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Family Hotels in the Lake District, Sorted by Pool Hours, Beds and Dogs

Family hotels in Lake District towns and villages publish very different rules for children, and the pool is where they differ most. Of the twelve checked on their own websites on 3 October 2026, nine have a pool, and at three of them children barely get in: Armathwaite Hall lets under-16s swim from 8 to 9.30am only, Low Wood Bay only before 10am, and the Daffodil in Grasmere not at all. Five set no children's time limit, and only one, Another Place on Ullswater, runs a kids club. This guide starts from those rules, then the beds, the dogs and the walk to the water.

Best for a family of four: Another Place, The Lake

By Emma19 min readPublished Rooms checked October 2026
Table of contents
Windermere and its wooded islands seen from Orrest Head, above spring woodland
Photo: Peter S · CC BY-SA 2.0

In Brief

Which family hotel in the Lake District is best for children?

Another Place, The Lake on Ullswater is the best all-round choice (££££): an Ofsted-registered Kids' Zone included in every stay, family suites for up to six and a pool children can use from 9am to 6pm. The Castle Inn near Bassenthwaite is the value pick (££), with a room for six and a pool children can use 7am to 8pm.

Key takeaways

  • Armathwaite Hall lets under-16s swim from 8 to 9.30am only, and Low Wood Bay only before 10am
  • The Daffodil bars under-16s from its spa and hydrotherapy pool altogether
  • Langdale and both YHA hostels allow no dogs, while Windermere Manor charges £10 a dog booked direct
  • Windermere Manor and The Coniston Inn do not supply travel cots

Pick your budget

  • Budget

    YHA hostel private rooms with a self-catering kitchen

    YHA Ambleside

    A private en-suite room on the shore of Windermere at Waterhead, with £1 breakfasts for under-10s and £5 parking for 24 hours.

  • Most families pick this

    Mid-range

    Inns and smaller hotels with family rooms and a pool

    The Castle Inn Hotel

    A family room for up to six with breakfast, and a 15-metre pool children can use from 7am to 8pm with an adult.

  • Splurge

    Lakeshore hotel with included childcare

    Another Place, The Lake

    A family suite for up to six on Ullswater, an Ofsted-registered Kids' Zone included in the stay and a jetty for paddling and kayaking.

Which rooms actually fit your family

Find your party shape along the top, then read down. A tick means the hotel publishes a room that holds that group in one booking. A dash means the hotel does not publish the fact at all, which is not the same as a no, and is why the column exists.

Room configurations by family size for 12 hotels in Lake District
Hotel2+12+22+32 + babyConnectingCotRollaway
Another Place, The LakeYesYesYesYesYesTravel cots for children up to three, no price publishedAdditional occupants aged 3 and over are charged 25 percent of the double room rate; family suites are priced per room up to their maximum occupancy
Lakeside Hotel & SpaYesYesYesYesYesJunior Suites have lounge space for cots, no price publishedA Z-bed in many Family Suites, and a sofa bed in some Junior Suites for children up to 12, both charged but not priced
The Castle Inn HotelYesYesYesNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedNot published
Low Wood Bay Resort & SpaNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedNot published
Armathwaite Hall Hotel & SpaYesYesNot publishedNot publishedYesNot publishedChildren under 16 in a room of their own get 25 percent off the bed and breakfast rate
Windermere Manor HotelYesYesNoNot publishedNot publishedNone supplied. Bring your own, and the hotel warns space may be tight in Standard Double RoomsNot published
The Langdale Hotel & EstateYesYesYesYesNot publishedNot publishedNo guests beyond the bed count in a lodge, except a baby in a cot
Ambleside Salutation Hotel & SpaNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedYesNot publishedTravel cots on request, no charge publishedNo charge for extra beds in family rooms
Daffodil Hotel & SpaYesYesNot publishedYesNot publishedFreeNot published
The Coniston InnYesYesNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedNone supplied. Bring your own and check the room will take itNot published
YHA AmblesideNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedYesNot publishedCot available, no price publishedNot published
YHA KeswickNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedYesNot publishedCot available, no price publishedNot published

Every tick comes from the hotel's own website or its brand's site, read on 3 October 2026. An unverified mark means the operator publishes nothing, which is not the same as a no. Occupancy is strict: a tick needs a room the operator says takes that many people, so Low Wood Bay, the Ambleside Salutation and both YHA hostels, which describe family rooms without numbers, show unverified, and Windermere Manor, whose family rooms are published for two adults and two children, shows a no for five. The connecting column is ticked only where the operator names interconnecting rooms in writing, which Another Place, Lakeside and Armathwaite Hall do. The baby column is unverified at Windermere Manor and The Coniston Inn because neither supplies a cot, and at three other hotels that say nothing about cots.

