The Castle Inn Hotel Bassenthwaite are pleased to announce the hosting of a special murder mystery evening.
Saturday 8th October 2011 will see murder at The Castle Inn in the form of a murder mystery evening. Picture the setting, its 1928 and you have been cordially invited to attend the wedding reception of Georgina-Willoughby-Mott to Binky Brinkley in the grand Best Western Castle Inn Hotel. But alas this special occasion takes a turn for the worst when traces of death linger in the air. Can you solve the Murder at the Castle?
Come and join the team at The Castle Inn Hotel Keswick for an evening of love, laughter and mysterious goings on. The evening includes a delicious three course wedding breakfast, a complimentary glass of bucks fizz and canapés and entertainment supplied by Murder Most Horrid and all for only £34.00 per person.
Should attendees wish to make a night of it and stay over at The Castle Inn Hotel Lake District then a special rate of only £50.00 per person per bed and breakfast is being offered.
Set overlooking some of England’s highest fells and Bassenthwaite Lake, the Castle Inn Hotel Lake District is in a beautiful location, just 8 miles from Keswick. Ideally situated for those wishing to explore Bassenthwaite, Keswick and the Lake District, the Best Western Castle Inn Hotel is one of the finest Lake District Hotels offering a warm welcome and the ideal location for relaxing after a busy day discovering the beauties of the Lake District.
Booking is essential for murder mystery evening so please call the Castle Inn events team on 017687 76401 or visit http://www.castleinncumbria.co.uk. Be very careful who you trust!
The Westmorland Hotel is a very special Lake District wedding venue, surrounded by stunning Cumbrian fell views.
In 2009 the hotel beat off tough competition to be named a finalist for Cumbria Tourism’s Small Hotel of the Year. The AA 3 star hotel has been awarded an AA Rosette for the quality of food for over 10 years and by using our menu selector you can choose your very own menu at a price to suit your budget. Our 50 contemporary bedrooms, including four Junior Suites are perfect for your guests to fall into after a day full of excitement.
From a small civil ceremony to exclusive use of the whole hotel, we welcome the opportunity to make this wonderful day truly memorable for you, your family and invited guests.
A romantic wedding day at The Westmorland Hotel includes:
- A dedicated wedding co-ordinator and team of staff working together to turn your wedding day dreams into reality.
- A red carpet welcome
- Complimentary welcome drink for the Bride & Groom
- Table decorations and personalised menu cards
- Crisp white table linen and napkins
- Master of ceremonies
- A traditional or contemporary cake stand
- Complimentary accommodation for the Bride & Groom on the night of your wedding to include a delicious Cumbrian breakfast the following morning
- Special accommodation rates for your guests *dependent on the time of year
To request a brochure, or for more information please contact our wedding co-ordinator Becky Bell by email or telephone 015396 24351.
Eden Ostrich World is pleased to announce their festive themed programme of events to occupy even the most excited child this Christmas.
When visiting Eden Ostrich World over the festive period families will be able to experience Christmas themed areas and activities including a craft table where visitors can make a Christmas mask or perhaps colour in a picture and they can even make a Christmas decoration to be displayed on the Eden Ostrich World tree.
The Christmas themed program of events will take place on the 4th, 5th, 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 22nd and 23rd of December and is the perfect way to start the Christmas holidays, both young and old!
Eden Ostrich World is a family run business hosting a working farm and visitors centre, which opened to the public in 1998. Diversification came about due to the dramatic changes within the agricultural industry: as it became more difficult to survive whilst farming new ideas started to emerge and after several years planning we created and opened our doors to the public as Eden Ostrich World.
Situated in the middle of the Eden Valley, we couldn’t ask for a more magnificent setting, with the River Eden running straight through our site, it allows customers to take in the views and have a wander down by the river! It is classed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the different varieties of birds and wildlife.
Their aim is to offer bags of fun and Lake District things to do as well as an educational day, not only learning about the ostrich, from incubation and hatching through to being fully grown, but to give people an insight into modern day farming. They also host playgrounds, a tea room and a very reasonable gift shop, as well as the Hayloft Gallery which is packed full of unusual gifts – a Cumbria attraction for the whole family.
For more information on the festive events and for further information on things to do in the Lake District, visit http://www.ostrich-world.com.
For the first time ever, the Lodore Falls Hotel in the Borrowdale Valley will have a very unique theme for Christmas.
The Lodore Falls Hotel on the edge of Derwentwater will be filled with decorations depicting the Nutcracker Ballet -– complete with tutu’s and pink ballet shoes hanging from the ceiling. What’s more the Lodore will also be creating Russian inspired dishes for the menu and a gala afternoon tea with a performance of the Nutcracker Ballet.
