Overwater Hall

We went for a special birthday one evening since we have a nearby caravan. The only word we can think of to describe the whole experience is 'outstanding'. Food, service, ambience, everything: outstanding. The owners have been doing this for 31 years (imagine: chef/(part)owner has been a classy restaurant chef for 31 years. He has learnt how to cook.) Cuisine: probably unimprovable at the price. Service: outstanding. Decor: classy, gorgeous. Price: 3-course meal for two: £200 including recommended wine by the glass for each course (service not included). Dress: smart casual (no jeans, for example). Menu changes every day depending on the whim of the chef. All ingredients locally sourced wherever possible. Summary: not cheap, but outstanding.

Visited for 6th time. As always hospitality and food were fantastic. Adrian, Angela and Stephen run first class hotel wonderfully supported by great staff. Kat the wine expert is brilliant. Our dog Tess loves the canine company. We will be back

What a wonderful experience! From the moment we were met at the door, the service was exceptional. The room was so well prepared for us, with a treat of fruit liqueur, shortbread, and fruit, plus a tea-pot (so often missing) for our selection of teas. The atmosphere everywhere was so relaxed, and the birds a delight to watch, at the feeder outside one of the lounge windows. Plus we saw a red squirrel in the grounds. The food in the restaurant was so interesting and beautifully presented, with some quite fascinating dishes to choose from. Breakfast was first class, with great service again. A pure treat in so many ways. We shall be back!

The welcome when we arrived was great the staff really looked after us . The sitting room was very comfortable and welcoming the thing that really made the night was the food each course was full of taste and well presented and plenty of it if you on the hungry side. This is a gem of a place

Here is our little poem about a place we love! There is a lovely hall called Overwater If you ain’t yet been there, you oughta, Angela, Adrian, Steve, Look at the magic they weave, Take your partner, your son and your daughter!

We first visited Overwater 13 years ago, before we had our son. In the intervening years life, and having a young child, got in the way. It was the acquiring of a mad cocker spaniel (more of him later) that made us remember this dog-friendly retreat, and we returned some 10 years later, with our son safely in the care of his Grandparents. Since that trip we have probably become just like those annoying relatives who just keep coming back despite you not really wanting them to. Sometimes just my husband and I, but increasingly with our 8-year old, and always with the dog…. I can’t really describe what makes this place so perfect, but I’ll try. In some ways it’s everything I would have previously professed not to like about a hotel. It’s small, personal, and traditionally decorated. It’s remote, and the wifi is hit and miss. But somehow, this all serves to add to its charm. You can switch off and relax when you arrive, you’re not scared of your son, dog or husband breaking something, and the staff remember you (and all of your quirks and eccentricities), and somehow end up feeling like family. Nothing is ever too much trouble, and it also holds the record of being the only place that ever remembers what you have asked for in the room and which replenishes the tea bags you have used without you having to ask. It also has proper coffee and cafetières in the room, along with delicious homemade shortbread. You can ask Kat how her son and husband are, and how the bread making is going, whilst Stephen is always happy to chat about the fortunes of his beloved Brentford FC, and share in the misfortunes of Leeds Utd and Huddersfield Town. Angela seems to glide around in the background making sure everything runs like clockwork, and where do you even start about the food that Adrian produces? It’s exemplary, and my son actually burst into tears when we arrived last time to find duck wasn’t on the menu (no-one cooks it like Adrian apparently). You also need to save enough room for Dawn’s deserts. The rice pudding is sheer perfection. They even tolerate our mad cocker spaniel, who is increasingly exuberant and bad-tempered. Although after his last rude refusal to take Adrian’s homemade dog biscuits off his palm, whilst emitting a slight growl, he has been booked in for behaviour training in the hope he is allowed back next time… It’s just really a slice of Lakeland perfection, set in beautiful grounds, with more than enough squirrels for the dog to bark at, and fail to catch. We’ll be back (if they’ll have us….)