The Forest Side is Tatler’s ‘Best Kept Secret’ in their Restaurant Awards 2016. Described as a ‘Gothic mansion…….Set in the magical lake District landscape of Wordsworth’s beloved Grasmere’. It’s the 3rd hotel by Andrew Wildsmith and was a Victorian guest house that’s undergone a £4.5m renovation.

The Forest Side – Newly Renovated Victorian Guest House, Where Luxury Extends to Guests With Disabilities…. Disabled Access is at The North Wing.

It certainly looks more stylish than the normal B&Bs/guest houses associated with the Lake District, not that there’s anything wrong with them it’s just that sometimes a touch of luxury is welcome. In this case that luxury extends to guests with disabilities and unusually the award goes to an accessible restaurant and hotel. The website actually mentions their accessible ‘Medlar’ bedroom and it’s designed to,

..’make our guests with disabilities – as well as friends and family who accompany them – more comfortable. This room as with all of our other rooms is elegantly appointed, featuring exactly the same décor and quality of furnishings, fixtures, fittings and sleep experience…..this en-suite room benefits from level ground floor access, wide access doors, a roll in wet room, equipped with non-slip flooring, a fully adjustable shower, height adjustable shower seat and adjustable grab rails, a low rise toilet with adjustable grab rails, and assistance alarm pull cords.

We are able to offer flexible accommodation for accompanying careers, as the adjoining room to Medlar, Quince, has an interconnecting door facility, which allows access but also privacy for the carer so they are able to enjoy a break as well’.

Sample Bedroom. Not Sure What Accessible Room Looks Like??

Cosy Lounge But sofas Look Like an Accessible Challenge

The only issue is that there are no reassuring photos to back up the words – you can’t have everything! As far as the restaurant is concerned they say

‘Our restaurant is located on the ground floor and is fully accessible via level access from the North Wing of the property, as are our bar and guest lounge. We also have fully accessible washroom facilities on the ground floor for non-resident guests’.

It’s run by a true Cumbrian Chef, Kevin Tickle, previously from L’Enclume, a restaurant we’ve also reviewed. The Telegraph says he’s

‘a passionate forager;…………(using) ingredients such as scurvy grass, curds, whey and pickled allium flowers, are clean, modern and precise, served on beautiful rough-hewn local pottery. They taste of the earth, yet are wonderfully light…. Kevin’s gleaming but homely kitchen is open to view, as is the temperature-controlled wine cellar. The serene, airy restaurant makes an agreeable setting for the food. ‘ They gave it 9/10, so who are we to disagree ??

Restaurant Certainly Looks Accessible With Plenty of Room and Smooth Flooring. Disabled Toilet is Nearby.

Double rooms are around £220- £299/night and the Medlar room is £239 for room and breakfast.

They get an unaudited 2.5 BBS Ticks as it’s stylish and accessibility seems to be integral in it’s design. They may even warrant 3 BBS Ticks but we need some confirmation of the facilities so if anyone has been contact us.

Andrew Wildsmith also owns Hipping Hall and Rybeck Rooms which don’t appear to be accessible but have a certain amount of style. We’re awaiting confirmation of the access at Rybeck but we have reviewed Hipping Hall here.

Blue Badge Style

We Re-Define Disability With Style

Forest Side, The, Cumbria

Forest Side, The, Cumbria

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