It was just weeks before Christmas and The Swan was preparing for a busy festive season.

But instead of celebrating and serving up turkey dinners, this South Lakes hotel found itself knee deep in water after horrific floods hit Cumbria in 2015.

A swollen River Leven burst its banks causing huge damage to the venue.

Six months later The Swan reopened its doors and picked itself up from disaster to pull off a stunning makeover.

Arriving at the Newby Bridge hotel on a sunny late afternoon, we had a warm welcome at the new reception.

Open bright and inviting, the revamped reception set the scene was for what to be a relaxed and calm weekend.

A modern open fire to the left of the reception area led to a cosy games rooms, little nooks and crannies were ripe for exploring with roaring fires and a bar and restaurant area. There was certainly plenty to discover.

After a swift check in we settled in to our ground floor room with river view. The decor in The Swan is inspired. Pastel colours teamed with a few stylish items make these luxury rooms to relax in.

We were told we had been booked into what is described as one of the "fabulous" rooms and it was just that.

Flatscreen TVs on the walls and white shuttered windows, made it the perfect place to catch 40 winks, but there was so much to explore.

I had visited the lakes many times, but the South Lakes was a fairly new destination for me. There was many things on the doorstep I was keen to visit.

It might have been an easy three hour drive to our weekend destination, but I was still gasping for a cuppa and it was pleasant enough to have it on the outside river view terrace.

I didn't know what to explore in the hotel first, the pool or jacuzzi area or the Espa spa.

I opted for the spa and was not disappointed.

This is tranquility at its best. I managed to book in for a massage and had a wonderful night's sleep after it.

They have a fully equipped air conditioned gym, but I passed on that and headed to the swimming pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi.

Breakfast the following morning had everything you could want. A help yourself table with fruit, cereals and yoghurt and if you wanted to go the whole hog, you could order up cooked breakfasts.

We opted for the works. Locally sourced ingredients, meant the breakfast was full on flavour and the black pudding was to die for.

The breakfast certainly set up us for a day of adventure.

A short drive from Newby Bridge is an attraction that will delight young and old, as well as railway enthusiasts.

Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway steams through Lakeland and it is a real delight to ride on the old steam trains.

It is a chance to travel back in time and while the steam era might be distant memory of bygone years for some, it was a new experience for the dozens of international tourists who got on our train.

We boarded at Haverthwaite Station and enjoyed the views as we travelled to the southern tip of Lake Windermere. There is also a combined trip with a visit to The Lakes Aquarium or continue your journey aboard a Windermere Steamer to Bowness or Ambleside.

One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Ulverston where one museum is a must for Laurel and Hardy fans.

The Cumbria town eventually claimed Stan as their own after a bit of digging to establish where he was born.

Arthur Stanley Jefferson, better known as Stan Laurel, it was discovered was born in Ulverston, on June 16, 1890 and moved to Glasgow as a young boy.

There are old films on a loop, and they have every kind of memorabilia you can think of.

The museum started life as one man’s collection stemming from his lifelong love of Laurel and Hardy.

It started out as a few scrapbooks of photos, the collection grew over time until it filled one small room with pictures covering all the walls and even the ceiling.

As the collection grew, Bill Cubin researched more about the lives of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy and found that Stan had not been born in North Shields, as was widely thought at the time, but his grandparent’s house in Ulverston.

In 1976, as mayor of the town, Bill uncovered the proof he was looking for, a birth certificate stating that Arthur Stanley Jefferson (Stan changed his name in 1931) was born in Foundry Cottages, now named Argyll Street.

Enough of our time Way out West, we were ready to return to the ranch for dinner. You have two options here. One is the more relaxed bar area which was heaving with Saturday night trade or the restaurant where it is is advised to book.

We opted for the restaurant and we were not disappointed. Staff here can't do enough for you. They have a pleasant and relaxed way with them. On this particular Saturday night, the place was packed in the bar and restaurant, but nothing seemed to be too much trouble for them.

Great service, ideal menu choice and a fantastic atmosphere, Newby Bridge staff are certainly on to a winner here. And it wasn't just visitors enjoying the venue, night time joggers were seen passing the hotel with what looked like Davy lamps on their heads and popped in for a quick lemonade.

Our meal consisted of scallops for starters and sea bass for mains and it was delicious.

While the floods of 2015 were undoubtedly a disaster for staff and resident alike in the Newby Bridge area, there is not doubt it has emerged a blossoming star ready to shine again.

Deborah Anderson stayed at The Swan, Newby Bridge, for two nights bed and breakfast with dinner on both evenings.

Room rates for a two night stay in a cosy room start at £250 for two for both nights.

The Swan Hotel & Spa

Newby Bridge, Cumbria

LA12 8NB United Kingdom

Email enquiries@swanhotel.com

Telephone 015395 31681

For more information go to http://www.swanhotel.com/

Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway www.lakesiderailway.co.uk

For more information on the Laurel and Hardy museum go to http://www.laurel-and-hardy.co.uk/index.php