The idea to create a real first in Cumbria came from Kit Graves, Director of the Lake District Hotels Ltd group, who saw a stunning Nutcracker display in one of Denmark’s most famous stores last Christmas. Work started on the 2010 Christmas Nutcracker story very early in January and hotel florist Tricia Irving has been sourcing inspirational ways to decorate the hotel ever since.
Decorating the hotel will start in early November and will be completed by 14th November, ready for launch of the Lodore Falls Christmas menu on the 15th November and the afternoon tea with an edited performance of the Nutcracker Ballet on Sunday 21st November.
The hotel contacted Karen Starkey who runs the Karen Starkey Dance School in Whitehaven early this spring. Karen enthusiastically agreed to some of her pupils performing a short version of the Nutcracker during the festive period and was especially thrilled because one of her pupils – Lewis Charlton, is performing in the Nutcracker at the Royal Ballet School.
Earlier this week Tricia and Karen got together to look at costumes and consider how to blend floral and ballet accessories with Christmas décor. The ballet pupils have now been selected and the 20 + team of performers are now rehearsing for the event. The performers range from age 9 to 24 with several of the ballerinas performing point work.
Tickets for the Nutcracker Ballet and afternoon tea cost £15 adult, £7.50 child (family ticket 2 adult 2 children £40). Other Nutcracker themes include Russian inspired dishes on the bar menu, a special Cumbria Life luncheon on 2nd December and music on selected Sundays during lunch.
To find out more about Christmas events at the Lodore Falls Hotel, part of the Lake District Hotels Ltd group, visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net/lodorefalls/index.php
A quiet little hotel nestled in the village of Far Sawrey near Ambleside and only a short walk to the famous National Trust home of Beatrix Potter – Hill Top Farm. This Lake District Inn offers good, clean and basic accommodation with hearty bar food served in its cosy Claife Crier bar. It is popular with walkers, cyclists and the weekend traveler alike, you will find a warm welcome at the Sawrey Hotel. Families and those wishing to bring their pet away to the Lake District are all welcome.
When it comes to Lake District Inns the Cuckoo Brow should be your first choice.
It is becoming more and more of a requirement for businesses to provide a niche service or offer something that is just that little bit more specialised than its competitors. This is especially apparent in the highly competitive hotel and leisure industry.
Taking an environmentally conscious approach is one such way. This approach most obviously benefits the environment but is an excellent marketing tool to help a business grow and attract new customers. Many businesses are looking at ways in which to be more environmentally aware green. One such way is by applying for the ISO14001 accreditation. The ISO14001 proves a company’s environmental credentials which enhances a corporate image. This accreditation actually saves the company or organisation money by reducing energy consumption whilst at the same time helping the environment.
The hotel and leisure industry is notorious for its energy consumption. There is the lighting, the washing and laundry, all the electrical goods within the rooms, the heating, kitchens and then Jacuzzis and swimming pools. All contribute to a huge carbon footprint but also high energy costs. The cost of electricity and gas has increased by 20 % in the last year which is creating a huge impact on the profits of a hotel or bed and breakfast. With the economy being in such a bad way at present and customer confidence in spending is decreasing, this industry can’t afford to put up its prices. After all, it is a highly competitive industry to start with.
Hotels have for some time now put notices in the bathrooms relating to the towels situation, in the bath if you would like them changing, on the rail or elsewhere if they are ok to be used again. This of course makes a difference if you think of how many hotels there are in the world but there is so much more that can be done.
The English Lake District is a haven for walkers and people relocating to live and work to provide a better standard and healthier living than in a city. It is understandable that the Lake District has a high number of environmentally conscious Lake District hotels. There are various levels of implementations that can be put into practice within hotels and accommodation providers from recycling and reusing of materials, to sourcing materials, services and supplies locally. There is then a next step that can be taken for example in the form of creating a renewable energy source for the hotel. One of the hotels in the Lake District that has installed a biomass energy production system which has been enabled by its location amongst a 70 acre managed woodland area. Such a system requires expert input but with the correct guidance, an economically feasible and attractive alternative to the use of LPG can be achieved. After a report had initially been produced, it was summarised that a biomass system would be far more efficient than a new high efficiency LPG boiler, an anaerobic digestion system or solar power system. To put this biomass system into context, the saving made should be at least £35,000 per year for this hotel and leisure complex when comparing it to its previous gas boiler system. With such a saving, it is extremely evident the amount of unsustainable energy that will be saved.
For years now Windermere and its surrounding areas have been popular with a broad range of people.
