I'm visiting friends in the lakes for a weekend soon and would like to take Mrs B to a good hotel on the Sunday night – any recommendations? Nothing stupidly expensive and would prefer somewhere in or near a town/village so we can choose where to get something to eat and have a drink.

Wateredge or the regent at the top of windermere, just outside ambleside! both walkable into town for beer and food, but both have reasonable restaurants if you can't be bothered 🙂 The Wateredge would prob be my first choice, quite contempory and airy bar right on the shore 🙂 enjoy matey!

here http://www.wateredgeinn.co.uk

Try here, the food provided by the hotel is excellent, a definite step up in class from most of the restarants in Windermere.

http://www.glenburn.uk.com/about-glenburn.htm

http://www.linthwaite.com/index.htm

Linthwaite House Hotel, ive been going to windermere since i was about 5. Trust me its the nicest hotel in the area (it is also quite expensive though). Really nice in the summer and also has a nice cosy feel on the night time.

The website has some virtual tour things on so take a look.

Craig Manor in Windermere, booked it last year and got it for the price of dinner and breakfast, Bed was effectively free ,very nice hotel and central for Windermere

We're going here this weekend for an anniversary treat. Comes highly recommended and handy for Windermere/Kendal.
Further north west, the Kirkstile Inn in Loweswater is a lovely spot.