The Waterhead Inn, Ambleside- The Inn Collection Group

A great location and room 11 we stayed in has a balcony looking over Lake Windermere. Lift not working. Staff friendly and helpful. Holiday let down by the food. We had dinner on the first night - veg was cold and chips half cooked. Pie crust was like concrete and gravy very thin. Not a nice experience so ate out of the hotel for the rest of the holiday

A lovely stay at The Waterhead Hotel with a lake view. We heard very little noise from other guests moving though the hallways. Heating was provided by 2 large radiators with adjustable thermostats which was ok for us. Bed was very comfy. Bathroom was clean and a lovely bath and fab shower. The hotel is a bit of a warren with stairs leading all over, there was a lift in one part but could not see one near our part. If I'd had more than a couple of pints I'm sure I would have got lost. Parking is tight so get there as close to check in as you can. The public car park next door is £8.50 for 24 hrs at present and wasn't so far to walk but is up a load of stairs or steep incline for some. Food was lovely we had breakfast both mornings a lovely fry up each time. We also had a main evening meal the 2nd night price seemed in line with other hotels food quality was good. No children with us but the kids menu was reasonable also.

Excellent location facing the lake. I wish they had elevators.

Nicely appointed rooms,good breakfast though a little light if you prefer just continental.Parking on property very tight and you are lucky if you find a space. Staff attentive.

The Waterhead Inn is in a stunning location on the shore of Lake Windermere with open views over to The Langdales. A short walk to the centre of Ambleside, with friendly, helpful staff and rare, coveted parking.

The hotel could not have been at a better location on the lake, a very large bar area with terrace overlooking the lake, service was excellent and the room was larger than expected, the breakfast was excellent and we ate twice in the hotel and tad expensive for what it was, we had our dog who could accompany us almost everywhere in the hotel, we enjoyed our stay and would return.

Very comfortable room. On the top floor, which is unusual when you've brought a dog, but no hassle, other than it's a bit of a rabbit warren finding your room. Breakfast was very good and included at no extra charge. Lovely position overlooking the Lake, and a 10 minute walk into Ambleside. Bus Stops just outside meant we never needed to move car once in car park.

The parking is terrible. Everything else is great

I liked the cleanliness of this property, and the staff were very friendly and helpful at all times. The only problem being a lack of a lift. My husband and I were staying in a beautiful luxury room with a beautiful view over the lake. However as my husband has a problem with walking, he was struggling to get up 3 flights of stairs to get to our room-number 31.

Lovely hotel in a great location. Views over Windermere are amazing. The car park can be a tight squeeze for larger cars. The premises features a very large pub on the ground floor, which is used for a great breakfast for guests. Reception desk for hotel guests is in the bar. The bedroom was very well appointed, clean and spacious. The only issue that I had was that the staff were a little inattentive... Unnecessary waits to be served, tables in restaurant/bar area were not cleared quickly, not much in the way of a warm, friendly welcome.

excellent good choice of breakfast room nice and clean staff very helpful view excellent lift needed

The shower did not work no hot water no matter what time of day. The electric log effect fire did not work in bedroom. It had been refurbished but the enamel of bathroom sink chipped .

A lovely stay at The Waterhead Hotel with a lake view. We heard very little noise from other guests moving though the hallways. Heating was provided by 2 large radiators with adjustable thermostats which was ok for us. Bed was very comfy. Bathroom was clean and a lovely bath and fab shower. The hotel is a bit of a warren with stairs leading all over, there was a lift in one part but could not see one near our part. If I'd had more than a couple of pints I'm sure I would have got lost. Parking is tight so get there as close to check in as you can. The public car park next door is £8.50 for 24 hrs at present and wasn't so far to walk but is up a load of stairs or steep incline for some. Food was lovely we had breakfast both mornings a lovely fry up each time. We also had a main evening meal the 2nd night price seemed in line with other hotels food quality was good. No children with us but the kids menu was reasonable also.

