The UK’s Best Lake Retreats for a Weekend Away and the Cost of Staying There

Leading serviced apartment provider, Cuckooz, has looked a where in the UK is home to some of the best lake retreats for a weekend away and what the cost of staying near these areas of natural beauty will set you back.

Cuckooz looked at 15 of the UK’s best lakes as voted by Musement and Countrylife, before looking at the cost of staying in a hotel within the immediate vicinity.

The beach is often our first destination in the summer months but large crowds and sand everywhere is overrated when you can cool down in some outstanding UK lakes.  

Ideally the best bet is to take a tent and make the most of your surroundings, but camping isn’t for everyone and the Great British summer time can quite often dampen the spirit, so a hotel gives you the best of both worlds. 

Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland

£100 per night

Image: Ireland.com 

Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland is not only one of the best lakes in the UK but it’s also the largest in the entire British Isles – so big it supplies 40% of Northern Ireland’s water supply! What’s more, with hotels in the area costing an average of £100 per night, it’s the UK’s most affordable lake retreat! 

Llangorse Lake, Brecon Beacons

£105 per night

Image: Tripadvisor

The next most affordable UK lakeside retreat is Llangorse in the Welsh Brecon Beacons with hotel accommodation surrounding the lake costing just £105 per night. The largest natural lake in South Wales, it’s popular for fishing and watersports during the summer months.  

Bewl Water, Kent and East Sussex

£107 per night

Image: ExploreKent.org 

Bewl Water straddles the border of Kent and East Sussex and is the perfect destination for those looking to escape London for some fresh air and a swim. At just £107 per night for a hotel nearby, it’s a much cheaper option than the majority of accommodation options in the capital.

Lough Erne, County Fermanagh

£115 per night

Image: Tripadvisor

The only entry from Northern Ireland in the list, Lough Erne in County Fermanagh is actually two beautiful lakes for the price of one. It’s the second biggest lakeside destination in Northern Ireland and the province of Ulster and a stay in a hotel here will cost £115 per night on average.

Kielder Water, Northumberland

£118 per night

Image: Northern-horizons.co.uk

OK, so Kielder Water may be a man-made lake but that doesn’t take away the fact it makes an absolutely stunning location for a lakeside getaway! It’s the largest artificial lake in the UK and sits amongst the wilderness of Kielder Forest – again man-made but no judgement here.

At £118 per night, it’s the fifth most affordable lake weekend destination and the second most affordable in England.  

The Rest?  

Wales is home to three more of the UK’s best lakes in Lake Vyrnwy, Powys, Llyn Tegid and Llyn Gwynant with hotels ranging from an average of £120-£143 per night.  

Scotland also makes the list with the well-known Loch Lomond the cheapest for accommodation at an average cost of £123, followed by Loch Awe at £148 per night and the most iconic – Loch Ness – unsurprisingly one of the most expensive at £185 per night.  

Cumbria dominates the rest of the English based lakeside scene for a weekend away with Ullswater (£123 per night), Buttermere (£153), Derwentwater (£175) and the most expensive in the list, Lake Windermere with an average hotel costing £189 per night.

Image: Visit Cumbria

Situated in Cumbria’s Lake District National Park, it sits between mountain peaks and sleepy English villages and just looking at it, you can see why it costs so much to stay nearby.

Co-founder of Cuckooz, Fabienne O’Neill, commented:

“As an island nation our first thoughts when the sun does decide to grace us is to head for the nearest coastal beach, but there is an absolute wealth of outstanding lakes across the UK that provide an amazing alternative to saltwater and sand.  

Of course, the best way to experience these areas of outstanding beauty is to get amongst it but for those that prefer a consistent level of comfort, there is also a huge range of great places to stay. Generally, this is going to cost you more than the average hotel room, but if you look hard enough, there’s plenty of options to suit all budgets.”

If you wish to spend some time by the lake, but can’t afford hotel for all the nights, consider staying at the campsite for a night or two. Amazon is selling a great tent for up to 8 people for a very affordable price.