Since taking over at Elder Grove in the summer of 2018, it’s been a busy few months. As well as enjoying a busy summer; celebrating our first Christmas at Elder Grove; and meeting so many wonderful guests, both new and old, we were also the recipients of a very exciting award.
In April 2019, we were finally able to let the cat out of the bag and share our exciting news: we were crowned the Best B&B in England at the Travel and Hospitality Awards! After less than a year at the helm, we were absolutely thrilled to receive such a wonderful award: the support we’ve received so far has been amazing, and we look forward to what the future holds at Elder Grove.
Since winning such a wonderful award, we decided to take a look at why Elder Grove is England’s #1 B&B.
1. A Friendly Home From Home
One of the award criteria was ‘Service’, and this is something which is incredibly important to us at Elder Grove. Creating a home from home, with a friendly atmosphere and welcoming hosts, was something we knew we wanted to focus on when we took over at Elder Grove, and we’re thrilled that this has been recognised.
2. A Comfy Night’s Sleep
One of the (most important, some might say) cornerstones of any good B&B is the ability to provide guests with a comfortable night’s sleep. Our ten bedrooms feature comfy beds, with crisp bed linen and beautiful views of Ambleside and the Lakeland Fells. Our two four poster rooms mirror the Victorian character of the building, featuring a Victorian style four poster bed. You’ll also find locally sourced tea and coffee, from Kendal based family roasters Penningtons, to enjoy before bed or when you wake up.
3. Great Facilities
It’s the little extras that make all the difference, and when you stay at Elder Grove we’ll make sure you’re well taken care of. All our bedrooms feature ensuite bathrooms with both shower and bath facilities, complete with complimentary Pure Lakes toiletries – because there’s nothing like a relaxing soak after a day on the fells! We’ve also got free private parking, as well as secure bike storage, to take all the stress out of finding somewhere to leave your vehicle. Spent the day in the great outdoors? Make use of our drying room (great for wet walking gear), as well as boot racks throughout the B&B.
4. Local Knowledge
Lucy grew up in Cumbria, and we’ve both been visiting the area on holiday for many years. This means we are well equipped to offer local knowledge about the area, and are always happy to help you plan your perfect day in the Lakes! If you’re looking for somewhere to eat or drink in Ambleside; a great walk to enjoy in the Lake District; the perfect shop to visit for a memento of your visit to the area; or anything else, we are on hand to help.
5. Delicious Breakfasts
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and, with a reputation for one of the best around, we like to make sure our guests are well set up for a day spent exploring the local area! We’re lucky to be surrounded by some fantastic suppliers, and make sure to work with local producers when it comes to sourcing the ingredients for our freshly prepared, home cooked breakfasts. Garside’s butcher of Ambleside supplies the bacon, black pudding and sausages used in our Full English breakfast, while our free range eggs are from Bannerigg Farm, Windermere.
We take the same amount of pride in our lighter breakfast selection as we do with our home cooked Full English: fresh fruits, yoghurts, cereals and toast are all available, alongside our award winning homemade marmalades and jams.
6. Local discounts
Enjoy local attractions for less: we’re partnered up with a number of local businesses to offer our guests an even better deal when it comes to enjoying all the area has to offer. Get off the beaten path and take a tour of the Lake District with Mountain Goat – a fantastic local minibus tour company which has been going for over 40 years, and offers visitors to the area an opportunity to see the sights with an experienced local driver guide. Elder Grove guests can benefit from 10% off Mountain Goat bookings, when we make your booking; and with plenty of tours leaving from Ambleside, there’s plenty to choose from. We also offer a 10% discount off Windermere Lake Cruises, and free passes to the beautiful Ambleside Salutation spa.
7. Victorian Charm & Contemporary Decor
Elder Grove is found in a traditional Victorian property, which was built in the late 1800s, and many of the original features have been carefully retained. Working with the building’s historic charm, contemporary decor and modern amenities have been sympathetically incorporated to create a relaxing haven in which to relax and rest your head. Two welcoming lounges offer a comfortable and informal environment in which to enjoy a drink from our licensed bar and plan the next day’s activities, while breakfast is served in a green slate dining room featuring locally mined stone.
8. Location
Another criteria in the Travel & Hospitality awards was location…and call us biased, but we think ours is pretty fantastic! Located in the heart of the Lake District World Heritage Site, Ambleside is ideally placed to explore all the National Park has to offer: as well as boasting frontage with Lake Windermere, it also offers easy connections by road to some of the Lake District’s most beautiful natural landscapes, including the Langdale Pikes, Fairfield Horseshoe and England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike.
Elder Grove can be found just a stone’s throw from the centre of Ambleside: the town’s many bars, restaurants and shops are a short walk away, however our peaceful location means you’ll get a peaceful night’s sleep, with the Lake District fells visible from your window.
9. We’re a member of Cumbria Tourism
With increasing choice comes increasingly high visitors expectations, and Cumbria’s tourist board, Cumbria Tourism, is committed to ensuring Cumbria and its tourism industry are the best they can be. To that end, all members of Cumbria Tourism which offer accommodation are required to be independently quality assessed to ensure the highest standards. We’re proud to be a member of Cumbria Tourism, reflecting the high standards they set out.
10. Glowing Customer Reviews
We’ve worked hard to create a welcoming home from home, with delicious food and drink, and friendly service. We hope we’ve managed to create just that – but don’t take our word for it! See what our lovely guests have had to say about Elder Grove: we are rated 9.7 on Booking.com, and ‘Excellent’ on TripAdvisor, with reviews often mentioning our comfortable beds, friendly welcome and delicious breakfast.
With staycations and UK getaways becoming increasingly popular (and for good reason – the country has so many beautiful places to visit), we’re thrilled to have been crowned the country’s best B&B. To book your Elder Grove break, click here.