The room had cobwebs and the carpet full of pet hair all bathroom fittings were lose and falling off 250£ a night for that Not recommended

We were really looking forward to our stay, but unfortunately, it fell short of expectations. Our room was situated right next to a very noisy kitchen extractor fan, which not only disrupted our sleep but also caused the room to smell strongly of stale food. We had to ask a member of staff to switch the fan off just to be able to sleep. To make matters worse, there was loud rave music coming from the kitchen area late in the evening. My husband raised the issue with staff and, although the music briefly stopped, it started up again soon after. I had to go down personally a second time to complain, which was frustrating. On a more positive note, the breakfast was very nice and the hotel’s location, with views of the lake, is truly lovely. However, the hotel itself is looking rather tired since our last visit and could really benefit from a fresh coat of paint and a bit of TLC. Unfortunately, the noise and lack of attention to guest comfort really impacted our stay.

First class room, very clean with excellent decor. Staff were very attentive.

What an awesome stay we had at this hotel, ever staff member treated us like they owned the place. What a difference it makes when everyone loves their job.Beautiful hotel, spotlessly clean and rooms were fabulous. Will absolutely be returning soon :)

Stayed for 2 very comfortable nights. Hotel is clean with very good staff. The room was spacious and well equipped. The bathroom really good too. Heating worked well and was easily controlled. The restaurant was very reasonably priced with good service. The breakfast was really good too. The first morning it was almost cold! But much better on the Friday morning. Parking very convenient too I would recommend this to others and would happily stay here again.

Clean room, friendly staff and close to the lake with great views.

Newly refurbished, the rooms were large and had everything you needed. Evening food was expensive. Good breakfast options. Helpful staff.

A great location and room 11 we stayed in has a balcony looking over Lake Windermere. Lift not working. Staff friendly and helpful. Holiday let down by the food. We had dinner on the first night - veg was cold and chips half cooked. Pie crust was like concrete and gravy very thin. Not a nice experience so ate out of the hotel for the rest of the holiday

A lovely stay at The Waterhead Hotel with a lake view. We heard very little noise from other guests moving though the hallways. Heating was provided by 2 large radiators with adjustable thermostats which was ok for us. Bed was very comfy. Bathroom was clean and a lovely bath and fab shower. The hotel is a bit of a warren with stairs leading all over, there was a lift in one part but could not see one near our part. If I'd had more than a couple of pints I'm sure I would have got lost. Parking is tight so get there as close to check in as you can. The public car park next door is £8.50 for 24 hrs at present and wasn't so far to walk but is up a load of stairs or steep incline for some. Food was lovely we had breakfast both mornings a lovely fry up each time. We also had a main evening meal the 2nd night price seemed in line with other hotels food quality was good. No children with us but the kids menu was reasonable also.

Beautiful inn with lots to do close by. The rooms were large and quiet. Breakfast was very good. We would highly recommend this place for a stay in Ambleside.

Lovely hotel and food with very friendly staff. Room very spacious and comfortable with the unexpected bonus of a view of the lake.

The hotel was perfect for a family week of rambling in a rain soaked week. Our puppy was welcomed and kids enjoyed the food. The room itself a little cramped with the sofa bed in use but but it was very comfy

Very comfortable room. On the top floor, which is unusual when you've brought a dog, but no hassle, other than it's a bit of a rabbit warren finding your room. Breakfast was very good and included at no extra charge. Lovely position overlooking the Lake, and a 10 minute walk into Ambleside. Bus Stops just outside meant we never needed to move car once in car park.

Nice hotel and staff. Rooms a bit on warm side

Beautiful property to stay at, i think we just got unlucky with our family room. Room really too cramped to be a family room with 1 very small window in the corner. Unable to keep the window open at all due to the noise from either a generator/kitchen below. However, super friendly & helpful staff. Good choice of food & great breakfast. Lovely lake front location!

Lovely hotel in a great location. Views over Windermere are amazing. The car park can be a tight squeeze for larger cars. The premises features a very large pub on the ground floor, which is used for a great breakfast for guests. Reception desk for hotel guests is in the bar. The bedroom was very well appointed, clean and spacious. The only issue that I had was that the staff were a little inattentive... Unnecessary waits to be served, tables in restaurant/bar area were not cleared quickly, not much in the way of a warm, friendly welcome.

