The Forest Side

About The Forest Side

The Forest Side occupies a restored Victorian Gothic mansion set within forty-three acres of woodland and gardens on the edge of Grasmere, a short walk from the village centre. The house has been renovated with a deliberately understated, contemporary interior that leans on natural materials and muted colours rather than heavy country-house furnishing, and many rooms look out over the gardens towards the surrounding fells.

The hotel's restaurant, under chef Paul Leonard, holds a Michelin star and five AA rosettes, with tasting menus built substantially from the hotel's own kitchen garden and produce sourced from farms within ten miles. Breakfast, lunch and dinner all draw on the same larder, and the dining room and adjoining bar are open to non-residents as well as guests.

Beyond the restaurant, the extensive grounds include the kitchen garden itself, woodland walks, and direct access to paths up into the fells above Grasmere, making the hotel a genuinely useful base for walkers as well as diners. Rooms range from standard doubles to larger suites, several with wood-burning stoves or freestanding baths.