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Waterhead Retreat, Ambleside

Guest Rating
Rating
4.5
out of 5
Guest Rating
Rating
4.5
out of 5
Sleeps up to 4
Hot Tub
Bedrooms: 2

Waterhead Retreat is a third-floor penthouse apartment in Waterhead, Ambleside. Located just 50 metres from Lake Windermere's shore, this property sits at the end of a select rear block. A private balcony overlooks the lake with direct views across the water.

The area offers immediate lakeside access with parkland and a short beach. Windermere Lake Cruises depart regularly for Bowness and Lakeside. A bus stop sits right outside the building. Ambleside centre is a short walk away through woodland to Stock Ghyll Force waterfall.

The apartment sleeps four across two bedrooms. The double bedroom features an en-suite power shower room. The twin bedroom has zip-link beds that convert to a double on request.

 

About Waterhead Retreat

Waterhead Retreat is a third-floor penthouse apartment in Waterhead, Ambleside. Located just 50 metres from Lake Windermere's shore, this property sits at the end of a select rear block. A private balcony overlooks the lake with direct views across the water.

The area offers immediate lakeside access with parkland and a short beach. Windermere Lake Cruises depart regularly for Bowness and Lakeside. A bus stop sits right outside the building. Ambleside centre is a short walk away through woodland to Stock Ghyll Force waterfall.

The apartment sleeps four across two bedrooms. The double bedroom features an en-suite power shower room. The twin bedroom has zip-link beds that convert to a double on request. A main bathroom includes a bath with shower attachment. The kitchen features an electric oven with halogen hob, microwave, fridge, freezer, dishwasher and washer-dryer. A lift serves all floors.

Grasmere sits 4.4 miles away (12 minutes). Windermere town is 4.7 miles distant (11 minutes). Keswick lies 16.7 miles north (28 minutes). Stock Ghyll Force waterfall is accessible via a woodland walk from the property.

Waterhead Retreat works well for couples or small families wanting lakeside access. Designated parking space number 30 is included. The location puts restaurants and two bars literally across the road.

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At Sykes Cottages

Need To Know

More Cottages With Hot Tubs You May Like

Waterhead Retreat Attractions & Days Out

Explore the wonderful attractions and activities surrounding Waterhead Retreat during your stay. Find the best places to visit and things to do in the local area, all conveniently organised by distance and type. Charming villages to lively and exciting attractions - there's something for everyone to enjoy. Browse through our categories including attractions, walks & outdoor activities, shopping destinations and handy tips on getting around. Plan your perfect day out. Whether you're looking for family fun, romantic experiences, or pet-friendly adventures, this cottage provides an ideal base to explore Cumbria's fantastic days out. Click on any attraction for more detailed information including address, opening times and visitor tips.

Stock Ghyll Force Waterfall
Distance: 0.5 miles
LA22 9LU
Windermere Lake Cruises
Distance: 0.1 miles
LA22 0ER
Ambleside Roman Fort
Distance: 0.6 miles
LA22 0EX
Loughrigg Fell
Distance: 1.2 miles
LA22 9NG
Wansfell Pike
Distance: 1.8 miles
LA23 1LF
Rydal Water Circular
Distance: 2.1 miles
LA22 9LX
Ambleside Town Centre
Distance: 0.4 miles
LA22 9BT
Booths Supermarket Windermere
Distance: 4.7 miles
LA23 1BA
Waterhead Shops
Distance: 0.1 miles
LA22 0ER
Grasmere Village
Distance: 4.4 miles
LA22 9SH
Windermere Town
Distance: 4.7 miles
LA23 1AF
Keswick
Distance: 16.7 miles
CA12 5JR
Stock Ghyll Force Waterfall
Distance: 0.5 miles
LA22 9LU
Windermere Lake Cruises
Distance: 0.1 miles
LA22 0ER
Ambleside Roman Fort
Distance: 0.6 miles
LA22 0EX
Loughrigg Fell
Distance: 1.2 miles
LA22 9NG
Wansfell Pike
Distance: 1.8 miles
LA23 1LF
Rydal Water Circular
Distance: 2.1 miles
LA22 9LX
Ambleside Town Centre
Distance: 0.4 miles
LA22 9BT
Booths Supermarket Windermere
Distance: 4.7 miles
LA23 1BA
Waterhead Shops
Distance: 0.1 miles
LA22 0ER
Grasmere Village
Distance: 4.4 miles
LA22 9SH
Windermere Town
Distance: 4.7 miles
LA23 1AF
Keswick
Distance: 16.7 miles
CA12 5JR

Is Waterhead Retreat Right For You?

