Cottage in the Wood Hotel

The welcoming was warm (tea and cake were waiting for us in the lounge) and the food was fabulous. If you are wanting an intimate quiet retreat, then this is the place. The view across the forest was breath-taking.

The welcome, the setting, the comfortable bedrooms and terrific customer service are only surpassed by the wonderful food. Kath and Liam provide a perfect balance between food preparation and service, and use a wide range of the very best local produce. Since my wife and I first stayed at the Cottage three years ago we have gone back each year, and expect to continue.

I came upon the Cottage in the Wood by chance and couldn't believe my luck. Better than home from home: no one welcomes me as warmly and as kindly as Kath; no one ensures my meals are as interesting, beautifully cooked and presented as Liam and Kath do; even the bed is more comfortable than my own - I can no longer say there is no bed like mine at home! The setting of the hotel is magical; there is a fascinating wildlife visitor centre just up the road with a web cam show of ospreys on their nest, a range of bird feeders hanging outside so you can watch all the local birds come and go. The lakes are on your doorstep - I recommend the peace and tranquility of Buttermere, but please don't all go and crowd the place and make it unbearably noisy. To precis: Liam and Kath provide heaven, they deserve to win whatever awards are available.

Liam and Kath make this place special and their dedication to ensure that your experience at their hotel and restaurant exceeds expectations. Each menu is well thought out in relation to seasons and local food availability. Liam is a superb chef who takes time and care to provide food that is locally sourced, uses the best ingredients, is full of flavour, cooked to perfection. There is no point of having a passionate chef if the food is not served with care and supurb customer care and that is where Kath makes the other part of this experience exceed your expectations. What a partnership, they are definitely our food heroes. We highly recommend their hotel and food and think they deserve local and national recognition for all their hard work and how they use and promote local food.

Our first visit to the cottage in the wood,with all the great views it had a lot to to live up to. But the food and hotel exceeded any expectations we had. Food is beautifully prepared and presented.The breakfast was probably the best i`ve had anywhere either home or abroad.A first class experience.

We have been going to the Cottage in the Wood for many years now and find it a home from home. We both have stressful jobs with long hours and it is wonderful to relax and be cosseted by such a friendly and caring couple. The food is scrumptious and beautifully presented, the rooms - and beds - are comfortable and the service is fantastic; nothing is too much trouble even when you come in from the fells soaked to the skin! The whole atmosphere is welcoming and other visitors are always in agreement about the warmth of welcome and care. Kath and Liam have worked very hard to create such a terrific place and deserve to be recognised for their sterling work. Thanks, Kath and Liam. All the best and see you later this year. Krys and Bill Hume

What can i say i am someone who really enjoys my food and i know good food when i taste it and Liam is defintitly a master in the kitchen. I have eaten at the cottage in the wood a number of times and loved every single meal. There is nothing worse than finishing a meal and feeling to full to even move, Liams food is well proportioned leaving you feel happy and satisfied and not "over full". I wish him the best of luck x

Fantastic food and service Jonesy1

We have now vivited Kath and Liams most wondeful establishment with food to die for many times. Ans as all the guests are now coming back and with there friends it is getting more difficult to get in. However when you do boy is it worth the wait Best regards and good luck Bev & Wayne Jones

The truth is I don't want to give a good review because as the popularity grows we find it more difficult to book into our favourite place.

We have visited this hotel regularly and have enjoyed the warmth of the place and the relaxing atmosphere. This ambiance has only been surpassed by one thing and that is the quality of the food served each day. We have visited the hotel during all the seasons and experienced the change of menu that reflects the seasonal ingredients. The use of local produce coupled with the expertise of the chef culminates each time in a delightful meal well supported by a varied wine cellar. This is such a special experience each time we visit and complements the idyllic environment that it is situated in.

We have visited the Cottage in the Wood for two Lake District holidays and have been equally impressed on both occasions. The warm welcome afforded by the owners Liam and Kath and the delicious home cooked meals make this a very special home from home. The professionalism of all the staff, wonderful home comforts amid the stunning local scenery ensure that we hope to visit on many more occassions in the future. Janet & Adam Ion 30-06-2007

A wonderfully homely hotel, nothing too much trouble, rooms superb some with beautiful views. Both Liam and Kath could not do enough to make you welcome. The food was excellent, and well presented as was the service and attention to detail of the staff. Would highly recommend. The hotel is situated in a beautiful part of The Lake District, with wild life around, sometimes in the gardens. 10/10

