My husband and I recently went up to Lake Windermere and stayed at the Waterhead.

Both the area and the Hotel are fantastic. We can highly recommend the hotel restaurant (I think it is called the Bay), the food in there is to die for, and is reasonably priced (approx £60 total for 3 courses and wine).

The bedrooms are great, nicely decorated and have the most comfortable bed I have slept in for a long time.

The area is very quiet, but this suited us. There is literally a few hotels, one pub, a cafe and 2 shops. We were only there for the weekend.

We had lunch in the pub (The Wateredge, i think) which was good (we had the seafood platter) but over priced I think, and having eatten at the Bay restaurant, I would have preferred to have more of their food.

The hotel has a limited selection of free DVDs that can be borrowed, also you can use the spa at the sister hotel, the Low Wood, although we did not try this.

Chose this hotel after having stayed at the Lakeside (self-proclaimed ' Best 4 star hotel in the Lake District') late last year and being totally underwhelmed (strangely pretentious for a mediocre hotel). I was understandably slightly apprehensive following this previous stay in the Lakes, but needn't have worried.
This place is fantastic.
I have been to too many hotels that promise much and deliver little, but the first thing that strikes you when entering the hotel is that, despite the modern glam surroundings, the staff are exceptional. From the welcome at the desk (no formal 'Reception Lobby' here) to the genuinely friendly and professional service in the restaurant, all the staff were great.
The surroundings are not what you would neccesarily expect from a hotel on the banks of Windermere - all traditional stone and slate on the exterior, but modern and stylish inside, and the little extras make all the difference - local gingerbread and fresh cafetiere coffee in the bedrooms and underfloor heating and great toiletries in the bathroom.
Having eaten in the restaurant on our first evening, we cancelled our plans to 'eat out' on our second and final night - this food is honestly some of the best I have tasted for some considerable time. I am unsure as to what awards the restaurant currently has, but the menu appears to be locally sourced, reasonably priced and fanntastic quality comapred to the local 'competition' we had initailly considered.
The weather, unfortunately, wasn't so kind - but I suppose you take your chances in late March!
Regardless of this though, I would have no hesitation in recommending this hotel to anyone. It's certainly not the cheapest but, in this case, you get more than you pay for!

Fantastic room, friendly staff, had organised Flowers and Champagne for my wife (birthday trip) and it was all in the room.
Well decorated - all very stylish in a modern fashion, which we happen to love.
Food was great, well presented.
It's a short walk to Ambleside proper, and right opposite the jettys for cruises up and down the lake, so very handy.
On the negative side, there were a few small children there on the Friday evening, which detracted from the dining experience a little, but not too much!

My wife and I have just returned from a 3 night stay at The Waterhead and let me say that the reviews you read on Trip Advisor about this hotel are true - it is a fantastic place. After having experienced a hellish 10 hour journey from Cambridge due to nightmare weather conditions shutting the M6, it was a joy to be welcomed by an efficient smiling receptionist and then check into a room that you didn't want to leave!. We weren't expecting a lake view (we had a house double room) but got one anyway. Although not the cheapest hotel it is still nice that bottled spring water, the ice bucket, gingerbread supplies and tea and filter coffee are replenished every day, along with maid service every day - and we didn't get interrupted once. (They must even know when you are out!).
The underfloor heating in the bathroom is great, along with wall mounted plasma screen, huge double bed and the general quality of the place that runs throughout the hotel.
Staff are extremely friendly and helpful and the views over the lake at breakfast are superb (especially if you get there early and you'll get a nice bay window table). The food is freshly cooked rather than buffet style and the service was faultless.
For dinner, I'm not usually a fan of eating at your hotel, but we had one of the nicest meals we have had in a long time, along with relaxed atmosphere, good lighting and a table for 2 that was for 2, i.e. not on top of someone else.
As for the location, you can't get better - it is a 10-15 minute stroll into Ambleside, which is much bigger than we thought it was going to be and is a perfect starting point for walks so consequently we only used the car a couple of times in 4 days which is a bonus. And from outside the hotel you can catch a cruise down Lake Windermere, or there is a pub across the road which offers great views of the lake while enjoying a couple of drinks.
A visit to the Lake District is a must anyway, but taken together with this hotel, it makes the experience that much better with a touch of luxury thrown in.
Quite simply, we could not fault this hotel.