Eating out with my Mum.
I recently had my dear old
Mum to stay, both at home and at the hotel.
She loves to stay in
hotels. Maybe that's where I got the bug from. Now normally when we check
someone in at Linthwaite we always show them to the room and point out the
important bits: heating on/off; lighting; TV etc..
When she came down to
dinner she said it was very cold in the room. I had failed in my show round.
She'd been playing with the air conditioning remote control. The A/C is
disguised as a picture!
One of the other things
she loves to do when she comes up (she is over 90 so doing Helvellyn is out of
the question and, whilst she was a very good golfer in her day, she refuses to
caddy for me) is to potter round the Lakes and enjoy the beauty. She also likes
to pop in to the odd cafe at frequent intervals. Over four days we visited eight
what I'd call casual dining spots. Casual has more than one meaning in some
cases.
This was good because for
me in my capacity as one of the judges for the Cumbria Life Food & Drink
awards http://www.cumbrialifefoodawards.co.uk/
I needed to get out and try some places.
Obviously I can't mention
many names here. But it was very mixed. Catering was outstanding at The Barn
Shop as it always is, it was huge at the Lunesdale Bakery in Kirkby Lonsdale. It
was extortionately expensive in some, great value in others. Chesters by the
River is a favourite at Skelwith Bridge. It's always changing and now they have
a pizza oven. Always reinventing itself. Great shop too.
A new re-opening is the
Wolf House Gallery at Silverdale. OK, It is in Lancashire so won't be able to
enter the Awards. But it's brilliant! Good food, nice shop. Lovely walking
country.
Service, which I am
particularly interested in, was mixed. Mostly happy amateurish, devoid in the
most part of any professional training, and in a couple of cases downright rude.
Everywhere struggles with how to deliver; order at the counter, order at the
table, wait for ages to pay. How to pay?
This needs to be improved!
Otherwise the customer will feel as cold as my Mum was!
What the Press say
"Perched high on a hill above Bowness, Linthwaite House Hotel occupies an idyllic spot. The sign at the bottom of the drive invites you up to sample of the view - and what a magnificent view it is. Lake Windermere in the distance is as clear as a mirror while the hills beyond are covered with snow, flushing pink underneath the setting sun. If you visit during the winter months, as I did, you may find it difficult to tear yourself away from log fires and afternoon teas, but there are 14 acres of private grounds to explore, including a tarn for fly fishing. In warmer weather, guests can improve their golf on the putting green or play a game of croquet on the lawn. It's no wonder Linthwaite has picked up an impressive array of awards. " Christen Pears, Northern Echo, January 2003.
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What our Guests say
"Our thanks for thoroughly spoiling us during our stay, we have really enjoyed the warmth and informality of your welcome, whilst maintaining a high degree of professionalism and very high standards. A particular thanks to 'The Room Team' who kept our lovely room beautifully and Sarah & Andy and Ben & Andrew for their friendliness. WE look forward to our next visit!" JC, May 2012