Discover why this cottage is ideal for different types of visitors

For Families
The apartment provides a good base for families with older children who can manage stairs if the lift is unavailable. Lake access sits 50 metres away with parkland and beach areas for outdoor play. Windermere Lake Cruises depart regularly from Waterhead. Ambleside offers two small cinemas and various shops within walking distance. The location works well for families wanting to explore Lake District attractions by car.
For Couples
The private balcony overlooking Lake Windermere creates a perfect setting for couples. Two bars and restaurants sit across the road from the apartment. The double bedroom features an en-suite power shower room for added privacy. Ambleside's jazz bar and pizzeria are within walking distance. The third-floor position provides peaceful views across the water. Windermere Lake Cruises offer romantic boat trips departing from Waterhead regularly throughout the day.
Pet Friendly
Waterhead Retreat operates a strict no pets policy. Dogs and other animals are not permitted in the apartment under any circumstances. The development maintains this policy across all units. If you're travelling with pets you'll need to find alternative accommodation in the Ambleside area. Several other Lake District properties welcome dogs and offer similar lakeside locations nearby.

Dining & Cafes

Taste the local flavours during your stay at Waterhead Retreat

The Wateredge Inn

Located 0.1 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: LA22 0EP

Doi Intanon Thai Restaurant

Located 0.4 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: LA22 9BU

Zeffirellis Jazz Bar & Pizzeria

Located 0.5 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: LA22 9BZ

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to our most common questions about Waterhead Retreat

Does this cottage have a hot tub?
No, Waterhead Retreat does not have a hot tub. The apartment features two bathrooms including an en-suite power shower and a main bathroom with bath and shower attachment.
Is it pet friendly?
No, pets are not permitted at Waterhead Retreat. The property operates a strict no pets policy for all guests.
How many people does Waterhead Retreat sleep?
The apartment sleeps four people across two bedrooms. The double bedroom has an en-suite while the twin bedroom features zip-link beds that convert to a double on request.
What parking is available?
Designated parking space number 30 is allocated for guests. Additional visitor parking spaces are available close by for extra vehicles or guests.
Is there a lift to the third floor?
Yes, a lift serves all floors to the third-floor entrance. Stairs are also available as an alternative access route to the apartment.
What kitchen facilities are provided?
The kitchen includes an electric oven with halogen hob, microwave, fridge, freezer, dishwasher and washer-dryer. All equipment is fitted to a high standard with modern appliances throughout.
How far is it from Lake Windermere?
The apartment sits just 50 metres from the lake shore. Parkland and a short stretch of beach are immediately accessible with Windermere Lake Cruises departing regularly from Waterhead.
What is included in the rental?
Bed linen and towels are included in the rent. Electric storage heating, fuel and power costs are also covered with WiFi and Smart TV provided throughout your stay.

