"All the rooms are named after local landmarks - valleys, lakes and fells"
Jonathan Kaye
Windermere is getting a makeover. Not England’s biggest lake, though, but the room named after it at the award winning Cedar Manor hotel not far from the water’s edge.
The Windermere room, elegant with high ceilings, is in the older part of the building and was originally the master bedroom of the house which was built in 1854, designed by the same architect, J.S. Crowther, as St Mary’s Church across the road. Crowther also designed Wynlass Beck and Holehird in Windermere, but he’s best known for major restoration and repairs to Manchester Cathedral.
A favourite with guests who return to the Cedar Manor year after year, it’s now the turn of the Windermere room to have a face-lift. The original stained glass window will stay, with its window seat looking down onto the lawn and the huge Cedar tree that gives the hotel its name.
But that has inspired designer Alison Tordoff to introduce an element of Victorian gothic to the new “earthy, organic” theme which will be brought to the room’s décor.
“We know that Alison will once again bring her distinctive style to this project,” said hotel owner Jonathan Kaye.
Alison, of locally-based Fidget Design, has made her mark throughout the hotel, bringing awards galore for interior excellence as well as hospitality. These include international Hotel Interior Design of the Year at the Bloomberg Hotel Awards. The hotel has since won Best Small Hotel in the Cumbria Tourism awards, and was recently given the AA three star silver award.
The hotel has also been chosen as the first European hotel to join the list of a prestigious American-based register. Select Registry is a collection of independent, boutique lodging properties which has recommended hotels and inns to travellers across the USA for 45 years.
All the rooms at the Cedar Manor are named after local landmarks – valleys, fells and lakes – and Alison also designed the detached luxury Coach House Suite. All rooms feature the furniture of Andy Smith who served part of his apprenticeship building furniture for Cedar Manor before going on to set up his own business, Lakeland Fells Furniture.
“He has continued to work with us and now all wooden furniture throughout the hotel has been hand-crafted right here in Windermere,” said Jonathan. He always selects FSC woods (Forestry Stewardship Council) and Alison designs the furniture to be sympathetic to the Victorian gothic style which is in keeping with the age of the building.”
Jonathan added: “We are very excited about the re-design of Windermere and we know that our guests next year will love it.”