At the end of July we holidayed for a week in the Lakes and half way through had the pleasure of finding the Cottage in the Wood Restaurant. Kath made us very welcome, calling us by name and remembering us every time we visited; we enjoyed the food so much we ate there 3 times. We found the cost of the meals very reasonable but in addition I thought the food was second to none. I applaud their use of local, fresh, in-season ingredients and (surprisingly for me) particularly liked the lamb which was baked in a piece on the Sunday. I can honestly say I have never tasted lamb like it since I do not like lamb fat and even the best lamb sometimes tastes ‘muttony’ to me. I like the idea of having a no or limited choice menu partly since I find it difficult to choose but mainly because you know if there is a large choice it must come mainly or entirely out of the freezer and unlikely to be fresh or local. Also, something that is frequently forgotten, a meal is a complete experience and must be balanced; I do not want 3 or 4 disjoint courses since each dish must complement the others across all the courses. I have said for some time ‘when did quantity get confused with quality?’ When we eat out I enjoy eating the ‘continental’ way of 2 or usually 3 reasonably sized courses, feeling pleasantly replete at the end of the meal. Too often the typical starter is so large it is difficult to eat a main course and certainly not a desert unless large quantities are left on the plate which I personally find offensive. Eating a meal at Cottage in the Wood is a wonderful experience; I am not a gourmet but I do know what I like. I truly hope that I will be their way again - and soon. If I am, I will visit the Cottage in the Wood Restaurant even if it means going out of my way to eat at this wonderful restaurant again

Excellent food, charming owners and warm atmosphere.

The Cottage in the Wood is one of the best places I have ever stayed. Kath made me very welcome from the moment I arrived. The room was quiet, spacious, and very well maintained. I ate at the restaurant both nights I stayed here and Liam's food was fantastic each night. Amazing value for both the food and room.

Excellent food, first class service with a fantastic view

We have stayed at the Cottage in the Wood four times now. The great food and service keep tempting us back! For us, the fact that the food is local, seasonal and of course, wonderfully prepared by Liam, makes the Cottage in the Wood a special place. And we have found that unlike some of its perhaps better known rivals in the Lake District, Kath and Liam have ensured that the Cottage in the Wood has retained its local character. We continue to recommend the Cottage in the Wood to all our friends and family - in fact, we even arranged for our parents to celebrate their 60th birthdays there as we knew that Kath would ensure a special weekend for them.

I have travelled extensively on business and privately and eaten at some of the finest places in the world BUT I still come back to the Cottage and to Kath and Liam time and time again. These 2 lovely people are exceptional, Kath with her warm caring friendly approach with nothing being too much trouble and Liam, quietly in the kitchen producing some of the most sumptious meals with imagination and flare using only the finest local produce. Every mouthful is sheer pleasure. The warm homely atmosphere together with exciting food taste combinations is second to none.

Excellent food, and a warm and attentive welcome from Kath Berney. Just the place to relax and recharge.

We had our wedding reception at Cottage in the Wood almost two years ago. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day (even the weather was great!). The food was lovely and the hospitality second to none. Liam and Kath are real stars!

The Cottage in the Wood Hotel is a very special jewel in the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District. The food is out of this world; Liam is a true master of his art and Kaths attention to detail, her warmth and friendliness, all adds to their relaxing, serene and inviting environment.

Wonderful food and hospitality. Liam is a master of his art and Kath provides the perfect foil with her wonderful hospitality

We have just spent the weekend enjoying the food and hospitality of Kath & Liam's Cottage In The Wood. The whole package is truly superb from the welcome tea & cakes, the locally sourced food and the general ambiance. This is a unique hotel and deserves to be recognised for it's quality of service and it's place in their local community

We have just spent 2 wonderful nights at The Cottage In The Woods. As if breakfst wasn't good enough, the evening meal , both food & service were fantastic. Local produce cooked in various ways to perfection.

Just returned from our third weekend break from this wonderful establishment. Liams expertise in the kitchen and Kaths hospitality and attention to detail make this a place you just have to try.

Wonderful location and wonderful food. Locally sourced high quality ingrediants cooked fantastically well and the service is great too. We spent two nights at the Cottage in The Wood and were very impressed with the restaurant. Equally good is the breakfast!!

We have just returned from a very wet week in the Lakes so we ate out every day. The Cottage in the Wood stood out from all the other restaurants, a delightful personal welcome from Kath and the most enterprising food from Liam. Shame the view of the mountain was marred by low cloud! An idyllic setting!

We have just returned from a delightful weekend break at "The Cottage" and cannot praise the efforts of Kath and Liam highly enough. Kath, along with her team of efficient and courteous staff provide excellent service "front of house" , whilst the elusive Liam creates his dishes with thought and finesse. A very pleasant and relaxing experience, one which we hope to repeat soon. Well done.

The food in this hotel is fantastic. They use fresh local produce. Just look at the reviews on the tripadvisor website.

Number one hotel in Cumbria as voted on trip advisor and wow don't we know why! Liam's food never fails to meet total perfection, i wish him the best of luck - he deserves it.

The Cottage in the Wood is a very highly acclaimed hotel in the Lake District rated the number 1 hotel in Cumbria on Trip advisor. The reasons are apparent from the reviews. Liam’s culinary skills are very much appreciated by his guest and he deserves much wider recognition for the superb job he does.

Liam and Kath Berney own the hotel The Cottage in the Wood and Liam's food is out of this world! Everything is fresh and well prepared - he takes great pride in his food and it shows. If you look at the hotel's website there is not a bad review. He is fantastic!