Waterhead Retreat Reviews

Great apartment and well maintained. Our only complaint is the sofas have really low backs. This doesnt stop us booking and we have rebooked our 4th visit
Sandra
This is a very well maintained property and one we looked forward to returning too. It was spotlessly clean, warm, and the view of the lake was excellent. I have some lovely photos taken from the balcony. One wish would be that there was dvd recorder, as the weather was very bad on a couple of our days there, and we would have liked to watch a good film
Spacious, clean and well equipped with amazing view of the lake and great location for exploring.
Sandra
A tastefully refurbished apartment, spotlessly clean, and very comfortable. The view of the lake is wonderful. We enjoyed our stay and I have already booked to return next year! Minor points the dishwasher did not work on arrival and an engineer was promptly booked, but unfortunately was not due until after our stay. Some of the soft close kitchen drawers definitely need attention as they were difficult to use, and the kettle was awkward to remove from the base. Overall though, a lovely, welcoming apartment and we are looking forward to returning next year.
The property was beautifully presented, nicely decorated, very comfortable & in an excellent location. The quality of the finish was very good & had been cleaned well other than a couple of cobwebs. The heating system was very comfortable & there was always lots of hot water. The kitchen & bathrooms had been fitted to a high standard. The floor finishes were very comfortable. The beds were very comfortable. Only a few minor gripes that are easily resolved Toilet seat in ensuite moves every time you sit on it Toilet brush in ensuite is yuck
This apartment is in a great location and spotlessly clean. Whilst the view is great the photograph in the Sykes listing gives the impression that the apartment is at the front looking down on the lake. In fact there ar two blocks one behind the one shown in the photograph. Waterhead Retreat is the end apartment to the right of the rear block. However this did not affect our enjoyment as the view up the lake is wonderful. We would love to return in the future and cannot recommend it highly enough
Lovely apartment with a view of the lake. Just a couple of suggestions There are two framed pages of information available. These state that the heating is set for use. However when we arrived on a cold October afternoon the apartment was stone cold with no heating on at 5pm. It turned out that all the radiators were turned down to 12 degrees. It took a while to work this out. The wifi information is also out of date. There is another sheet with the correct password in the kitchen, but again after sorting out the heating, this caused another delay. We rang the number provided for help but of course the office was shut, so that wasn't any use.
Andrew
We had a lovely week here. The apartment is furnished to a high specification and the view of the lake is even better in real life. You are only a few minutes walk to the lakeside and several pubs. It was spotlessly clean, the wifi worked well, it had comfortable chairs and a good sized smart tv. The parking wasn't a problem, the official spot is too small for most cars but one of the visitor spots has a sign saying parking for this apartment. There were also other free spots available for the whole of the week. Hiring a self drive boat on the lake was fun and as was the open top bus to Grasmere, there is a bus stop right outside the block.
Angela
The flat was lovely, well presented, clean, and spacious with an amazing view but was lacking in basics no spare toilet roll and no welcome pack! This might seem trivial to some but I always enjoy the welcome pack, trying a local wine or cake, and not having to rush straight out to buy milk for a cuppa! It just seems a bit stingy when you dont get one! Unfortunately we also had an issue with parking the allocated space was often taken up by a van or car from another flat.
This is our second visit. Lovely apartment. Clean and well decorated. Very comfortable. Lovely view of the lake and hillside. Will book this apartment again. Downside lift not working for the whole of our stay and carrying bags and luggage up to the second floor for aged 70 something people one of whom is disabled was not easy and it definitely impacted on our holiday enjoyment. Sykes need to review their out of hours support. Despite numerous attempts we were unable to contact anyone.
Caroline
The property was nicely decorated and well maintained. It is a lovely holiday apartment. However the lift was out of order for the entire duration of our stay. Carrying heavy bags and luggage up 2 flights of stairs for 2 people in their sixties was far from ideal. We do feel that we should have been notified of this.
This is a comfortable property in a great location with spectacular views. Theres a choice of places to eat out literally across the road and its only a 10 minute walk into the centre of Ambleside for shops etc. The bus stops right outside as well which makes this the perfect location for us and the reason we have stayed in this property a number of times. There have been maintenance issues in the past but once reported they have always been actioned promptly. The cleaning is of an acceptable standard considering turn around times but one thing that niggles is the fact that I have to dust the headboard in the ensuite bedroom each time we visit. Having said that the positives of this apartment far outweigh any negatives and we look forward to visiting again.
A great stay here at the Waterhead Retreat. The apartment was exceptionally clean, well equipped and had great views. We will definitely be back.
