The 10 best Lake District hotels with hot tubs, from romantic hideaways to serene spa retreats

A hot bath after a day’s walking is always welcome, but how much more pleasurable (indeed, hedonistic) is a hot tub? Many Lake District hotels have cottoned on to this notion - and a pre-soak walk is not mandatory. Some hot tubs are part of the hotel spa, others are stand-alone in a secluded part of the grounds to be booked privately – with or without an order of chilled drinks - while the best are on the deck of your suite. Oh, and did we mention the views?

For a combination of standout views, lovely bedrooms and serious cooking – wrapped in low-key luxury and a calming atmosphere – it’s hard to beat The Samling. The whitewashed Georgian Gothic-Revival house was turned into a hotel in 2002 with outbuildings providing additional bedrooms. It's more townhouse than country house, with a judicious mix of subtly textured wallpapers, pillowy carpets, velvet sofas and shimmering curtains – all in soft shades of silver, dove grey and powder blue. There’s space to relax indoors or outdoors with a sitting room and snug 'library', paved terraces, gardens and a hot tub (free but book to ensure exclusive use).

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The epitome of a modern country-house hotel pimped up with a dash of bling. Gilpin Hotel & Lake House is firmly in the indulgent break category with private hot-tubs and saunas, Michelin-starred dining and legions of staff. There are endless places to lounge around – books and newspapers at your elbow – several terraces, and a charming gazebo. Alpacas and llamas graze in the garden, the latter tinkling with streams and fish-stocked ponds. Maps and walking-routes can be borrowed while Lake House has a tiny spa (bespoke products) with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lake.

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This luxurious waterside retreat — with views to Bassenthwaite Lake, Skiddaw and the Lakeland fells — offers an award-winning spa, gym, luxurious outdoor infinity pool and fine dining, all in the setting of a historic country house. The main hall is beautiful, retaining much of its original character and grandeur: a sweeping staircase, open fireplaces, wood panelling and oil paintings hanging from the walls. Wonderful. The spa and pool area is excellent (featuring an indoor pool, hot tub and thermal suite), and one is welcome to relax in that perfect infinity pool with a glass of champagne.

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If you want to be in Grasmere, it's hard to get more central than this environmentally principled b&b. The substantial slate-built Victorian property feels fresh and uncluttered with plenty of natural materials: wood or tiled floors, bamboo blinds, leather sofas and sturdy wood chairs and tables. Some might find it austere – there are virtually no ornaments or pictures – although bold feature wallpapers add a splash of warmth. All 11 rooms, spread over three floors including the ground, are generous with unusually big bathrooms. Two have balconies, the under-eaves rooms have the best views, while the ground-floor suite has a private hot tub.

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This baronial Victorian house, built as the home of one of the Lake District's wealthiest men, has been given a serious designer makeover without losing its original gravitas. Parquet floors, oak panelling, decorative cornices and sweeping stained-glass windows are offest by bold wallpapers, statement chandeliers and velvet, leather and leopard-print chairs and sofas. All 22 rooms have been meticulously put together with a luxurious sense of modern style. The seven apartment-sized suites, in the separate coach house, are in another league, with themed décor (perhaps jungle or Bollywood) outdoor hot tubs, and high-tech sound and lighting systems.

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This slate Victorian building, with its central tower and tall gables, boasts a superb position overlooking Derwentwater and the fells of Skiddaw and Catbells. Inside, it's a mix of light-touch traditional (large public rooms, mirrored pillars, dado panelling) and softly contemporary (pale colours, velvet sofas, abstract-patterned carpets). Throughout, picture windows make the most of the views while a handsome collection of prints, vintage photographs and modern art shows it is proud of its locality. There’s an impressive choice of activities, including the swish spa with its thermal suite, champagne bar and outdoor hydrotherapy pool.

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A Victorian hunting lodge (all steep gables and mullioned bay windows) that belonged to the spendthrift Lord Lonsdale, Holbeck Ghyll became a hotel in the 1970s. Wonderfully, all the Arts and Crafts detailing has been retained: oak floors, stained-glass panels, decorative door handles and tiled fireplaces. It has all the classic country house hotel features: a lounge where a log fire burns in cooler months, piles of newspapers, a terrace for afternoon tea, lawns and tennis court, as well as a small spa featuring an outdoor hot tub which can be booked (free) for private use.

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This Georgian house has an immediately easy-going, seaside feel, where people in wetsuits or bathers feel equally at home as those more normally dressed, and the day’s activities are chalked up on a huge blackboard in reception. The easy-to-live-with yet stylish and appealing décor, which features good local art on the wall, plus plentiful sofas, armchairs and spacious tables for eating or board games, perfectly embodies the Georgian origins of the building while appealing to a young, sporty clientele. Facilities include a superb 20-metre glass-fronted indoor pool, hot tub, sauna, gym and two spa treatment rooms.

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This is a place that upholds old-fashioned hotel standards: concierges and valet parking; managers wearing dinner jackets in the evening; and a charming pianist. Staff pop up everywhere and are bright, cheery and eager to help. The hotel is well geared up for a weekend break, with a leisure centre (including pool with separate children’s area) and small spa (excellent relaxing massages) and easy walking booklets in the bedrooms. Outside, there’s a rowing boat to borrow, and daily duck-feeding. There are heaps of corners in which to nod off over the papers, though most guests gravitate to the lakeside conservatory and terrace.

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Low Wood's lakeside position, giving views over Windermere to the fells, is, for many people, what the Lake District is all about. An 18th-century coaching inn, with a charming roadside frontage of creeper-covered whitewashed walls and black window mouldings, it's grown to meet changing demands by adding a leisure centre, conference centre and bedroom extensions. As a 'resort hotel', it caters for guests whether they want to be indolent, active or have some family-fun. A snazzy spa, with thermal experience, overlooks the lake, while the leisure centre includes a gym, indoor and outdoor (infinity) pools, and outdoor sauna.

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This well-established family-run hotel, with a renowned real-ale bar, has a prime position in pretty Grasmere. The substantial white-washed building, with its distinctive black window mouldings, was originally a Georgian farmhouse, later extended, becoming a hotel in the early 1900s. The ground-floor has retained original features of deep sash-windows, a pillared hall and handsome-sized rooms. The bedrooms are split between the main hotel and a converted barn which houses the four Mews suites; guests in the latter share a hot tub and private courtyard.

Contributions by Cal Flynn and Fiona Duncan