3 Best Hotels in Penrith, The Lake District

Ancient hub of the Lowther Estate, Askham Hall has spectacular gardens and fairy-tale rooms that have welcomed royalty and now welcome guests; the grand staircase and 13th-century peel tower give it a castlelike feel. But it's also refreshingly unpretentious, with homey touches to the country-house style: drinks are on the honor system, and the excellent restaurant is a chic hodgepodge of Spanish tiles and aged tables. Rooms are spacious and elegant, with ancient fireplaces and oak buttresses. The gardens have a 230-foot-long herbaceous border, secret paths, terraces, and views of the River Lowther. The hotel is about 10 minutes south of Penrith.

The welcome is friendly, the breakfast is hearty (salmon fish cakes with poached eggs and a full English breakfast are among the options), and the rooms have patterned wallpaper and heavy, luxurious fabrics at this Victorian terraced house. Purples and browns predominate, and one room has a four-poster. The single room is a very good value. This is one of a cluster of B&Bs on Portland Place, a short walk north of Penrith's center.

Right on Penrith's lively market square is this attractive redbrick hotel, which dates back more than 300 years. The open fireplaces, wood paneling, stained glass, and antiques all add to the atmosphere and sense of history, although the guest rooms are surprisingly modern, with light, bright interiors and large comfortable beds. The lively restaurant and bar downstairs tend to be busy in the afternoons and evenings, and while it's a good place for a drink, you'll be better off dining elsewhere.