Nice apartment. Well situated for the local area. Although there was lots of information about the local area it was lacking in instructions for dirty linen, recycling etc. We placed linen all in the bath at the end of our stay but a little more direction would have been appreciated. Surprised there was no welcome pack eg. Milk, cookies, tea etc or perhaps a bottle of wine. I guess it isnt a necessity but would have been nice as all other properties we rented previously have always provided that nice touch. There was no DVD player or DVDs either which would have been useful as the weather was cold and rainy during our stay and the Freeview on the TV was limited in terms of channels. Generally a well maintained, clean and reasonably well equipped property.
Alison
Beautiful apartment with fabulous views, very clean and comfortable a home away from home. Thank you we will be back.
Property and location were excellent. Few minor maintenance niggles in the kitchen which we reported. One issue we did have was that on one day we had a call from the maintenance team that they needed to pop round to take a look at something which we were fine with. However the next day it also looked like someone had clearly been in the property again but we were not told about this. When we mentioned to the office they also didnt know anything or were concerned about this.
Joanne
What a gorgeous apartment in a superb location! Could not fault a thing and would recommend to anyone!
On arrival at Waterhead Retreat, there was a maintenance man in the apartment, he was checking the patio door that the previous occupants had reported as not opening or closing properly, this wasn't looked at until the following Thursday after I reported it again. Problems we found with the apartment were, 1. The blind to the main bedroom window was closed and we couldn't open it as the 4 lots of nylon twine had come out of the toggles and were wrapped around the bar at the top. 2. The main bedroom door handle came off when trying to close the door, all the doors need looking at to ensure that they close properly. 3. One of the large drawers in the kitchen wouldn't close, this works on a slow closure mechanism but kept springing back open when trying to close it. 4. There are loose electric sockets to the walls. 5. Parking to plot No. 30 is very tight, but there are occupants in No. 26 that take up 4 No. parking spaces, one for his car, one for his works van and two which he is using as his workshop, this needs reporting and sorting out with the management company of Romney Grange. Having said all this, the apartment has been refurbished to a very high standard by the owners, two lovely new bathrooms, the kitchen is new and really nice, new carpets and decorated nicely, the view is really nice also. I would definitely return if all the above snagging to the apartment was sorted out. Sykes Cottages, can you please advise me when all the above problems have been sorted out so that we can book again soon?
An excellent apartment thoroughly recommended with only one word of caution and that is that whilst it is flat from the carpark to the entrance door and there is a lift to the third floor it is quite a steep incline if on foot from the road to the entrance door. A note to the property owner you advertise a DVD player but it wasn't in the lounge and rightly the Netflix access is password protected.
Brilliant location and very spacious rooms.
The property has been very recently decorated. It was very clean, the kitchen and bathrooms look newly done to a very high standard. It is well equipped and comfortable. Lovely lake view from the sunny balcony. It is conveniently situated and I would recommend this property.
My holiday spent in Ambleside was the best in over 35 years of visiting my favourite place in the lakes! Your apartment was superb! Everything was as described and view fabulous. I can't wait to return , thank you for making my stay perfect. The only thing would be the tiles on the floor in bathrooms can be slippery if wet , otherwise fab!
Lesley
The apartment is lovely with excellent standard of furnishings, amenities and cleanliness. The location is perfect for access to Ambleside and the wider Lake District. The block is quite and very secure and the apartment was warm and cosy. It also has good recycling facilities. The only small criticism would be that unlike every other self catering premises I have stayed in there was no kind of welcome pack in the form of milkteacoffee. There was a cleaning pack with 5 dishwaher tabs and some bin bags but a tea bag would have been much appreciated after the journey! It was however a pleasure to cook in the kitchen which has a very high specification indeed. Overall a highly recommended property.
Annette
Couldn't park in designated parking space No30 as Green Volvo was parked in the space during our stay had to park in one of the visitors spaces. When we picked keys up from Local Office were only given a key to communal door was not given a key to the actual apartment. Luckily the local office was only 2 minutes away from accomodation and they were still open at 4.45 in the evening otherwise if this had been after 5.30 would not have been able to get into property. But still having to return to get another key was not best start to holiday. Apart from that the apartment was lovely and was newly carpeted and spotlessly clean . A few items missing in the kitchen i.e. lack of pots and pans if you wanted to cook . But would definateley return to this property and would recommend
Alexandra
We had such a wonderful time! The apartment is lovely, newly refurbished, spacious, clean...everything you want and need! The kitchen is won't want not to leave anymore! The view from the living room is also lovely and whilst the sheep are a constant, you can also spot the occasional deer! Yes, many exclamation marks but truly deserved it loved it!
Christine
Beautiful accommodation which was recently refurbished to a very high standard, my only gripe was with the patio doors which had no blind or curtain, this resulted in a coldness to the room and of course no privacy.
Lovely refurbished apartment ,everything you would need . Can't fault it. Beautiful views over lake . Website needs to be updated as didn't do it justice.
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Millans Park, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9AG