Windermere is a popular destination for people of all ages, all tastes and all interests. Of course, Windermere is very famous as a base for walking the Lakeland fells and for doing many other outdoor activities but more and more visitors are coming to Windermere for a bit of luxury.
To add to the already long list of Windermere’s attributes and lures comes luxury. Windermere has some of the most stunning buildings with many of the larger residences being luxury Lake District hotels. In recent years, some of the luxury hotels have taken their attention to detail to another level. They have refurbished, redesigned, added on, decorated and paid even more attention to detail than before. Windermere now has some of the best hotels in the country and more than rival some of the famous hotels in south.
Dining has become a more prevalent factor in many hotels these days. Hotel restaurants often used to be of a pretty poor standard even when the hotel itself was of a high standard. Michelin starred restaurants are now common practice in hotels with big name chefs taking control at these luxury complexes.
Windermere couldn’t be in a better location for a restaurant to obtain top quality produce. Cumbria the Lake District has some of the finest local produce in the country from lamb and sausage to cheese, bread and cream. It really isn’t hard to understand why the Lake District is also now home to some of the finest restaurants in the north of England. Being relatively close to the coats means even the freshest seafood can be found.
Attention to detail is key for a luxury hotel from the service to rooms and outside areas. One hotel in Windermere which has seen recent refurbishment has produced a collection of rooms without compromise, most with patio doors leading onto the gardens and with either spa baths or hot tubs. They have also created luxury suites in a renovated Lake house with many having stunning views over a private lake. Constant refurbishment is essential in luxury hotels for complete perfection. Its gardens are as well looked after as the inside of the hotel with different seating areas. Their aim was to create a terrace that comprised different ‘rooms’ for people to sit in. This has been created by breaking up the terrace with different materials and features such as ponds with water features and raised beds. During the day, the south-facing terrace enjoys the sunshine, and at dusk the sunset can often be enjoyed with pre-dinner cocktails. On warm evenings the terrace is candle lit. Pathways lead from the terrace to the south gardens and to the wild meadow and llama paddock.
The special services available set luxury Windermere hotels apart from the rest. Organisation of spa treatments for example, private dining rooms, chauffeurs and touches such as the turning down of bed covers at night.
Welcome to High Bracken Lodges, the ideal place to own a second home or holiday home in the Lake District, Cumbria. High Bracken Hall is a working farm set in the picturesque South Lakes. It truly is a gateway to the Lake District National Park, the Yorkshire Dales and the beautiful Cumbrian Coast. Access couldn’t be easier with the M6 just 5 minutes away, click here to view a map.
This an exclusive development of Lake District lodges for sale in Cumbria, offering you a tranquil retreat with nature and luxury sitting side by side. Each of the log cabins for sale in Cumbria is finished to the highest standards, ideal for comfort. It is the perfect holiday base to get out and enjoy the many wonders of the English Lakes.
- The lodges range from £75,000 to £135,000 (inclusive of sighting, connection and decking)
- The lodges are built to BS3632 specifications and are available on a 50 year license
- It is a family owned, exclusive holiday park with only thirteen sites
- The Park is registered with British Holiday and Home park Associations
- The Park is open from 1st March to 15th January
- Site fees are £2,600 p.a. – inclusive of vat, rates, refuse collection, sewage disposal and site maintenance (such as grass & hedge cutting)
- Electric, water & gas are metered and charged quarterly
For more information about High Bracken lodges please visit www.highbrackenlodges.co.uk. To arrange a viewing please call Eileen or Stephen on 015395 67219. They also have regular open days and are open for viewing every weekend 12 – 4pm.
The Eden Valley together with the western lakes has the most picturesque and dramatic scenery in the whole of the region. The Eden Valley has the magnificent Ullswater a stretch of water 14.5 kilometres long and which is surrounded by such famous mountains as High Street, Fairfield and Helvellyn and Eden Valley self catering properties are plentiful.
Alston, Newby and Kirkby Stephen are lesser know areas in the Eden Valley. Kirkby Stephen is a market town with cobbled streets and rural scenery leading to wild uplands. Kirkby Stephen has a great atmosphere and community making it a great place for a drink or a bite to eat. It has three public houses and individually owned shops.The distinctive local stone used is very different to the slate used in structures in south Cumbria.
Alston is the highest market town in the UK at 1000 metres above sea level. The road leading to Alston is a motor biker’s paradise, the A686 up Hartside Fell. The road climbs steeply and bends almost at right angles and has been voted by The AA as one of their “Ten Great Drives”. The views down into the Eden Valley are views to savour with the craggy Lake District fells to one side and the pennies to the other. Passing right through the Eden Valley is the Coast to Coast route which runs from St Bees on the West Cumbrian coast across to Whitley Bay so this area is very popular with cyclists.
