Caroline and Jonathan Kaye are fun and welcoming hosts at their B&B, a Victorian gentleman's residence in walled garden, praised by many readers for its award-winning interiors, individually styled rooms and suites, delicious afternoon tea and great breakfasts.

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.

Away from the crowds but close to good walking in the Ribble valley, this traditional coaching inn 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.

With its towers and battlements this Victorian-folly castle, in 15 acres of grounds, looks imposing yet 'you actually feel like it is your castle'.

The South African Leeu Collection's Edwardian country house in wooded, landscaped grounds above Windermere is a haven of civilised living, with casual and fine dining options, woodland hot-tub suites, and views to take the breath away.

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

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.

In the Debatable Lands, just south of the Scottish border, Gerald and Margo Smith's stylish, Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms scored very highly with a trusted Guide reader – and no debate about that!

Bring the dog, bring the kids, revel in the gorgeous scenery and the great outdoors at this ‘lifestyle hotel’ with private shorefront on Ullswater and plenty of activities on offer. It's the old, staid Rampsbeck Hotel reinvented (out with the chintz and swags, on with the wetsuits or hiking boots!)

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 smartl 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.

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 '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.

Mark Birchall holds two Michelin stars and a Michelin Green star at this centuries-old hall with designer bedrooms, some with a lake view, where prospective guests must join a waiting list and expect to pay a high price for the meal of a lifetime.

Many regard Borrowdale as the Lake District's most picturesque valley, and this comfortable Edwardian country house has one of its finest locations.

Hrishikesh Desai's innovative, Michelin-starred cooking is just one of the attractions at this luxury country-house hotel in beautifully maintained gardens deep in the Cumbrian countryside.

In the centre of a pleasant town famous for its Anglo-Saxon crosses, this revitalised 19th-century inn is a popular gathering place, with boutique bedrooms, relaxing spaces, deep leather armchairs, open fires, a gastropub and steakhouse menu, and alternative choices for vegans.

A relaxing base in the rugged Western Lake District, this secluded family-run B&B has six spacious, sleek and stylish suites, some with patio, some dog friendly, with the bonus of an honesty bar, outdoor hot tub, spectacular mountain views and starry dark skies.

Every bedrooms is special at this impressive red-sandstone mansion, home to a dog-friendly, country-house guesthouse on a wooded estate overlooking the River Eden, where at night in the elegant dining room, guests sit down to a home-cooked dinner of locally sourced produce.

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

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