MORE and more people are choosing to stay in Britain for their holidays – it’s partly the insecurity of the pound, something to do with the frustrations and delays of air travel and perhaps also an awareness that this is a very beautiful country and we all ought to know it better!

Whatever the reasons, a chain of hotels in the north west, led by The Hydro in the Lake District, have launched a “staycation” campaign (it’s a silly word – but a good idea).

The campaign launched by The Hydro, part of the Squire Hotels group, follows a recent poll which showed 55 per cent of people are opting to take a British holiday whilst 83 per cent wanted to visit more iconic areas and landmarks around the UK.

It is certainly timely, following the recent announcement by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) that the Lake District has officially been awarded World Heritage site status, joining a list which incudes the Grand Canyon, the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu – and Dorset’s Jurassic coast.

The Hydro, which overlooks Lake Windermere, is offering a choice of two packages; a family-of-four package and an adults-only package, both of which include three and five night stays, breakfast each morning, lunch and a three course meal each day along with snacks, drinks, complimentary parking and Wi-Fi throughout.

The Hydro has recently reopened following a major £1.5m first-phase renovation which included refurbishments of the ground floor including, reception, bar and restaurant areas as well as a number of bedrooms.

For more information visit www.squirehotels.co.uk/windermere.