The last time I visited the Langdale estate was five years ago and we stayed in the Langdale Hotel. We got engaged the weekend we stayed here in 2012 so it holds a special place in my heart and consequently I was looking forward to seeing how the site had changed since our last trip.
Brimstone
Brimstone is located just on the right as you enter the Langdale Estate but is an entity in its own right.
The building has its own car park- so if you drive just past the main entrance, you can leave your car in the basement during your stay rather than in the large open car park further down.
We went to reception first and a gentlemen took us over to Brimstone where we were met by our host. The hotel doesn’t have its own reception- you are assigned a host who you contact personally every time you need something.
We were buzzed in and met our host in the Reading Room- a room full of books, magazines and complimentary refreshments and snacks for if you want to escape your room for a while.
Our host showed us to our room and told us how to work the fire and the lighting. She informed us that we could take our breakfast in the room by filling out a card and putting it on the door handle before 11pm or we could enjoy it in the Stove restaurant on site. She also gave us a number to call her on in the event of any questions or issues.
There was a card left by the host with the wine cooler and water to confirm our restaurant booking in The Stove and spa booking in the Brimstone Spa, which made a nice touch- especially as we had booked the hotel well in advance and the details were a little hazy.
The room itself was breath-taking- downstairs there was a dining area, toilet, living area and there was a bath hidden behind a screen, so you could watch TV as you bathed. This room boasted a balcony to look out onto the estate behind bi-folding doors to enjoy the warmth of the fire and the bite of the winter air.
The floor to ceiling slate chimney breast drew the eye up to the three giant lampshades and mezzanine floor, where there was a super king-sized bed, another TV, toilet, and shower room.
The space was decorated in earthy tones and the walls were adorned with dramatic black and white pictures of the Lake District. It was nothing short of stunning.
Aside from the instant impact the room had, it was all the little extras that impressed me most. Normally hotels supply you with things you might have left at home- but this took things to another level. There were the usual shampoos, conditioners, body washes and soaps- but with this came body lotion, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a sewing kit, shower cap, cloths to polish your shoes, a comb and vanity it.
The wardrobe also had robes and slippers in it as well as an iron, board, GHD straighteners and a hair dryer.
Downstairs, the refreshment area had the usual coffee, tea and hot chocolate options along with complimentary biscuits and bottles of water. This was accompanied by a mini bar that stocked chocolate, jellies, crisps, toiletries used in the spa and a fridge full of wine for if you fancied something different.
The room catered for your every need and then some.
The lighting had several different settings depending on your mood too; my husband enjoyed playing around with this till he found the right one. He was also able to connect his phone to the speaker on our bedside table to pipe music into the room.
The blackout blinds ensured we had a very comfortable night’s sleep and weren’t woken up by the morning light, so it was quite a shock when the alarm went off!
We decided to order breakfast to be delivered to the room on our first morning. On the card, you specify a time you would like it delivered- I opted for between 9.30 and 9.45 so we could have a little lie in and the breakfast arrived at 9.31!
The hot food was still hot, despite coming all the way from the main building and even though we had ordered specific items, there was still generous section of jams, marmalades, honey and marmite as well as brown and red sauce. The hotel prides itself on serving no locally sourced produce so everything was of a very high standard.
I’m a vegetarian and there weren’t any exclusively vegetarian English breakfast options on the menu. The night before, I called down to ask and the host told us to mention this in the additional notes section along with a list of what I wanted- all of which arrived. I would urge you to talk to your host if you have any specific dietary requirements and the hotel will acocomdate you accordingly.
We made the most of the room- we lit the log burner, popped on the TV and snuggled up on the couch while the world froze around us outside- quite literally.
We had breakfast in the Stove on the second morning which had a large selection of fruits, dairy, cooked breakfast options, juices and continental choices. We were still full form the night before at The Stove- where we had our evening meal, so we couldn’t mange a lot, but it was good to take a walk to the restaurant to wake ourselves up and get a bite to eat to prepare us for the day.
At breakfast, my partner looked around and said- ‘do you know I think this might just be the best hotel we’ve ever stayed in!’ and he’s right. We’ve been lucky enough to stay in some beautiful hotels but this one went above and beyond our expectations and the fact it’s in the Lakes just makes it even more special- there is not location like it in the UK. This is one hotel to put on your bucket list-sheer perfection.
Tagged in The Lake District