Occupying a Georgian house and new annexe wings with private shorefront on Ullswater, this is an entirely child-friendly, dog-friendly 'lifestyle' hotel for those who love the great outdoors.

Lakeland luxury at its finest comes courtesy of Gilpin, with its Michelin-starred dining, private hot tubs in the majority of its indulgent rooms and attentive staff. Its flagship rooms are extravagantly large glass-cube spa suites that extend over a pond and offer private garden, spa room and circular bath.

A Regency beauty with spectacular views from the balconies, this stylish, dog-friendly country house hotel has a relaxed vibe, beautifully designed bedrooms, and a fine-dining restaurant.

With smartly refurbished interiors and imaginative, locally sourced, restaurant-quality food, this dog-friendly country inn on the Lowther Estate is a happy mix of pub informality and country-house comforts.

With the arrival of Michelin-starred chef Hrishikesh Desai, this smart country house hotel in beautiful, leafy grounds has become a top foodie destination.

Away from the crowds but close to good walking in the Ribble valley, this traditional coaching inn, refurbished in style, is both friendly village local and foodie hotspot, with impressive and glamorous bedrooms, onsite microbrewery, fine-dining and tasting-menus in the restaurant, pub classics and light bites at lunch.

The humble setting of this former coaching inn, half a mile from the Scottish border, belies its chic bedrooms and creative cooking.

Refreshingly different from some more traditional Lake District offerings, this contemporary hotel is in a beautiful setting overlooking Grasmere.

In 'England's book town', under mighty Howgill Fells on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, this is just the place for a drover's platter and a pint – or Korean beef, shiso and sesame with a shot of wasabi vodka.

A 'sprawling, traditional building in a beautiful setting' at the tip of Windermere, this family and dog-friendly hotel has easy access to lake-based activities as well as a spa.

Cosy, low-ceilinged and fire-warmed, this smartly refurbished 17th-century pub in the centre of a Lake District village has walks from the door and is just a short stroll from the Michelin-starred restaurant at Askham Hall (see entry).

Guests staying at this beautifully refurbished and dog-friendly roadside pub can enjoy hearty, locally sourced fare or dine at Another Place where they have use of all facilities.

A relaxing base in the rugged Western Lake District, Faith and Stephen Newell's fantastically secluded B&B is sleekly designed, and has many modern comforts.

Just a short walk from the tourist honeypot of Grasmere, an extended Victorian country house in wooded gardens, on the River Rothay, set against a backdrop of fells, is now in the ownership of Bespoke Hotels.

This stylish South Shore B&B has a boutique-hotel feel with treats and state-of-the-art music systems in bedrooms.

The River Eden loops past this red-sandstone mansion, topped with a cupola, on a wooded estate.

In three wooded acres, this former private country house combines spacious accommodation, contemporary comforts, spectacular valley views and a restaurant showcasing Cumbrian produce.

In the centre of a pleasant town, famous for its Anglo-Saxon crosses, this revitalised 19th-century inn with an 'informal atmosphere' is a popular gathering point.

In the buzzy Georgian quarter, a Victorian carriage works has been reimagined as a hotel, with industrial-chic style, spa, minimalist bedrooms and modern British menus.