These are family facts, and family facts go stale. This table is set for re-verification in April 2027.

Which one fits how your family travels

Find the row that sounds like your trip. Every pick below names the family it is wrong for, so you can book on fit rather than on rank.

If you areBookWhy
Bringing a baby or a toddlerAnother Place, The LakeIts Ofsted-registered Kids' Zone takes children from six months, travel cots are provided up to age three and babysitting can be arranged.
Travelling with children who want to swim every afternoonLakeside Hotel & SpaThe 17-metre pool is open from 7am to 7pm with no age restriction, and there is a games room for wet days.
Two adults and four childrenThe Castle Inn HotelFamily Room 6 is published for two adults and four children, with a king and four single beds.
Watching the budgetYHA AmblesideIt sits on the shore at Waterhead, under-10s eat breakfast for £1 and overnight parking is £5 for 24 hours.
Bringing the dogWindermere Manor HotelIt charges £10 a dog a night booked direct, has a fenced grass run and lets dogs into its public areas on a lead.
Driving an electric carAnother Place, The LakeIt has five charging points in the lower car park, the most published here, though you need to bring your own lead.
Flights to Lake DistrictCompare airlines and dates

What the bands mean

Few Lake District hotels publish a nightly rate you can compare, but most publish what the children cost, and that varies more than the rooms do. Armathwaite Hall charges £25 a night for each child under 12 sharing, breakfast included, and £60 in a deluxe family room with an adjoining twin room. Lakeside charges £30 a night for children aged 3 to 15 with a full English breakfast, and nothing for children up to 2. Another Place charges extra occupants aged 3 and over 25 percent of the double room rate, but children aged 3 to 12 go free Sunday to Thursday outside school holidays. The Ambleside Salutation charges nothing for extra beds and £12.95 for breakfast for children aged 6 and over, and the YHA hostels sell under-10s breakfast for £1. Low Wood Bay adds a nightly supplement for children 15 and under without saying how much. The only room rate published here is Langdale's, from £135 a night midweek on its Advance Purchase rate. Booking direct matters as well: Low Wood Bay charges third-party bookings £12 a day to park, and Windermere Manor charges £20 a dog instead of £10.

£
YHA hostels with private family rooms, a self-catering kitchen and a cafe, priced in pounds sterling by the room
££
Inns and smaller hotels with family rooms, two of the three with a pool
£££
Four-star spa and leisure hotels, and the self-catering lodges on the Langdale Estate
££££
Lakeshore and country-estate hotels where the extras for children are part of the stay

The 12 hotels, and the room to ask for at each

Walking times are to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier. Measured on 3 October 2026 on OpenStreetMap foot routing and recalculated at 1.25 metres a second, from each hotel's mapped position to the nearest lake shore or lake steamer pier. These are road and path routes, not operator figures. Two results were rejected and the hotel's own words are used instead: the router reached the jetty by The Coniston Inn only through a ferry leg, and it sent the Daffodil on a two-kilometre detour to a shore 94 metres away. In the Lake District the useful question is whether the children can reach the water without the car, and the answer runs from one minute at Low Wood Bay and YHA Ambleside to 29 minutes from the centre of Ambleside.

  • Rocks along the shore of Ullswater near Pooley Bridge, with yachts moored on the calm water

    Watermillock, Ullswater

    Another Place, The Lake

    ££££
    Rated 4.5 out of 5 on Google Maps from 554 reviews, as of October 2026
    Best for four

    A relaxed lakeshore hotel at Watermillock on Ullswater with the most complete published offer for children in the Lake District. Its Kids' Zone is Ofsted-registered, runs supervised sessions for children from six months to 12 years and is included in every stay. The 20-metre Swim Club pool has a shallow end, and kayaking, wild swimming and paddleboarding start from the hotel's own jetty.

