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4.5
#4 of 13 hotels in Bowness-on-Windermere
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
This unique Lake District hotel only two minutes stroll from Lake Windermere and the village of Bowness, is an oasis of peace and tranquillity. The Burn How's unique layout is refreshingly different to most hotels; all the bedrooms are located outside of the main building within the gardens - winner of Windermere in Bloom 2022/23. Hidden in the centre of the Lake District’s leading destination town, this Garden retreat offers a very different experience from which to discover the most beautiful corner of England. Each room is provided your own dedicated car parking space and many have a private balcony. Rooms on the ground floor have direct access to the rose garden and patio, with some having disabled facilities. The nearest independent hotel to Bowness pier, from where you can explore Windermere, England’s largest lake by boat. Cruises from 45 minutes to 3 hours depart throughout the day - or you can even spend all day on and around the lake with a Freedom of the Lake ticket. Shoppers and browsers will delight in the speciality stores and attractions in the village, while you have the choice of over 50 different restaurants on our doorstep. Nestled in the heart of Burn How’s private grounds is our central hub, serving the best breakfast in Bowness. Join us for a pre-dinner cocktail and at the end of your day, return to Burn How and relax in the congenial atmosphere of the lounge bar. On a pleasant summer evenings, take in the beautiful surroundings of the patio and gardens.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Quiet
Languages Spoken
English, Hungarian, Polish
Location
Back Belsfield Road, Bowness-on-Windermere LA23 3HH England
Burn How Garden Hotel
866 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
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Nestled in a peaceful location, the Burn How Garden Hotel offers a serene atmosphere with its beautiful garden views, as guests have noted. The staff's friendliness and attentiveness, alongside a breakfast that earns high marks for its variety, are frequently commended.
While the hotel generally receives accolades for its clean and spacious rooms, some guests mention inconsistencies in cleanliness and noise disturbances. Despite mixed opinions on the hotel's value and some dated decor, its central location close to local attractions is popular among travelers.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Tranquil
Rooms
Spacious
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Well-appointed
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We recently stayed here on a two night Travelzoo break.
Driving up the drive, we were met with a view of a Pontins like apartment block, which did make us wonder if it was our sort of place. How wrong we were!
From the minute we entered Reception, to the minute we left, we felt very comfortable here. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and the standard of cleanliness is excellent. Check in was efficient, although we noticed that there was a set menu for Travelzoo guests, whereas our confirmation stated an allowance towards dinner. Our receptionist left a note for the restaurant staff to this effect. It didn’t quite work out as planned, and there was some confusion at checkout, resulting in us being overcharged, but this was soon recognised, and a refund immediately issued.
We were staying in one of the Garden Lodges, again not particularly attractive from the outside, but warm, spacious and cosy inside. It must be lovely to sit out on the balcony, overlooking the garden, in the warmer months. We woke up to snow on our first morning, so gave it a miss! Our room was very peaceful, although I don’t know if it would be the case in the height of summer, and the hotel running at full capacity. Wi-fi a bit slow at times depending on where in the room you sit. Nice to have a designated car parking space just outside each lodge.
We loved the food at this hotel. Fine dining in the evening, and an amazing breakfast, with a huge selection of fruit, cereals etc available, as well as cooked items. The service was exceptional also. The public areas in the hotel are very welcoming and relaxing, with an eclectic mix of paintings on the walls. A lovely place for a pre dinner drink, overlooking the gardens (and our room, although I imagine the trees in full leaf would screen it better).
The hotel is perfectly placed to walk into town or down to the Lake, within just a few minutes to both.
Over all, given our experience, we would be very happy to come back here.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
All three rooms were excellent in size and space, and two of the rooms had a lovely balcony. The staff were friendly and approachable. The restaurant at Burn How is excellent with good variety of breakfast options. The location is superb and within easy reach of town centre as well as the lake.
The free parking was just outside the front door of each room and there are two separate entrances to the hotel. There is a lovely garden at the back which allows for a gentle stroll and sitting down with a drink.
The free wifi in the rooms was virtually non-existent in all the three chalet rooms and we had to rely on mobile data for any meaningful internet access.
This has been our third stay at the Burn How and we will definitely be back.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Linda Aird, General Manager at Burn How Garden Hotel
Responded 9 Aug 2021
We look forward to welcoming you back to the Burn How, thank you for your feedback on your stay, we were unaware that you had a problem with the wi-fi
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Having booked our weekend away earlier in the year, we were hoping for and managed to, enjoy a fabulous relaxing stay at The Burn How. When the Government Covid-19 lockdown was announced the staff introduced measures to comply with the rules that were both practical and sensible. No evening meals would be served but a full breakfast service would be available. Our rooms were large, warm and clean, with large patio doors leading to a small sunny balcony overlooking the lush gardens. Tea and coffee making facilities, ironing board and a good shower over the bath completed the picture. As many other reviews have stated, breakfast was a feast to cover every taste and a great way to set up for the day. I really cannot praise the staff enough. Uncertain of their future because of the crisis, they remained cheerful and courteous and most professional. We will definitely be returning to this fine establishment once things get back to normal.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Linda Aird, Guest Services / Front Office at Burn How Garden Hotel
Responded 1 Sept 2020
We look forward to you returning to see us in the future
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First the good points – the location was great, the staff were friendly and efficient, the breakfast was good and the gardens were pretty. The bad - Mainly the room. We chose the deluxe (not cheap!) expecting deluxe but we were left disappointed.
