in the centre of a Lake District village is ‘friendly, fun and very convivial’.