    Room to book
    A Best family suite for six, with separate bunk rooms and lake views, or a Better family suite for five
    Children stay free
    Children aged 3 to 12 go free sharing an adult's double room, Sunday to Thursday outside school holidays and festive dates
    Breakfast for children
    Not priced separately. Both restaurants have children's menus, and families are asked to book dinner in Rampsbeck between 6 and 7pm
    Walk to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    5 minutes at 394 m to the Ullswater shore, with the hotel's own jetty in the grounds to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    Right for
    Families with children from six months to twelve who want childcare included, a pool and the lake inside the grounds.
    Wrong for
    Anyone who needs to keep their money flexible, because payment is taken in full when you book.
    The catch
    Payment is taken in full at booking, and only cancellations made 30 days or more before arrival are refunded. The pool is adults only from 7 to 9am and from 6 to 9pm, the hot tub and sauna are for 16 and over, and there is a two-night minimum stay. The site also disagrees with itself about the pool, calling it 20 metres in the FAQ and 25 metres on the dog page.
  • Passengers waiting under the canopy of the Lakeside landing stage at the southern end of Windermere

    Lakeside, Newby Bridge

    Lakeside Hotel & Spa

    £££
    Rated 4.2 out of 5 on Google Maps from 1,800 reviews, as of October 2026

    A large hotel on the shore at the southern tip of Windermere, where the lake cruise boats dock outside the door, the Lakeside and Haverthwaite steam railway starts just outside and the Lakes Aquarium is across the car park. Its 17-metre indoor pool is described by the hotel as child friendly and carries no age restriction, and a games room for children opened at the end of 2022.

    Room to book
    A Family Suite for four or five, with a separate children's room inside the suite
    Children stay free
    Children up to 2 stay free using the existing beds; an offer runs from 16 October to 1 November 2026 with children free on two-night stays, two children per booking
    Breakfast for children
    Children aged 3 to 15 are £30 a night, including a full English breakfast
    Walk to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    2 minutes at 151 m to Lakeside pier, where the hotel says the ferry docks outside its doors to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    Right for
    A family without a car, or one that wants boats, steam trains and the aquarium a few minutes' walk away.
    Wrong for
    Parents who want someone else to watch the children, as there is no kids club and the pool is unmanned.
    The catch
    The pool is unmanned, so children must be supervised by an adult at all times, and the hotel asks that nobody uses it alone. The fine-dining Lakeview Restaurant opens only Wednesday to Saturday from 6 to 9pm, and dogs cost £25 each a night.
  • Green fields below the long ridge of Skiddaw, seen from near Bassenthwaite village

    Bassenthwaite, near Keswick

    The Castle Inn Hotel

    ££
    Rated 3.9 out of 5 on Google Maps from 962 reviews, as of October 2026
    Best value

    A four-star former coaching inn dating from 1770 on the A591 near Bassenthwaite, eight miles from Keswick. It publishes the biggest plain family rooms here, up to a king and four single beds for two adults and four children, and its 15-metre pool is open from 7am to 8pm with children under 16 welcome whenever an adult supervises them. There is a children's play area, a grass tennis court and a children's menu.

    Room to book
    Family Room 6, a king and four single beds for two adults and four children
    Breakfast for children
    Breakfast is included with the family rooms; no separate child price published
    Walk to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    21 minutes at 1,543 m to the Bassenthwaite Lake shore; the hotel sends lake swimmers to a public footpath off the A591 to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    Right for
    A family of five or six who want one room with real beds and a pool the children can use all day.
    Wrong for
    Anyone who wants to walk to a lake or into a town from the door.
    The catch
    It is a roadside hotel, not a lakeside one. The hotel describes itself as set beside Bassenthwaite Lake, but its own swimming page tells guests to take the A591 and follow a public footpath to reach the shore. Under-16s are not allowed in the steam room or gym, and spa treatments are for over-18s only.
  • Yachts moored at Low Wood on Windermere, between the towns of Windermere and Ambleside

    Low Wood, Windermere

    Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa

    £££
    Rated 4.4 out of 5 on Google Maps from 2,527 reviews, as of October 2026

    A big resort hotel on the A591 between Windermere and Ambleside, with its own marina and watersports centre on the lake shore beside it. Families can hire kayaks with no minimum age as long as someone aged 18 or over is on the water, or take pedalos for up to four. The W restaurant has a children's menu, and the resort's FAQ calls it family-friendly with dedicated family rooms.

