A beautiful hotel and restaurant tucked away in the heart of the Lake District. Ambleside, to be precise, is a popular destination brimming with shops, restaurants and pubs and is one of the best bases for exploring the area. There are plenty of outdoor adventure activities available around Ambleside, so you’re spoilt for choice! But if you want to start your trip to Bowness, Waterhead Pier is just a ten-minute walk from the hotel. The ferry goes to Bowness and Lakeside Pier, and it’s a perfect commute to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery on the way. Once there, you can hire a boat or bike or wander through Bowness village.

Earlier, we had arrived at the beautiful white-painted colonial-style property that is Rothay Manor Boutique Hotel & Restaurant. The hotel is dog-friendly too, and you’re encouraged to bring them. We were welcomed by the friendly receptionist and taken up to the room where we’d be staying the night. The new Pavilion Suites have replaced the bungalows that used to house the Loughrigg and Wansfell suites. There are now eight luxury guest suites, each ground-floor suite having a private garden.

We were allocated the Easedale Junior Suite, one of the larger suites—a beautifully furnished and spacious room with two comfy seats, a flat-screen TV, and large sliding doors overlooking the charming gardens. All the bedrooms at Rothay Manor are individually designed with sumptuous furnishings and luxury amenities. The stylish bathroom featured twin sinks, a large monsoon shower and a free-standing bath with luxurious Bramley toiletries. We’d already fallen in love with our room and wanted to relax and enjoy the peace, but pushed ourselves to get up and explore the rest of the hotel.

Rothay Manor has a beautiful, tranquil restaurant where we would be eating later. Head Chef Dan McGeorge, winner of the Acorn Award in 2020 and champion of the Banquet course on the 2021 series of BBC Two’s Great British Menu, has created a fine dining experience inspired by the local landscape with hints of Japanese and Scandinavian style using local ingredients. Dan is passionate about delivering high-quality food—three AA Rosettes says it all. We met Dan after our dining experience and could tell how passionate and hardworking he is. He definitely deserves to be recognised for his culinary skills.

For those looking for something less formal, Rothay Manor also offers casual dining in The Brathay Room, where classic bistro-style meals can be enjoyed—dogs are most welcome here. The Brathay Room also boasts a three AA Rosette menu, so dining here is also a superb culinary experience. However, if you fancy indulging in afternoon tea instead, that would be wonderful after a day on the fells.

We began our evening in the bar lounge/drawing room with nibbles while perusing the most beautiful cocktail menu. The cocktails didn’t just look good—they tasted good too. Artistically presented, my Amaretto-based cocktail definitely hit the spot. The mixologist certainly knows a thing or two about preparation and presentation. I’ll be coming back for more; it was delicious.

We moved on to the restaurant and, once seated, were served canapés followed by a selection of bread with two different kinds of butter. It’s a Cumbrian thing—butter is everything!

We chose the Tasting Menu with wine to complement each course. This began with an amuse bouche chosen by the chef to prepare us for the meal. A bite-sized hors d’oeuvre based on tofu was beautifully prepared and packed with flavour, served as a way of welcoming guests with something special. This was definitely special and made us excited to see what was coming next.

Beautifully presented dishes started arriving, and we wondered how each plate could get better than the last. Each plate was elegant, had beautiful flavours, and was just delicious. Let’s dig in!

Savoury Dishes

Scallop – Dashi, Gooseberry, Nasturtium (Japan-inspired)

Monkfish – Ox Dashi, Lardo, Sea Kale, Elderflower (France-inspired)

Beetroot – Goat Curd, Cherry Kosho, Wasabi, Jalapeño (Spain-inspired)

Desserts

Strawberry – Tofu, Chamomile, Matcha

Chocolate – Malted Milk, Jerusalem Artichoke

I wouldn’t have imagined that chocolate paired with Jerusalem artichoke would be so fantastic, but it was and presented beautifully.

We thought dessert would be our last plate, but when an exquisite cheese trolley came along, we couldn’t refuse. We just had to find room to try at least a couple of the beautiful local cheeses. With our server taking time to explain each cheese, we selected a few to try, and this proved a lovely end to our meal.

We couldn’t fault anything with this dining experience. Each dish didn’t just look pretty but had outstanding flavours—this was dining on another level. We can’t compliment the chef and his team enough for an outstanding dining experience. The food, high quality of hospitality and amazing staff who looked after us from start to finish. Just fabulous!

Rothay Manor
Rothay Bridge, Ambleside LA22 0EH
T: 015394 33605
W: Rothay Manor

Written by India Morse for Luxuria Lifestyle London and International