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.

Banish images of fast-food outlets and slot machines when you break your journey at Tebay on wild and woolly Shap Fell, 60 miles from the Scottish border.

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.

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.

To find a gem in a quiet corner of the visitor-thronged Lake District is not easy, but this smart village inn in the lovely Lyth valley offers 'top-notch food', 'great service' and country-style bedrooms.

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.

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

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.

Overlooking the River Hodder in the Forest of Bowland, this sprawling 18th-century manor house is joyously traditional, with stone-flagged floors, open fires and bags of atmosphere.

In a Lyth valley village on the edge of the Lake District, Becky and Ash Dewar have transformed a 16th-century hostelry into an 'always welcoming' village pub. The beamed bar in the former 16th-century hostelry has cask ales, craft beers and cocktails made with locally produced spirits.

'A charming place', this B&B and events venue has plenty of space, with bedrooms in a 19th-century house and coach house, three lounges, well-stocked kitchen and extensive grounds.

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.

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.

Outside Grasmere's village centre, this period property boasts original Victorian features alongside boutique features in the bedrooms.

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).

Away from the Lake District's hot spots, in quiet Lorton Vale north of Buttermere, this whitewashed farmhouse B&B mixes rustic authenticity with modern comforts.

Hipping Hall will be closing permanently on the 24th July 2023. Between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District – and just ten minutes from the M6 – Hipping Hall is a surprising foodie find with understated yet luxurious bedrooms, spacious gardens and a relaxed atmosphere.

Book well ahead to stay at this luxury restaurant-with-rooms, in a centuries-old hall, where reverence for terroir, traceability and sustainability are at the heart of Mark Birchall's modern cuisine.

Beyond its imposing colonnade and Tudor revival upper storeys, this grand Victorian hotel balances superb service with friendliness, traditionally styled with more contemporary rooms, brasserie fare with refined dining.

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.

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

Against a backdrop of Lyzzick Wood, from its vantage on the lower slopes of Skiddaw, this Victorian gentleman's residence, once home to naturalist and cartographer Joseph Flintoft, has simply glorious fell views.

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

In a picturesque Pennines village, this traditional coaching inn has 18 bedrooms, some with beams, some with roof window, an informal brasserie, and a restaurant serving pub classics and more inventive dishes.

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.

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

Step back in time to an age of quiet elegance at this 400-year-old manor house, run as a 'wonderful, charming B&B', with views over farmland to pretty Cartmel village and its Norman priory church.

A 'superbly positioned Art Deco wonder', the former railway hotel overlooking the sand flats of Morecambe Bay was restored to its iconic glory by the English Lakes group.

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.