    Room to book
    A Hazel Family Room, after asking the resort how many it sleeps
    Children stay free
    No. Children 15 and under sharing with two full-paying adults pay a nightly supplement, amount not published
    Breakfast for children
    Not published. Children's dinners are charged as taken, even on dinner, bed and breakfast rates
    Walk to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    1 minute at 43 m to the Windermere shore at the hotel's marina to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    Right for
    Older children who want to be on the water all day, paddling and boating from the hotel's own centre.
    Wrong for
    Children who expect an afternoon or after-tea swim.
    The catch
    Children can only swim between 7.30 and 10am. The hotel's terms give guests two pool sessions, and the evening one, 5.30 to 8pm, is for adults 16 and over. The spa is 16 and over at all times, the Hazel Family Room is listed at 20 to 22 square metres, the same as a standard Hazel room, with no occupancy published, and dogs cost £30 each a night.
  • A grassy shore with boulders beside Bassenthwaite Lake, under wooded fells

    Bassenthwaite Lake

    Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa

    ££££
    Rated 4.6 out of 5 on Google Maps from 1,469 reviews, as of October 2026

    A country-house hotel in 400 acres overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake, with the Lake District Wildlife Park in its grounds a short walk away; residents get two-for-one adult entry and children go free. Family options include rooms with extra beds, family rooms with bunk rooms, deluxe family rooms with an adjoining twin room, and interconnecting rooms.

    Room to book
    A deluxe family room with its adjoining twin room for the children
    Children stay free
    No. Children under 12 sharing are £25 a night, or £60 in a deluxe family room with an adjoining twin room
    Breakfast for children
    Included in the £25 and £60 child rates
    Walk to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    8 minutes at 608 m to the Bassenthwaite Lake shore, which the hotel calls a short stroll to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    Right for
    Animal-mad children, and families who want lemurs and meerkats within walking distance of the room.
    Wrong for
    Children who expect to use the four pools, because they get 90 minutes in one of them, early in the morning.
    The catch
    Under-16s may only use the indoor pool from 8 to 9.30am. Outside that window the hotel reserves all its spa facilities, including the 16-metre infinity pool, for guests aged 16 and over. Cancelling within seven days costs 50 percent and within 48 hours the full amount, and the Lake View Restaurant asks for smart casual dress with no shorts or trainers.
  • A stone jetty running out into Windermere at Low Millerground, north of Bowness

    Windermere village

    Windermere Manor Hotel

    ££
    Rated 4.0 out of 5 on Google Maps from 793 reviews, as of October 2026

    A 35-room manor house hotel in gardens on Rayrigg Road, under a mile from Windermere station, with a heated indoor pool open daily from 8am to 8pm and no children's hours in its published rules. Its family rooms take two adults and two children in bunk beds, the restaurant has high chairs, and it is the cheapest hotel here to bring a dog when booked direct.

    Room to book
    A Standard family room for two adults and two children in bunk beds
    Breakfast for children
    Breakfast is included in every room price; no child rate published
    Walk to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    10 minutes at 732 m to the Windermere shore near Rayrigg Meadow; Bowness pier is 45 minutes on foot to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    Right for
    A family of four arriving by train who want a pool the children can use from morning to evening.
    Wrong for
    Parents of a baby who were counting on a hotel cot.
    The catch
    The hotel cannot supply travel cots, there is no lifeguard at the pool, and the free car park is first come, first served with no guaranteed space. Stays of four nights or more need a non-refundable £100 per person deposit. Its own pages put Bowness 1.4 miles away on the homepage and 1.5 miles away in the FAQ.
  • Reeds along Elter Water with the Langdale Pikes rising beyond

    Elterwater, Great Langdale

    The Langdale Hotel & Estate

    £££

    A village-style resort on the 35-acre Langdale Estate at Elterwater, with hotel rooms plus self-catering lodges and apartments that sleep four, six or eight. The leisure club has a heated indoor pool open from 8am to 8pm, a baby pool with a bubble feature, a soft play area and a secure children's play area, and lodge guests use it free.

