Home to the Lake District National Park, the Howgill Fells corner of the Yorkshire Dales and a long stretch of Hadrian's Wall, Cumbria is a magnificent county for a hot tub break.
Picture it. You've come down off the hill, boots by the door, the wood burner ticking over, and there's nothing left to do but sink into your own bubbles and watch the light fade over the Lake District. Our Cumbria cottages with hot tubs run from big farmhouses above Windermere to a shepherd's hut near Carlisle, so there's a base for every kind of getaway.
Why book one of the Cumbria cottages with hot tubs?
The Lake District is one of the top places in the UK for a hot tub holiday. It's the largest national park in England, so you get the lakes, England's highest mountain and Lake District market towns like Ambleside and Kendal to wander round between soaks. Families, groups of friends and couples all come back year after year.
Cumbria isn't only the Lakes, though.
East of the M6 you'll find the grassy Howgills above Sedbergh, the rolling hills of the Eden Valley around Penrith and the Roman forts of Hadrian's Wall near Brampton. Down south, the Cartmel peninsula looks out over Morecambe Bay, and in the far north the Solway Coast is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With a private tub waiting, you can do a big day out in any of them and still come home to warm water and a view.
Where to stay in Cumbria: picking your base
Where you book changes the whole holiday. Here's how the main bases compare.
| Area | Best for | Nearest M6 junction |
|---|
| Bowness-on-Windermere and Ambleside | Boat trips, Beatrix Potter, pubs and restaurants close by | J36, then about 13 miles |
| Coniston and Hawkshead | Quieter lakes, the Old Man of Coniston, Hill Top | J36, via the A590 |
| Keswick and Ullswater | Catbells, Derwentwater, Aira Force | J40 at Penrith, then about 16 miles |
| Sedbergh and the Howgills | Hill days, bookshops, the Dales and Lakes in one trip | J37, under 5 miles away |
| Cartmel and Grange-over-Sands | Food, Cartmel Priory, Morecambe Bay views | J36, via the A590 |
| Brampton and Carlisle | Hadrian's Wall, Carlisle Castle, the Solway Coast | J43 at Carlisle |
South Lakes: Windermere, Ambleside and Coniston
This is the busiest corner of the Lake District, and for good reason. Catch a boat from Bowness to Ambleside, climb Orrest Head for the classic view over the lake, wander back past the shops and you'll still be in the tub by tea time. Our hot tub cottages in Windermere put you right in the middle of it.
Coniston, a few miles west, is quieter.
North Lakes: hot tub stays near Keswick and Ullswater
Keswick sits on Derwentwater with Skiddaw rising behind the town, and just 1½ miles east Castlerigg Stone Circle is a ring of 38 stones, free to visit in daylight. Browse our cottages with hot tubs in Keswick if you'd like to be in the thick of it, with Ullswater a short drive over the hill.
Hot tubs in Sedbergh and the Howgill Fells
Sedbergh is England's book town, full of second-hand bookshops at the foot of the Howgills, which Alfred Wainwright called "a herd of sleeping elephants". It sits inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park, yet it's still Cumbria and under 5 miles from the M6. Friday-night arrivals are easy, and you can be in the Lake District for lunch on Saturday.
Cartmel, the coast and Carlisle
Sticky toffee pudding was first made in the back kitchen of Cartmel Village Shop over 30 years ago, and the 12th-century priory is just round the corner. Up in the north east, Birdoswald Roman Fort stands about six miles from Brampton beside the longest surviving stretch of Hadrian's Wall.
Cottages, hot tub lodges, cabins or a shepherd's hut?
Every kind of stay is here, and each suits a different trip:
- Holiday cottages and barn conversions: the pick for a family holiday, often with a wood burner and en-suite bedrooms.
- Luxury farmhouses: one that sleeps 10 or more suits a group of friends and a big birthday.
- Lodges with hot tubs: mostly on holiday parks around the lake at Windermere and near Penrith, and a hot tub lodge is handy if you'd like a pool or restaurant on site.
- Log cabins: woodland settings with outdoor decking, and most cabins with hot tubs keep the tub right on it.
- Shepherd's huts and pods: a romantic retreat for two, with the tub right outside the door.
Top Cumbria cottages with a private hot tub
Each of these has its own hot tub and a 5-star rating from guests. They're spread right across the county.
Rating:
5.0Pets:
NoGuests:
10 | Bedrooms
5 | Bathrooms
4
About the farmhouse:
A five-star gold graded country house that sleeps ten, with lake views throughout. Three of the five bedrooms are king-size doubles with en-suite showers.
- Jacuzzi hot tub for five under a heated gazebo
- Sitting room with a woodburning stove
- Lawned garden and private parking
Why you'll love it:
It's built for a big group, and the gazebo keeps the tub cosy when the drizzle rolls in.
Cottage Info
Rating:
5.0Pets:
YesGuests:
6 | Bedrooms
3 | Bathrooms
3
About the cottage:
A rural, pet-friendly home near the hamlet of Torver that sleeps six. It has its own hot tub and access to a walking field.
- Super-king and king rooms with walk-in showers, plus a twin
- Woodburning stove and a separate snug
- Coniston about 3.8 miles
Why you'll love it:
Early walks are sorted, then it's the Old Man for you and the bubbles afterwards.
