Applegarth Villa Hotel & Restaurant (Adult Only)

Applegarth Villa Hotel in Windermere impresses with high-quality breakfast, immaculate cleanliness, and exceptional service. Guests enjoy luxurious suites, central location, comfortable beds, and modern amenities.

This hotel, close to the center of Windermere, is also a short walk from the train station. We arrived for the night just before they closed for the holidays and we were absolutely spoiled. From the beautiful exterior decorated for the holidays, to the historic decor and stained glass within, this hotel exudes luxury and comfort. Our luxury suite was amazing, featuring a huge comfy bed and a jetted tub, which after a day of eventful rail (and bus) travel, was greatly appreciated. Staff went over and above expectations to make our stay memorable. Not to be outdone is the Apple restaurant, which featured a menu of classics and modern twists on the cuisine of the area and the world. Food and drinks were all outstanding and some of the best food we had in our travels across the UK and Ireland. Not to be missed if you're in the area.

We really liked the warmth and comfort of our room, the big spa bath, the big round bed and the views from our room which was room number 2 in the house. We also appreciated the little espresso machine in our room as we like to start the day with a coffee. There is a level of outdated tackiness but if you like a bit of kitsch then you are in the right place. In room number 2 it really worked. The place feels intimate, and it feels unpretentious because it is family run, and everyone is very friendly. The location is great for anyone who comes by train and doesn't drive. It's a good base to be in to explore the area by bus. However we strongly feel that this hotel should be advertised as 4 stars. When I book 5 stars then I really expect 5 stars because I hardly ever treat myself to such things. The hotel is good but it is not exceptional. We went to eat in other places when the restaurant was shut which were also 5 star hotels and there was a noticeable difference in the same sort of price range when it comes to attention to detail and going the extra mile. We feel like it's resting a bit on the good location it is in. It's the already described outdated design (which definitely also depends on taste), but also because the general level to detail that is missing. The breakfast is good, hash browns are missing off the full English plate and the thin slices of toast don't really make up for it. The coffee in the cafetière is not great and one has to pay extra to get a decent latte served which I would expect to be included in a 5 star hotel, luckily we had the little espresso machine in our room.