    Room to book
    A two-bedroom lodge for six, booked for three, four or seven nights
    Breakfast for children
    Self-catering in the lodges; Stove restaurant has a children's menu
    Walk to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    11 minutes at 826 m to the shore of Elter Water to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    Right for
    A larger family who want a kitchen, a pool and soft play for wet days in the middle of the fells.
    Wrong for
    Anyone bringing a dog.
    The catch
    No pets of any kind are allowed anywhere on the estate, only assistance dogs. Lodges need a non-refundable deposit of £200 for part weeks or £400 for full weeks, with the balance due six weeks ahead, and in term time the pool closes from 2 to 3.30pm on Tuesdays for the local primary school's swimming lessons. Most hotel bedrooms are a short walk from the main building.
  • Shops and stone buildings on Market Place in the centre of Ambleside

    Ambleside town centre

    Ambleside Salutation Hotel & Spa

    £££
    Rated 4.7 out of 5 on Google Maps from 843 reviews, as of October 2026

    A hotel in the centre of Ambleside with a spa pool that the hotel says has no time restrictions for children, open from 8am to 8pm. Extra beds in family rooms are free, travel cots are lent on request, every bedroom gets one free parking space, and there are three electric car chargers.

    Room to book
    A family room with extra beds, giving the children's ages when you book so the hotel can choose the room
    Breakfast for children
    Breakfast for children aged 6 and over is £12.95 each
    Walk to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    29 minutes at 2,145 m to the lake front at Waterhead to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    Right for
    A family who want shops, cafes and a pool from the same town-centre base.
    Wrong for
    Families who need to know the room layout before they pay.
    The catch
    No family room has a published size or occupancy, so the hotel picks the room from the ages you give it. Breakfast for children over 6 costs £12.95 each, the lake is a 29-minute walk away, and the dog charge is not published.
  • Grasmere lake reflecting the surrounding fells, framed by a mossy tree on the shore

    Grasmere

    Daffodil Hotel & Spa

    £££
    Rated 4.5 out of 5 on Google Maps from 1,342 reviews, as of October 2026

    A modern hotel on the shore of Grasmere, across the way from the Wordsworth Museum, with a two-bedroom Family Suite for four that puts the children in their own twin room. Cots are free, there are three electric car charging points, and dogs are welcome in some bedrooms, the lounge and the grounds.

    Room to book
    The Family Suite, an Emperor bedroom plus a separate twin room
    Breakfast for children
    Not published
    Walk to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    On the shore of Grasmere in the hotel's own words; the foot router found no short public path, so no minutes are given to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    Right for
    A family of four who want two proper bedrooms and the Grasmere fells from the door.
    Wrong for
    Any family who wants to swim, because children under 16 are not allowed in the spa or its pool.
    The catch
    Children under 16 are barred from the whole spa, including the hydrotherapy pool, steam room and sauna, and the hydro pool is closed for maintenance from 5 to 25 October. Dogs cost £25 each a night and are not allowed in the Dining Room.
  • Yachts moored in still water at Waterhead, the northern end of Coniston Water

    Coniston Water

    The Coniston Inn

    ££
    Rated 4.5 out of 5 on Google Maps from 1,219 reviews, as of October 2026

    A Lakeland slate inn in its own grounds on the shore of Coniston Water, with 45 rooms, free parking and a pub restaurant whose garden courtyard looks over the lake. Its family rooms have a king-size bed and bunk beds, and up to two dogs can stay for £15 a night when booked direct.

