Picturesque Lake District hotel awarded prestigious AA accolade

A picturesque Lake District Hotel has been awarded AA Inspectors’ Choice 5 Red Stars for 2026-2027.

The prestigious accolade is regarded as one of the highest distinctions in British hospitality, and the five-star Langdale Chase, set along the shores of Lake Windermere, is one of the latest to be added to the list.

Originally awarded five stars by the AA in 2024, Langdale Chase has now been crowned with the higher-tier 5 Red Star title following assessment by the AA’s experienced hotel inspector.

The AA describes 5 Red Star venues as those that ‘stand out as the very best in the UK, regardless of style. They offer excellent levels of quality, and outstanding levels of hospitality and service throughout. These hard-earned accolades are a reliable sign that a hotel is not just great, but exceptional.’

The Grade II listed Victorian house underwent an extensive multi-million-pound restoration in November 2023. The lakeside property, which is set within six acres of landscaped gardens, boasts 30 bedrooms and suites. Once acquired by Thwaites, the property underwent a meticulous 12-month restoration before reopening, with interiors inspired by the ‘glamour and character of the Lake District’s 1920s and 1930s heyday’, complemented by contemporary yet traditional amenities and finishings.

Rick Bailey, executive chairman of Thwaites, comments: “The word pleased doesn’t quite do this feeling justice. We have worked incredibly hard over the past three years carefully and sensitively bringing Langdale Chase back to life, and that hard work has now been recognised by one of the highest distinctions a hotel can possibly attain.

“What makes Langdale Chase particularly special is the way all of the individual elements come together – the remarkable Victorian house, rooms and suites, its history and interiors, the Thomas Mawson gardens running down to the lake, the food and wine, the adventures on the water and, importantly, the warm and intuitive service from our team that makes it all feel effortless.

“We wanted to create somewhere that could only exist here, on this particular stretch of Lake Windermere, and I think that is exactly what Langdale Chase has become… completely and utterly unique.  To have the AA recognise it among the very best hotels in Britain and Ireland is something we are immensely proud of.”

Today, the hotel features seven spacious suites with cosy reading nooks overlooking the lake, five dog-friendly rooms, a two AA Rosette restaurant, an Art Deco-style bar, a Swallows and Amazons-inspired afternoon tea and a private cinema room. Guests are encouraged to make the most of the surrounding landscape through paddleboarding, guided hiking and guided wild swimming. There is also the opportunity to sail Windermere aboard Albatros, the hotel’s restored 1920s mahogany motor yacht.

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