Independent hotel guide
The Forest Side
Destination dining, couples, Grasmere walking and travellers who prefer a small country house to a full resort.
- Luxury
Image: The Forest Side. Full attribution
At a glance
Quick facts
- Price band
- Luxury
- Neighbourhood
- Grasmere
- Location
- the Lake District
Editorial take
Why consider The Forest Side?
A Michelin-starred, Green Star restaurant supplied in part by the hotel's restored kitchen garden.
Best for
Destination dining, couples, Grasmere walking and travellers who prefer a small country house to a full resort.
Avoid if
you want a large leisure spa, extensive family facilities or dinner flexibility beyond the hotel's food-led format.
- Couple
- Travelling solo
Strengths and trade-offs
Strengths
- Michelin-starred and Green Star dining rooted in Cumbrian produce
- Only twenty bedrooms in a restored Victorian Gothic house
- Strong Grasmere base for walking and a quieter central-Lakes stay
Trade-offs
- The restaurant is central to the value, so it is less suitable if you do not want a tasting-led stay
- Room size and bathroom configuration vary across the three main categories
Fit check
Who it suits — and who should skip it
Best for: Destination dining, couples, Grasmere walking and travellers who prefer a small country house to a full resort.
Skip it if: you want a large leisure spa, extensive family facilities or dinner flexibility beyond the hotel's food-led format.
Related reading:the Lake District hotel guide; Where to stay in the Lake District; Romantic Hotels in the Lake District.
Stay details
Rooms and spa
We have not yet published a room-by-room comparison for The Forest Side. Room names, layouts and inclusions can change, so use the booking tip below and confirm the exact category with the hotel before paying.
A complete facilities inventory is not included in our current research record. Confirm any deal-breaker — such as a spa, gym, parking or air conditioning — directly before booking.
On the ground
Location and access
The Forest Side is at Keswick Road, Grasmere, LA22 9RN. See our the Lake District hotel guide for the wider area context and other places to stay.
The hotel sits above Grasmere on Keswick Road. Grasmere is served by regional buses, but check the final walk, luggage and evening timetable before relying on public transport.
Before you book
Good to know
Policy notes
Confirm the current dinner format, dietary arrangements, dog-friendly categories and cancellation terms directly.
Accessibility
No accessibility survey has been carried out by BestUKHotels.com. Contact the hotel about entrance gradients, stairs, lift availability and the exact bathroom in the selected room.
Quick answers
Questions travellers ask about The Forest Side
What is the main reason to choose The Forest Side?
A Michelin-starred, Green Star restaurant supplied in part by the hotel's restored kitchen garden.
Who is The Forest Side best for?
Destination dining, couples, Grasmere walking and travellers who prefer a small country house to a full resort.
Where is The Forest Side?
The hotel is at Keswick Road, Grasmere, LA22 9RN. The hotel sits above Grasmere on Keswick Road. Grasmere is served by regional buses, but check the final walk, luggage and evening timetable before relying on public transport.
What should I check before booking The Forest Side?
Check whether your rate includes the four- or eight-course dinner and choose Cosy, Superb or Master with room size and bathroom layout in mind.
Featured in our Lake District guides
The Forest Side is shortlisted in these editorial guides, each written for a different trip.
Destination guide
Best hotels in the Lake District
Where to stay
Where to stay in the Lake District
Curated guide
Romantic Hotels in the Lake District
Alternatives
Other hotels we have written up that may suit a different brief.
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House
- Best for
- Celebrations, couples, private spa facilities and travellers planning the hotel as a major part of the trip.
- Trade-off
- Gilpin Hotel and Lake House are separate properties with different experiences
The strongest retreat-style choice for couples prioritising privacy, destination dining and suites with serious in-room spa features over a walkable lakeside or village address.
Booking tipChoose between Gilpin Hotel and the separate Lake House deliberately; location, atmosphere and included facilities are not interchangeable.
Rothay Manor Hotel
- Best for
- Ambleside first visits, boutique country-house stays, food-focused couples and dog owners in the correct room.
- Trade-off
- This is near Windermere rather than directly on the lakeshore
A polished twenty-three-room country-house base for travellers who want Ambleside's walks, boats and restaurants nearby without giving up a quiet garden setting and serious in-house dining.
Booking tipMatch the room to your needs: dog-friendly, ground-floor, balcony, hot-tub and pavilion categories differ significantly.
Editorial evidenceSources3 cited references supporting this page
Claims are paired with the publisher and access date used during editorial verification.
Twenty bedrooms, Grasmere address and hotel overview
Official room and booking pages were available; luxury is an editorial relative price band, not a quoted live rate.
Michelin star, Green Star, five AA rosettes and kitchen-garden dining
Coordinates for LA22 9RN
OS Code-Point Open centroid for LA22 9RN
Open Government Licence. Map pin is the postcode centroid, not a surveyed hotel entrance.
How this page was researched: how we review hotels · editorial policy · affiliate disclosure · corrections