The room is spacious but very dated indeed (think 70s) and you could not help but notice the musty smell every time we came back into the room. My clothes that were hanging in the cupboards and wardrobes actually still smelt musty when I arrived home which was not pleasant. There was none of the advertised fresh fruit in your room which we were told was due to Covid restrictions!! Covid restrictions also prevented towel changes unless you asked for them and rooms were not made up. I think the latter is the norm in most places at the moment though.
All in all, we would choose elsewhere next time.
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Date of stay: September 2020
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Linda Aird, Guest Services / Front Office at Burn How Garden Hotel
Responded 15 Sept 2020
Thank you for reviewing your stay and taking the time to let us know that you you appreciated the location, staff, and gardens. We were sorry to read that you found the de-luxe room old fashioned and that you found that it had a musty smell, which we are investigating as we have never had this mentioned before. Like you we would love not have the restrictions due to Covid, but we do have to take care of our guests and staff and abide by restrictions that we hope will change.
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We stayed two nights and found the room to be very comfortable and significantly more spacious than the average hotel room. Rooms had all of the usual facilities and requisites and the site was peaceful in the evenings - no need to worry too much about noisy neighbours! The hotel has an English Tourist Board Breakfast Award. Quite right too. I have experienced no better and the hot food was ordered, prepared and served to order promptly. All ingredients were of high quality. We enjoyed a two course evening meal which included beautifully prepared fishcake starters, an excellently cooked fillet steak and a similarly well cooked and presented pan fried chicken. The restaurant looked over the garden and it was an added attraction to watch the wild bird feeders over breakfast. To all the ladies of Burn How - thank you for your professionalism and attention to detail.
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Date of stay: March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had a two night stay in April, 2022 and although it felt like it rained all the time we were both impressed with the hotel. In the room we had there were two double beds which were very comfy, a spotlessly clean bathroom and its own terrace through the sliding doors. The place is a haven for birds. All the accommodation is away from the main hotel but only yards away. The staff were really nice and cared about their work, also the area where you had breakfast and evening meals had an air of calmness about it with no rushing about. The last thing I can talk about is the food, we ate in on one evening and it was a bit of a shock, for the flavours and presentation you would pay much more in London. That chef is certainly a keeper, he must love his work by what he produces. Breakfast was great as well, you could basically pick what you wanted and again the cooked part of it was fresh and had great taste. A word of warning, do not stay at this hotel if you are on a diet.
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Date of stay: April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Linda Aird, General Manager at Burn How Garden Hotel
Responded 20 May 2022
Thank you so much for your lovely review, it has lifted the teams spirits. I have passed on your comments to the chef, who would like to add his thanks. We hope you will visit again.
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My Husband and I stayed for 2 nights after getting a great last minute deal through booking.com. We stayed in one bedroom ground floor self catering apartment(no. 2) which was literally 5 footsteps from the entrance to the pool, spa and pub. Free robes and slippers mean you can get changed in own room, then towels when you get there. One if the best spas I have ever visited, with 2 Bali beds, loungers, plunge pool and two hot tubs, but steam and sauna currently closed. I personally wouldn’t bother with the rooms with hot tubs with a spa this good. You can get your drinks from the poolside and carriage to your room. Didn’t need room with a view due to limited time we spent in it. Apartment was spotless and modern, lovely bed linen and fluffy towels. Sachets of tea and coffee and bottle of fresh milk provided. We didn’t use restaurant or bistro as preferred to be out and about in Bowness-on-Windermere, which is less than 5 minute walk away. Concierge very helpful and friendly. Would definitely return.
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I had a very relaxing couple of nights at the Burn How, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The hotel is perfectly situated in Bowness, close enough to the centre, without feeling bothered by the crowds that descend in the busy months.
I had a superior room which was spacious, well decorated and had a large very comfortable bed. The room also looked over the well-kept mature gardens. All the usuals were catered for, plenty of hot water, wifi, tea and coffee etc. On the first night we ate in the restaurant and was very impressed with the quality of the food. I didn’t have a better meal when out in Bowness itself! Likewise, the breakfasts were hearty and well-cooked. The staff were very friendly and the service prompt and efficient.