    Room to book
    A Family Room with Bunk Beds
    Breakfast for children
    Not published
    Walk to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    On the shore of Coniston Water in its own grounds, by the inn's description; no foot route was measured to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    Right for
    A walking family with a dog who want the lake at the bottom of the garden and a pub supper.
    Wrong for
    Parents of a baby, and children who want a pool.
    The catch
    There is no pool, no kids club and no travel cot, because the inn's FAQ says it does not provide them. Check-out is 10.30am, the free cancellation deadline is 3pm two days before arrival, and e-bikes may only be kept on site with the battery removed and stored 10 metres from the building.
  • The pier building and lake front at Waterhead, Ambleside, at the head of Windermere

    Waterhead, Ambleside

    YHA Ambleside

    £
    Rated 4.5 out of 5 on Google Maps from 1,575 reviews, as of October 2026

    A youth hostel right on the shore of Windermere at Waterhead, with private and private en-suite rooms, a lakeside restaurant and bar, a self-catering kitchen, a drying room, games and a large garden. Under-10s eat the unlimited breakfast for £1 on YHA's offer, and overnight guests pay £5 for 24 hours in the car park.

    Room to book
    A private en-suite room, since YHA does not allow under-12s in dormitories
    Breakfast for children
    Under-10s eat breakfast for £1 on a YHA offer
    Walk to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    1 minute at 90 m to the lake front by the Waterhead piers to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    Right for
    A family on a tight budget who want the lake, the boats and Ambleside on foot.
    Wrong for
    Anyone bringing a dog.
    The catch
    Pets are not allowed, towels are only available to rent, check-out is before 10am, and private room sizes and prices only appear once you enter dates. YHA's terms bar children under 12 from dormitories, so a family has to book a private room.
  • The River Greta curving past houses and a riverside green in Keswick, with cloud on the fells

    Keswick

    YHA Keswick

    £
    Rated 4.7 out of 5 on Google Maps from 594 reviews, as of October 2026

    A refurbished youth hostel on the River Greta overlooking Fitz Park, less than five minutes' walk from the centre of Keswick, with private and private en-suite rooms, a riverside cafe and bar open from 7am to 10pm and a self-catering kitchen. YHA points guests to the leisure centre next door for an indoor pool and a climbing wall.

    Room to book
    A private en-suite room, since under-12s cannot use the dormitories
    Breakfast for children
    Under-10s eat breakfast for £1 on a YHA offer
    Walk to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    18 minutes at 1,317 m through the Market Square to the Derwentwater landing stages to the nearest lake shore or steamer pier
    Right for
    A family who want Keswick's shops, the theatre and the lake launches on foot, on a hostel budget.
    Wrong for
    Families arriving by car who want to park at the door.
    The catch
    There is only limited parking on Station Road, with the free parking 400 metres away on Brundholme Road, and pets are not allowed. Check-in closes at 10pm, check-out is before 10am, and the pool belongs to the neighbouring leisure centre rather than the hostel.

Where not to book in Lake District

The commonest mistake in the Lake District is booking a spa hotel for the pool and finding the children are kept out of it. Armathwaite Hall allows under-16s in its indoor pool from 8 to 9.30am only, Low Wood Bay lets children swim from 7.30 to 10am and makes its evening session adults only, and the Daffodil bars under-16s from its whole spa. Another Place keeps 7 to 9am and 6 to 9pm for adults, which still leaves the afternoon. If an after-tea swim matters, look at Lakeside, The Castle Inn, Windermere Manor, the Ambleside Salutation or Langdale, which publish no children's hours. The second trap is the cot: Windermere Manor and The Coniston Inn both say they do not supply one. The third is the dog, because Langdale and both YHA hostels refuse pets outright. Finally, book direct: Low Wood Bay charges third-party bookings £12 a day for parking, and Windermere Manor charges £20 a dog instead of £10.

When to book

School holidays decide most Lake District family trips, and Another Place runs daily Kids' Zone sessions over October half term, which it lists as Saturday 24 to Saturday 31 October, with children aged 3 to 12 going free in an adult's room Sunday to Thursday outside the holidays. Lakeside's children-stay-free offer covers two-night stays from 16 October to 1 November 2026, for up to two children. Deposits and refunds vary more than prices do: Another Place takes full payment at booking and refunds only with 30 days' notice, Low Wood Bay takes a £100 deposit per room and lets flexible bookings cancel up to 48 hours ahead, Armathwaite Hall charges 50 percent within seven days, and Windermere Manor takes a non-refundable £100 per person on stays of four nights or more. Langdale's lodges sell in three, four and seven-night blocks with the balance due six weeks ahead. Note too that the Daffodil's hydrotherapy pool is closed for maintenance from 5 to 25 October.