Cottage Info
Rating:
5.0Pets:
YesGuests:
6 | Bedrooms
3 | Bathrooms
3
About the barn:
A reverse-level barn with all three bedrooms on the ground floor and an open-plan living space upstairs around a woodburning stove. The hot tub is out in the enclosed garden.
- Games room with a pool table that flips to table tennis
- Boot room for muddy gear
- Kendal about 15 miles
Why you'll love it:
Head straight up onto the Howgills, browse the bookshops, then reach the Lakes in half a day.
Cottage Info
Rating:
5.0Pets:
YesGuests:
10 | Bedrooms
5 | Bathrooms
4
About the house:
A large semi-detached house with five super-king bedrooms, two of them en-suite, and two sitting rooms. The hot tub is in the enclosed garden.
- Short breaks from three nights, Friday to Monday or Monday to Friday
- Pool table and off-road parking
- Kendal about 6 miles
Why you'll love it:
A simple choice for a family or group weekend in the South Lakes.
Cottage Info
Rating:
5.0Pets:
NoGuests:
2 | Bedrooms
1 | Bathrooms
1
About the pod:
A contemporary pod with a king-size bed, kitchen and a woodburning stove in one studio-style room. The hot tub is outside, and there's a sauna you can book during your stay.
- Single storey, reached by five steps
- Identical sister pods next door
- Windermere about 13 miles
Why you'll love it:
Pudding from the village, a sauna, then the tub under the stars.
Cottage Info
Rating:
5.0Pets:
1Guests:
2 | Bedrooms
1 | Bathrooms
1
About the hut:
A shepherd's hut in Heads Nook with a woodburning stove and a private hot tub looking out over open countryside. It's made for two adults and one pet.
- Brampton about 5.6 miles
- Carlisle about 8.2 miles
- Not suitable for children
Why you'll love it:
It's the base for Cumbria's Roman side, with Birdoswald a short drive away.
Cottage Info
Hot tub breaks for families, couples and dogs
Eating and drinking around Cumbria and the Lake District
Cumbria is famous for Cumberland sausage, Grasmere gingerbread, Kendal mint cake, damsons and sticky toffee pudding. Farm shops sell local cheese, honey, gin, ale and whisky, and almost every village has a tearoom or country inn cooking with Cumbrian produce.
Family days out
In Keswick, the Puzzling Place is full of illusions, holograms and 3D images, and it's walk-in, so there's no slot to book. Down in Bowness, The World of Beatrix Potter brings Peter Rabbit to life for younger children. Then there's the Lake District Visitor Centre at Brockhole, where you'll find Zip World adventures, Minty Land indoor play by BeWilderwood and a lakeside cafe.
Some of the amazing scenery that awaits on your Cumbrian cottage break
Romantic escapes for couples
Cumbria is perfect for a hot tub break for couples, with cosy pods, huts and Lake District hideaways for two. Take a traditional steamer across the water, then climb Orrest Head or Catbells to watch the sunset together. Heading north? The shepherd's hut near Carlisle above is made for two.
Bringing your dog
Well-behaved dogs on a lead travel free on the Windermere boats, and they can ride the Lakeside and Haverthwaite trains free of charge too!
Ullswater 'Steamers' welcome them aboard for a small fare, and plenty of shops, cafes and pubs are dog friendly. Browse our dog friendly hot tub stays.
Top 6 activities you won't want to miss in Cumbria
All six are an easy drive from a Cumbria hot tub lodge or cottage, at any time of year.
Boats link Bowness, Ambleside, Lakeside, Brockhole, Wray and Ash Landing, and you can hop on and off as you like. There are boats on Derwentwater, Ullswater and Coniston Water too, so you can make a Lake District day of it on the water.
England's highest mountain is a serious climb, so take a map and compass whichever route you choose.
Even if you skip the summit, Wasdale is worth the drive.
Beatrix Potter bought this 17th-century farmhouse in Near Sawrey with the royalties from her first book. The National Trust asks every visitor, members included, to pre-book a timed slot, and adult tickets were £17 without Gift Aid in 2026. Afterwards, stroll up to Moss Eccles Tarn, one of her favourite spots.
The gardens slope down to the water with views across to the Langdale Pikes, and boats stop at Brockhole's own jetty, so you can leave the car behind and sail over.
This waterfall near Ullswater drops 70 feet (21 metres) and inspired Wordsworth's poem 'Airey-Force Valley'. The National Trust's pay and display car park off the A592 has toilets and a tearoom, or you can arrive by boat at the Aira Force pier and stroll up through the woods.
Sit back on a steam train for the 3.2-mile run through the Leven Valley. In 2026 it ran daily from 28 March to 1 November. Sail from Bowness to Lakeside, ride to Haverthwaite and back, then sail home.
Cumbria hot tub breaks: your questions answered
Where are the hot tub lodges in Cumbria?
Most lodges sit on holiday parks around the lake at Windermere, near Penrith and in the Eden Valley.
Is there a shepherd's hut with a hot tub in Cumbria?
Yes, including the hut near Carlisle above. For more around Sedbergh, browse our Yorkshire Dales hot tub cottages.
Which part of Cumbria is best for a first visit?
The South Lakes or the North Lakes, with boats, pubs and the best-known Lake District views close by. For more choice, browse our Lake District cottages with hot tubs or the rest of the North of England. However you pick, booking one of the Cumbria cottages with hot tubs on Cottage With A Hot Tub takes a few minutes.