This is a boutique hotel quite unlike any hotel I have ever stayed in before. Victorian House feels more like an incredible country house belonging to your friend’s parents that you have the good fortune to visit. Entering the main lobby, the atmosphere is convivial and relaxed, despite beautiful big fireplaces and antique furniture festooning the place.

This extends to the staff: they are friendly, relaxed, conversational. You’ll often hear them joking around with each other – and it gives the hotel a familiar atmosphere far removed for the formality of most hotel stays. Don’t get me wrong – sometimes that’s what you want: you pay to be infantilised and fussed over, you stay to have your ever need fulfilled as a matter of urgency. While at Victorian House you will feel relaxed and cared for, there is more of a DIY vibe about things, and in this way, the hotel feels like an extremely beautiful boutique B&B.

But I’m getting ahead of myself: Grasmere. What a beautiful, enchanting place to visit. It’s a village which will take your breath away and remind you of the stunning nature the UK has to offer. There are many beautiful places to visit in the Lake District, but Grasmere should be amongst the top of your bucket list. The village itself is flanked by lush verdant mountains and nestled next to the lake, with easy access to all the walks you could dream of.

Famed for being home to William Wordsworth, it oozes charm and is composed of 19th and 20th century stone farmhouse style buildings, a pretty church and gardens, but the main attraction is the famed Grasmere gingerbread shop. We came back with a suitcase full of the stuff. soft, sticky, spicy: possibly the most comforting thing you can eat alongside a cup of tea.

Speaking of cups of tea, it’s probably time we head back to the pretty Victorian House hotel. Seamlessly blending old and new, the space has a trendy but luxurious vibe. It also has a ‘boot room’: which is the best thing ever for when you come back after a muddy rainy walk and need a warm space to dry your things without traipsing a trail of mud through the lobby.

The back of the quaint property houses a summer house where breakfast is served. They also host pop-ups for dinner: we caught a lovely little pizza pop-up, and the hotel also offers complimentary bowls of soup and fresh sourdough bread to warm your cockles after a long walk.

The rooms range from grand airy spaces to cosy nooks to stargaze in. Said stargazing room even comes with a telescope & star map to gaze upon those panoramic views. Phoaw. And if you’re after something a little further from the crowds – a newly renovated shepherds hut overlooking the river – replete with Victorian roll top bath and under floor heating is also available.