Family hotels in Lake District: FAQ

The questions parents ask most when booking a room here.

For most families it is Another Place, The Lake on Ullswater, because it is the only hotel checked with an Ofsted-registered kids club, and that club is included in every stay for children from six months to 12. Its Best family suites sleep six with separate bunk rooms. For a larger family on a tighter budget, The Castle Inn near Bassenthwaite publishes a room for two adults and four children and lets children use its pool from 7am to 8pm.

Nine of the twelve hotels checked have a pool, but the rules differ widely. Lakeside, The Castle Inn, Windermere Manor, the Ambleside Salutation and Langdale publish no children's hours, so children can swim whenever the pool is open, with an adult where the hotel requires one. Another Place keeps 7 to 9am and 6 to 9pm for adults. Armathwaite Hall allows under-16s from 8 to 9.30am only, Low Wood Bay before 10am only, and the Daffodil not at all.

Nine of the twelve take dogs. Langdale and the two YHA hostels, at Ambleside and Keswick, do not allow pets at all. Published charges run from £10 a dog a night at Windermere Manor when booked direct to £30 a dog at Low Wood Bay. Another Place charges £15 for the first dog and £5 for a second, The Coniston Inn £15 for up to two, and Lakeside, Armathwaite Hall and the Daffodil £25 a dog.

It depends on whether you want to use the car. The south end of Windermere suits families without one: at Lakeside the lake cruise boats dock outside the hotel, the steam railway starts just outside and the aquarium is across the car park. In Keswick, YHA Keswick is under five minutes' walk from the town centre. Ullswater and Bassenthwaite are where the hotels with big grounds are: 18 acres at Another Place and 400 acres at Armathwaite Hall.

Of the twelve hotels checked, only Another Place, The Lake runs one. Its Kids' Zone is Ofsted-registered, takes children from six months to 12 years in separate age groups, and runs supervised sessions of up to two hours, and the hotel says the Kids' Zone is open every day and included in every stay. Armathwaite Hall offers estate activities and The Castle Inn has a children's play area, but neither publishes supervised childcare.

Windermere Manor names Manchester as its closest international airport, about 90 miles south of the hotel, and Lakeside says the drive takes about 90 minutes via the M6 to Junction 36. Lakeside also notes a direct train from Manchester Airport to Oxenholme the Lake District, from where Windermere trains connect and Langdale is a 15-minute taxi from Windermere station.

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Photo credits (12)

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, used under their respective licences.

  • Rocks along the shore of Ullswater near Pooley Bridge, with yachts moored on the calm water: Bill Boaden - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
  • Passengers waiting under the canopy of the Lakeside landing stage at the southern end of Windermere: Lewis Clarke - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
  • Green fields below the long ridge of Skiddaw, seen from near Bassenthwaite village: Adrian Taylor - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
  • Yachts moored at Low Wood on Windermere, between the towns of Windermere and Ambleside: Chris Morgan - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
  • A grassy shore with boulders beside Bassenthwaite Lake, under wooded fells: Robert Eva - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
  • A stone jetty running out into Windermere at Low Millerground, north of Bowness: Anthony Parkes - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
  • Reeds along Elter Water with the Langdale Pikes rising beyond: Peter Turner - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
  • Shops and stone buildings on Market Place in the centre of Ambleside: Graham Robson - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
  • Grasmere lake reflecting the surrounding fells, framed by a mossy tree on the shore: The wub - CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
  • Yachts moored in still water at Waterhead, the northern end of Coniston Water: David Purchase - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
  • The pier building and lake front at Waterhead, Ambleside, at the head of Windermere: Eirian Evans - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
  • The River Greta curving past houses and a riverside green in Keswick, with cloud on the fells: Bill Boaden - CC BY-SA 2.0 · source