Planning a 60th birthday in the Lake District? Our large holiday houses in Windermere sleep 12 to 16, so the whole party stays under one roof. Orrest Head House has six en-suite bedrooms and its own private bar, and the Terrace houses add private hot tubs and cellar cinemas. Weekends run Friday to Monday, dogs are welcome, and there are no booking fees when you book direct.
You’ve done the pub. You’ve done the restaurant with the set menu and the taxi home at eleven. For your 60th, try something different. Take a whole house in Windermere, fill it with the people you like most, and don’t hand it back until Sunday.
We’ve hosted a lot of 60ths. Here’s what we’ve learned about getting it right.
Pick the house for the beds, not just the hot tub
At 60, nobody wants to draw straws for the bunk room. Couples want a proper double, and ideally their own bathroom. So start there.
Orrest Head House is our pick for a grown-up 60th. It sleeps 14 in six bedrooms, and every one is en-suite. There’s a super-king sleigh bed, three kings, and two rooms we make up however you like: a super-king plus a single, or three singles. Bedrooms 2 and 3 have baths right in the room, looking out over the garden. The house dates from 1672 and has its own bar, Josiah Brown’s, named after the man who owned the place in the 1670s. Bring your own drinks, light the woodburner, and you’ve got pre-dinner drinks sorted. The dining table seats 18.
One honest note: Orrest Head House has no hot tub and no cinema. If those matter, look at the Terrace.
Alice Howe sleeps 14, with two king-size four-posters and five twin rooms. That’s 7 bedrooms with 7 bathrooms. There’s a covered 7-seat hot tub, a 15-seat cellar cinema and an open fire in the lounge.
Boston House sleeps 15, with a king, a four-poster double and a half-tester double on the first floor. It also has 7 bedrooms with 7 bathrooms, a 7-seat hot tub and a 15-seat cinema.
If your group is mostly friends sharing twins, Bannerrigg sleeps 16, but every bed there is a single. Great for a hen do. Less great for a room full of couples.
Book the extra night
Weekend breaks start on a Friday. You can leave on Sunday, but our advice is to stay until Monday. The Sunday night usually adds only about £150–200, and it turns Sunday from packing and driving into a long lunch and a slow walk.
Let someone else cook the big dinner
The kitchens are big, but nobody should spend their 60th stuffing a turkey crown. A few options guests use:
- A private chef at the house. Yhangry will cook for the whole group. Use code THETERRACEW for £50 off.
- Drop-off catering from Lucy’s Inside Out, for a buffet or a sit-down meal you just have to heat and serve.
- Dinner out. The Lamplighter does private dining and a proper Sunday lunch, about two minutes’ walk from the Terrace.
Breakfast is at the house. Supermarket deliveries from Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Tesco and Asda all reach us. Book the slot for after 4pm check-in.
A few extras that go down well
- Pampering at the house. Michelle from Lakeland Pamper Treatments can come to you.
- A morning walk up Orrest Head. It starts across the road from the Terrace, or straight from the back gate at Orrest Head House. About 20 minutes to the top, and the view over Windermere is the one that changed Alfred Wainwright’s life.
- Decorations. Bring banners and balloons. Just no Sellotape on the walls, please. It pulls the wallpaper off.
The party doesn’t have to finish at 10pm. We only ask that you keep the noise down outside after 10pm and close the windows in any loud room after 10:30pm. The neighbours will thank you, and so will we.
Your 60th birthday questions, answered
Which house is best for a 60th birthday in the Lake District?
For couples, Orrest Head House: six bedrooms, all en-suite, a private bar and 5-star. For a hot tub and cinema, Alice Howe or Boston House on the Terrace.
How many people can come?
Our houses sleep 12 to 16. For more, book two neighbouring Terrace houses. Number One and White Moss together sleep 26 and can dine together for up to 22.
Can we bring the dog?
Yes. Up to four dogs per house, at £30 per dog.
Can we have a party?
Yes. Decorations are welcome. Keep outside noise down after 10pm.
Do the houses have hot tubs?
All five Terrace houses have a private 7-seat hot tub. Orrest Head House doesn’t have one.
Can we get a private chef?
Yes. Yhangry private chefs cook at the house (code THETERRACEW gives £50 off), and Lucy’s Inside Out does drop-off meals. You book them direct.
Are there good places to eat nearby?
Yes. From the Terrace, The Lamplighter is about 2 minutes’ walk, The Crafty Baa 3, Brown Sugar and The Tilly 4, and Hooked 5.
What time can we arrive and leave?
Check-in is 4pm, and we can usually get you in at 3:30pm once the house has been checked. Check-out is 10am.
Are towels and bedding provided?
Yes: all bed linen, one bath towel per person and hand towels. Bring your own shampoo and toiletries, and an extra towel for the hot tub.
How much does a 60th birthday weekend cost?
It depends on the house and the dates, as our prices move with demand. Adding the Sunday night to a weekend usually costs only about £150–200 more. Mid-week breaks (Monday to Friday) start from £1,100 for the whole house.
Can we celebrate mid-week instead?
Yes. Mid-week breaks run Monday 4pm to Friday 10am, and they’re quieter and better value than weekends.
What if someone in our group finds stairs difficult?
Call us on 0330 088 4086 before you book and we’ll talk you through each house’s layout, so you can pick the best fit.
Can guests come by train?
Yes. Windermere station is a couple of minutes’ walk from the Terrace, and trains connect to the West Coast main line at Oxenholme.
How do we book?
Book direct at theterracewindermere.co.uk or call 0330 088 4086. There are no booking fees. A 25% non-refundable deposit secures the house, and the balance is due eight weeks before you arrive.
Happy birthday. Enjoy the Lakes.
Andy and Barbara (owners)
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