Rothay Garden Hotel
A contemporary expansion of a much-loved Lakeland hotel, shaped by its riverside setting, historic character and dramatic mountain landscape.
Lake District National Park, 2023
Set within the Grasmere Conservation Area, on the banks of the River Rothay, Rothay Garden Hotel occupies an exceptional setting within the Lake District National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Matthew Clay Architects were appointed to develop proposals for the expansion and enhancement of the hotel, creating new guest accommodation alongside a comprehensive redevelopment of its existing spa facilities. The project replaces a collection of later additions, including the existing detached spa and Manager's House, with a carefully considered group of contemporary buildings designed to sit comfortably within the established gardens.
The original hotel began life as a Victorian villa and remains an important part of the character of the site. Rather than attempting to replicate the historic building, the new proposals takes their cues from its proportions, roof forms and material palette. The resulting scheme provide 12 new guest suites, together with a remodelled suite and staff accommodation, significantly enhancing the hotel's capacity while maintaining the intimate and landscaped character of the site.
The site presented a series of significant constraints. Located within the Grasmere Conservation Area, the Lake District National Park and the English Lake District World Heritage Site, the development also sits immediately alongside the River Rothay and amongst established mature trees.
The design was therefore developed around a principle of minimising its impact on the landscape. The new buildings broadly follow the footprints and orientation of the structures they replace, helping to retain the established pattern of development while preserving significant areas of vegetation.
A series of pitched forms allow the new buildings to remain visually subservient to the original villa, while accommodation is carefully arranged within the roofscape. Natural Lakeland stone at ground level anchors the buildings within their setting, with timber weatherboarding softening the upper storeys and allowing the architecture to sit comfortably amongst the site's mature trees. Natural slate roofs and carefully proportioned dormers provide a further connection to the historic character of the hotel and wider Grasmere.
Large areas of glazing frame views across the River Rothay towards the surrounding fells, bringing the landscape into the experience of the building.
The redevelopment also transforms the hotel's existing spa facilities. The new spa is directly connected to the main hotel, improving accessibility and creating a more coherent relationship between the existing and new accommodation.
The pool and gym are conceived as generous, double-height spaces with views in both directions: westwards towards the hotel gardens and eastwards across the River Rothay towards Heron Pike and Nab Scar. Large glazed gables maximise this connection with the landscape while expressing the volume and openness of the internal spaces.
The architecture, landscape and construction strategy were developed in close coordination with arboricultural, ecological, flood risk, drainage and landscape specialists to respond sensitively to the site's exceptional setting.
Location: Grasmere Conservation Area, Cumbria (Lake District National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Client: Rothay Garden Hotel
Architect: Matthew Clay Architects
Status: Planning (2023)
