The Big 40

Lakelovers Reflect on 4 Decades of Lake District Cottage Holidays

This year we celebrated 4 decades of offering outstanding quality in self-catering holiday cottages in the Lake District. As well as giving our thanks for sharing this journey with us, we’d like to share some of our news and photos from the year.

Growing Fatter and Fitter

As 2017 comes to an end, not only have we grown a year older but we’re are growing fatter too it would seem. Well, our portfolio is expanding, we should say.

Lakelovers are excited to have exceeded the 500 mark in the number of high quality cottages that we can now offer our guests. And in 2017 we saw the opening of two offices. We are thrilled to have expanded out of the South Lakes and into the Keswick, Pooley Bridge and Ullswater area with our Keswick Office, as well as our recently opened Ambleside Gold office.

As well as getting fatter we have been getting fitter too this year, and have been getting out there and getting involved in a number of great Lake District projects.

Thank you to all of our guests who have been involved in our fundraising efforts this year. So far we have raised the following funds to help some important Lake District charities.

• Lakelovers were proud to sponsor a Morecambe Bay Walk with Friends of the Lake District: £9,088.50 (total raised on the day)
• Lake District Mountain Rescue Search Dog Association: £1,000 and ongoing
• Fix The Fells: Lakelovers took on the challenge of completing as close to 40 Wainwrights in the year as possible between us, with a final celebratory walk alongside famous Lake District Springer Spaniels Max and Paddy up Coniston Old Man, raising around £200 for Fix the Fells.
• Fell Care Day – We enjoyed helping Friends of the Lake District on a Fell Care Day, working on path maintenance and drainage.

Care Day with Friends of the Lake District,Eskdale

Celebrating Lakelovers 40th Birthday Wainwright challenge on Old Man of Coniston

Max and Paddy help Lakelovers celebrate 4 decades of Lake District cottages

Former Lib Dem MP Tim Farron unveils Lakelovers 40th Birthday plaque

Furry Friends Welcome  

We have the largest collection of quality dog friendly cottages in the Lake District and with Lakelovers pets are FREE, so don’t leave our four-legged friends behind. Oh, and here Max and Paddy model our Lakelovers Buff’s, launched this year too. Have you got yours?

Seasoned

There are some benefits to being the oldest in the region at what we do. We can offer our cottages in 2018 without having to hike up the prices.

And as we get older, we also feel that we know what you are looking for. A cosy open fire or stylish statement log burner for family and friends to gather around.

Most of our properties have WiFi, so you decide whether January 2018 is a digital detox or not. Many of our cottages have hot tubs and some have a sauna and pool too. For entertaining large groups, games rooms are ideal where a pool table, table tennis or Wii games console bring people together.

We provide exclusive passes to luxury leisure clubs as well as our Recommends Card, giving Lakelover customer discounts on Lake District highlights like Gilpin Spice, The World of Beatrix Potter and regional food producers such as Hawkshead Relish and More? The Artisan Bakery.

Our self-catering kitchens are luxurious, often bespoke and always excellently fitted out. You’ll find coffee makers, ice machines, large fridge/freezers for group cottages, centre-piece dining tables and outdoor entertaining spaces.

That all said, we always want to hear from you, our customers and cottage owners. What are you looking for from your 2018 cottage holiday?

We take great pride in our customer service team, who are very easily available: just a phone call away, Monday to Saturday 9:30am-5:50pm. Plus, for when you’re secretly making enquires whilst at work, or don’t have time for a phone call, Facebook messages are replied to within 24 hours.

You don’t have to worry about missing out on the latest discounts and offers, as our newsletter is sent out regularly, with no spammy sales pitches just great offers and information.

Generation Game

In addition to the Keswick office, our Windermere HQ team has expanded over the year also. We’re delighted to be offering our owners an exciting mix of marketing services, including the growth of key social media networks such as Instagram and Facebook as well as traditional press coverage and marketing. Keep in touch on these pages for competitions too!

For holidaymakers, we now have an improved website, with an incredibly easy to use, reliable and safe online booking system. Have you had a go with the Compare & Share part of www.lakelovers.co.uk yet? It’s great for helping you make those vital decisions between the vibrancy of Windermere or tranquillity of Troutbeck, for example.

Vintage  

2017, as well as being the year the Lake District received World Heritage Status, it also saw the celebratory launch of our Lakelovers Gold brand, in response to our growing portfolio of VisitEngland Gold Award holiday cottages. Lakelovers are proud to manage some of the very best self-catering cottages in the Lake District, and we’re pleased to be able to present these together as an un-rivalled collection of supreme luxury cottages, on our beautiful Lakelovers Gold banner. In fact, VisitEngland inform us that we hold the largest collection of VisitEngland Gold award self-catering cottages in the Lake District.

Paul Liddell, Managing Director, Lakelovers says: “We have been immensely proud to receive feedback and recommendations from VisitEngland, announcing that our select portfolio of Lake District cottages had the highest calibre of accolades in the county. This collection of Lakelovers luxury cottages deserved individual status and this formed the launch of our luxury brand.

“Our portfolio continues to be something Lakelovers are undoubtedly well known for, further complemented by our exceptional levels of customer service. To top all this off – the Lake District is regarded as one of the very best holiday destinations in the UK, recently recognised by World Heritage status.

“Our select collection are all in honeypot locations that our loyal customers love and we are now in a position to invite more quality accommodation owners to join our winning formula.”

2018

In the new year we look forward to building on the 20% increase in holiday maker occupancy experienced in 2017 combined with having lots more fun! We’re thrilled to be the lead sponsor of the eagerly-anticipated Keswick Jazz and Blues Festival 2018 and have lots more delightful holiday cottages soon to be added to our portfolio in the new year.

We’d like to thank you for your support this year and to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Lakelovers team.