I would definitely recommend the hotel to others and, given it’s location (and a short taxi ride from Windermere station) would be perfect for those travelling without a car too.
Many thanks to all at Burn How!
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Date of stay: June 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Linda Aird, General Manager at Burn How Garden Hotel
Responded 24 Jun 2021
Thank you for all your comments and your recommendation, we hope you will visit again and have another relaxing stay
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First time to The Lake District and booked this hotel due to its location mainly. The pro’s and cons were as follows :-
Pros : as mentioned, location was good and close to the town centre and boat docking area. Nice well kept gardens. Very polite and attentive members of staff. Covid requirements observed. Quick check in and check out. Decent internet connection.
Cons ; disappointing room for the money paid £440 for 2 night stay. Room was very old fashioned and even had wallpaper/ ceiling paper on veins of room. Carpet had not been cleaned and lots of dust adjacent bed and below curtains. Sliding door to bathroom very hard to open and close. Very dated bedroom and certainly in need of updating. Very poor pressure in shower. The hotel was certainly not worth £440 for our 2 night stay but I suppose that is the going rate in the lakes area., whilst there was a decent breakfast menu, the cooked breakfast was very average, overcooked bacon and luke warm beans and egg. Didn’t bother on day 2 with cooked breakfast but even so, poached eggs overdone and waited ages for toast to be replenished. Would certainly choose to stay elsewhere if we return to this town. Couldn’t get a drink at the bar as you had to order at reception and then take drinks to your room, what was that all about ?
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Date of stay: August 2021
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â If you are elderly, make sure to ask for a room that is on ground floor with parking.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Linda Aird, General Manager at Burn How Garden Hotel
Responded 15 Sept 2021
Thank you for your comments on your stay, we were disappointed that you did not find your stay to your satisfaction. As we have attained our breakfast award I have taken up your points re breakfast with the chef, we have looked at a pressure and bathroom door as you did mention this on check out. Our bar is open and you may sit in the lounge, on the terrace or take them back to your room as this has been the case since the restrictions were lifted, I have checked with the team, as I can't understand why you would have been advised otherwise
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We have stayed here regularly as a family and as a couple since 1976 which says it all really. Definitely our number one go to hotel in the Lake District. Our family have all grown and have stayed with us and our grandchildren over the years but this time we were there a couple of golden oldies and found the Burn How as peaceful and restful as ever. The management and staff are always welcoming and efficient from Michael the owner who has been there all these years through the reception staff to the servers and cleaners. Thank you all. We favour and recommend the spacious Garden Chalet rooms which are individual with their own front door, balcony and parking offering privacy yet convenience with the main building only a few steps away. We did comment during our stay that the dinner menu somehow seemed to be missing its usual flair and variety so it was no surprise to receive an email shortly after our return to say that evening meal service was to stop in November. Disappointing as the ambience, service and previous menus were a delight but the wonderful breakfasts are planned to continue. We will return and again thank you for nearly 50 years of relaxation and memories!
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Date of stay: October 2022
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Linda Aird, General Manager at Burn How Garden Hotel
Responded 27 Oct 2022
This unique Lake District hotel only two minutes stroll from Lake Windermere and the village of Bowness, is an oasis of peace and tranquillity. The Burn How's unique layout is refreshingly different to most hotels; all the bedrooms are located outside of the main building within the private grounds and provide your own dedicated car parking space. Hidden in the centre of the Lake District’s leading destination town, this Garden retreat offers a very different experience from which to discover the most beautiful corner of England. The nearest hotel to Bowness pier, from where you can explore Windermere, England’s largest lake by boat. Cruises from 45 minutes to 3 hours depart throughout the day - or you can even spend all day on and around the lake with a Freedom of the Lake ticket
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Crawley, United Kingdom31 contributions11 helpful votes
Hi, the chalets are good and self catering if required. Their are great rooms in he main building with balconies overlooking the gardens and some have four poster beds. Our favourite room is The Bow Room which is in an annexe 20 yards from main building. It has private parking, is extremely luxurious, very spacious and a joy to stay in. We have stayed in all parts of the hotel but always end up in our favourite room.
Hotel not lonely only a few minutes walk to lake and town centre. Parking is not a problem. Don't think you can see lake. Room we had was a lovely garden room.
Keighley, United Kingdom107 contributions46 helpful votes
Yes it's very easy to reach a number of eateries from good pub food to restraunt food and all in between and various price ranges as well the food we had was both varied and beautiful as well and the price was very competitive and within a short walk or a bit further if you want to walk your evening meal off hope this helps you guys
There are more places to choose from in the Bowness-on-Windermere area.
PRICE RANGE
£105 - £138 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
burn how hotel, best western bowness on windermere, bowness-on-windermere best western
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandCumbriaLake DistrictBowness-on-Windermere
NUMBER OF ROOMS
28
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