Staff at a hotel to the west of Keswick are celebrating after being named one of the best in the country in recently released list.

The Cottage in the Wood in the Whinlatter Forest has been ranked 39th on the Top 50 Boutique Hotels in the UK for 2021.

The inaugural ‘Top 50’ list, supported by Taylors of Harrogate, highlights some of the best places to stay in the UK and has been compiled using votes from more than 100 industry experts. With demand for staycation breaks and first-class experiences on the rise, it’s said to give guests the definitive low-down on the best boutique operators.

This latest high-profile announcement comes after the gourmet hideaway was named as 24th best restaurant in the UK as part of the National Restaurant Awards in August 2021.

The team at The Cottage in the Wood discovered their exact position on the list at a special ceremony held at The Star Inn The City, York on Thursday 25 November – where they joined fellow top hoteliers from a wide array of establishments, ranging from country estates to modern townhouses along with restaurant with room style retreats.

The criteria for being recognised as a ‘boutique’ operator included having between five to fifty rooms and a unique food and drink offering.

Co-owner Liam Berney says, “To us ‘boutique’ means creating a unique and personalised experience for guests and we have worked really hard to create our foodie escape – from our Michelin-starred food to our cosy rooms and exceptional service – all set against the stunning natural landscape of England’s only true mountain forest. It’s an experience that is hard to find, so we are delighted to have been recognised for that.”

The Cottage in the Wood provides guests with a special ‘restaurant with rooms’ experience, combining a Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms in a fully restored 17th century coaching inn perched 1,000 ft within Whinlatter Forest.

It was transformed by owners Kath and Liam Berney into one of Cumbria's leading ‘Restaurants with Rooms’ from 2002. Kath and Liam were joined by Chef Director Ben Wilkinson and his partner Restaurant Director Monika Zurwaska in 2017 and the restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in the Autumn of 2019.