The Eden Valley will surprise with its wide range of activities – strenuous mountain walks to gentle riverside strolls, watersports, golf and even activity centres where paintball shooting, archery and quad biking can be experienced. For such an activity packed holiday, Eden Valley cottages and Cumbrian cottages are a good choice of accommodation type. They give greater room for equipment, for cyclists especially, and are located in settings where a hotel or bed and breakfast would never be.
Self catering holidays are an ideal type of holiday when taking a pet away. A self catering property has the space for the dog as many are like home from homes and it enables the ease when feeding and the storing of pet and dog food for example. The Lake District is heaven for dogs with endless walking routes and for the owners, the spectacular scenery coupled with an excellent range of Lake District cottages to stay in. Not all Lake District self catering cottages allow dogs, so asking prior to booking is advisable but properties that do allow pets are becoming increasingly more available. Some even let pets go free which makes taking a pet with you far cheaper than kennelling. After all, it is reported that there are around 27 million pets in the UK with 43% of UK households having at least one pet
January has come around again and for the UK at least, the weather has been dictating what we have been doing. Almost throughout the whole of the UK over the past three weeks, the heaviest snow in twenty years has been experienced. People haven’t been able to get to relatives for Christmas with people and cars snowed in. The cold spell is expected to last for another week or so but what to do after that? The temperature will increase and roads will eventually become completely clear, the perfect time to get away from the house and take a weekend break and it is a perfect tonic for the January blues.
Now, what is excellent about this time of year are the sales from furniture to cars, clothes to books. January sales don’t stop on the high street though. January is the biggest discounting time in the tourism industry with package holiday reductions for the summer and even more so, hotels and accommodation. From the most modest of guest houses to hotel chains such as Hilton, everyone is discounting.
Taking a break in January celebrates the New Year, recharges the batteries after a hectic and over indulgent Christmas and can be one of the best value short breaks you can have. All but a handful of hotels and accommodation providers will discount rooms, give added value or two for one deal’s in January and February. This time is traditionally their quietest but it is now being recognised as an excellent time to have a short break by savvy travellers. Even though in recent years more people are deciding to take advantage of these cheaper prices, hotels are still generally on the quieter side making for a truly relaxing break.
The Lake District is one such destination. There is a high concentration of luxury Lake District hotels set in the most fantastic surroundings. Often, due to the quality of these hotels, they are out of some people’s budgets, but come January and February the discounts enable even the thriftiest of guest to stay. In the winter months, the Lake District is fortunate to experience clear, bright sunny days which are by no means warm but perfect for sightseeing and walking (providing you wrap up warm!). It is very much an all year round destination with most attractions opening throughout the winter months.
Goosemire Cottages, the family owned Lake District cottages company are pleased to announce a 46th property added to their portfolio. Based in Kendal in the South Lakes, this new property enables Goosemire Cottages to now offer a choice of 46 different self catering cottages ranging from 1 to 10 bedroom properties. Last year the largest cottage on offer was 7 bedrooms but with the rise in the popularity of larger guest groups, the 8, 9 and 10 bedrooms cottages have all been added. It has been a busy year for Goosemire with the addition of the 10 properties along with the launch of the new website. The website has been essential for the management of such a high number of properties.
Christmas is approaching fast and many people are starting to think about gifts for friends and family. Each year this task gets harder and harder! Often, the gifts people remember the most are gift experiences not objects. Lake District Hotels Ltd are pleased to offer a solution to the age old gift buying problem in the form of gift vouchers which can be selected for use in any one of their six hotels.
The gift vouchers have been created to suit every taste, requirement and budget. For example, the hotel break vouchers are available for one or two nights and range from a standard room right up to a luxury four poster room. Other vouchers include food and drink vouchers which incorporate a two course lunch for four people voucher or a £25 wine voucher, vouchers for afternoon tea and spa vouchers which include luxury massages and manicure treatments or full “well being” spa breaks. If you aren’t sure or simply can’t decide on which voucher to buy, a monetary gift voucher for one of the hotels in an excellent idea. They come in values starting at £25 up to £250. Gift vouchers take away the worry of buying the correct size or colour for a present and they allow the versatility to be used at a time that suits them.
The luxury Lake District Hotels Ltd group consists of six luxury hotels in the Lake District, The Inn on the Lake on the shores of Ullswater, The Lodore Falls on the shores of Derwentwater, The Borrowdale Hotel in the Borrowdale Valley, The George Hotel in Penrith and finally the Kings Arms and Skiddaw Hotel in Keswick.
For more information visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net and http://www.lakedistricthotels.net/giftvouchers/.