THE million-pound refurbishment of a long-established Lake District hotel is complete.

The new look at Ambleside's Rothay Manor has received its finishing touches in time for the start of the spring and summer seasons.

The hotel's owners say the £1 million renovation of every room, living space, restaurant and kitchen embraces the property's heritage and traditional exterior, while giving a fresh, contemporary feel.

"It's been a long road for us to get to this stage," said Jamie Shail, who owns and manages the elegant country house hotel with his wife, Jenna, "but as our guests will see, it’s been well worth the effort.

"We wanted the hotel to be as beautiful inside as the surrounding area outside and made it our mission to achieve that goal from the moment we bought the hotel back in 2016.”

He added: “We are so pleased with how the refurbishments have gone and, looking back, it shows us how far we’ve come over the last three years. So whether our guests are staying here overnight or enjoying a meal, we’re extremely confident they’ll have a rich and fulfilling experience."

Built in 1823 by a wealthy merchant from Liverpool, the Regency-style property was converted to a hotel in 1936.

Rothay Manor's restaurant was recently awarded triple AA Rosette status.

Jenna said: "We spent a lot of time and effort to make our food offering more tempting than ever before.

"It was the complete refurbishment of the restaurant, kitchen and lounge areas that really spurred us on to freshen up every bedroom; and now we’re on the verge of a completely fresh feel to the hotel."