Eltermere Inn

The word ‘inn’ is misleading as this is a small, relaxed, 18th-century country house (originally a farmhouse) that’s been given a careful, contemporary style. Nothing fussy, nothing blingy; just a comfortable elegance with lots of soft colours, sofas in country plaids, botanical prints and local watercolours, and window-seats to enjoy views over meadows and tiny Elterwater. Bedrooms are calming with a French country feel and pops of colour - perhaps a red roll-top bath or purple velvet sofa – to keep them modern. For a small, family-run operation - with even the bread made from scratch - menus offer a wide choice that’s smart but unfussy, and could include saltmarsh lamb and ratatouille, or cod with herby aranchini. There’s afternoon tea, too, and all guests receive tea and cake on arrival. You can choose to eat either in the gracious dining-room or in the farmhouse kitchen now turned into a funky bar with slate floors and cherry-red walls. Wrapped in gardens, and close to the mighty fells of Langdale, it’s hard to believe it’s only 10 minutes from the buzz of Ambleside.