Waterhead Inn was easy to find, great location and amazing views. Staff very friendly and highly attentive. The room was big and clean, one of the two windows unfortunately would not open which was a pain as it was so hot this week. Lovely bathroom. Food menus really good, lots of selection and nice to have a choice of local ales. Would have stayed an extra night but needed better insentive with the discount. But still highly recommend to family and friends!

Beautiful property and the staff was outstanding.

Really enjoyed the stay, just a couple of things let down the stay. Booked for two people and there was a big towel short. We asked 4 times for another towel and got told they would sort it, the young lady who we mentioned it to last did ask us (several hours later, after returning from day out) if it had been put in our room which it hadn’t . As this was the evening of day 2 we thanked her for asking and checking but said it didn’t matter. She seemed to be really efficient at her job, very friendly and remembered those she spoke to previously. We had food on the first evening in the hotel and ordered burgers. The portion size was tiny for the price, the burger was really bland so left half . When asked if everything was ok we said it was bland and the guy just said sorry and walked off. We went for breakfast the next morning which was lovely and fresh with lots of variety and choice of cooked breakfast items aswel as continental teams. Service was excellent . Overall the stay was lovely, room was nice, clean and cozy. Bed was comfy and extra pillows provided in the wardrobes.

I cannot fault the location of this hotel, it faces Lake Windermere with wonderful views. However (no fault of the hotel), you can't actually walk around the lake from this point, you run out of footpath. Parking is very limited but I did manage to find a space and the room was clean and spacious. The main issue is that the hotel wasn't really like a usual four star hotel (other than the price), it was like a pleasant pub with bar meals and rooms to rent. When you park your car, there is a sign to say "Checkin at the pub" but doesn't say where to go or even which pub. Breakfast is not a buffet apart from the cereals, yoghurt fruits and drinks which is generally a good thing as the breakfasts are cooked to order. But there was an element of disorganisation about it, they ran out of spoons, they ran out of bowls, they ran out of plates etc. The breakfast was actually very nice, came piping hot and the staff were both pleasant and hard working (I was served by a very pleasant, very tall waiter and an older lady both of whom did a good job), but despite how hard they worked, I felt they were understaffed and not well managed. I have reviewed this at three stars, because there was not a lot wrong with this hotel and all of it could be put right with a little more organisation. We also ate at the restaurant in the evening and the food was absolutely fine as a bar meal.

Very good service,friendly staff who were most helpful nothing was too much trouble

The Waterhead Inn is in a stunning location on the shore of Lake Windermere with open views over to The Langdales. A short walk to the centre of Ambleside, with friendly, helpful staff and rare, coveted parking.

Upon arrival we were told the hotel had only re-opened the week before following refurbishment. It certainly looked that way and was looking excellent. Our room was a king size with lake view so perfect, and the bed was comfortable. Bathroom was also in great condition. Stayed 4 nights and everything went to plan. Ambleside is a beautiful part of the Lake District. Only two disappointments otherwise a 5 star review would have applied. Staff at check in were very unhelpful. We arrive 2 hours early and were informed check in was 15.00, so no problem there. Went back to hotel at 14.45 and was bluntly told check in was 15.00, even though the barman did comment to staff it was 14.45. Tried again at 15.05 and one person called another to help with check in, but they said they were busy. Then they checked to see if a room was available. Thankfully a very helpful Jacob came to the rescue and swiftly checked us in. The only other comment is breakfast can sometimes be cold, depending what time you come down. This again can be expected, but it would be helpful if the plates to put your breakfast on were hot!!!

Food was mediocre, management poor. Room was lovely, checkin was crazy. Its impossible that no room is ready for check-in before 3pm. If you arrive in peak season how can possibly 40 rooms be checked in at 3pm. ?expect a long wait .

Room with balcony was excellent, staff were friendly and helpful, where possible, location at lakeside was lovely. Didn't like check-in. It wasn't clearly signed, we arrived with many others from around the country in the pouring rain around 2.30 but we were firmly advised that we all had to wait until 3.00 before checking in (discretion?). Didn't like the fact that one evening we were told at 8.30 (when the kitchen closure time was 9.00) that no desserts were available for anyone as the kitchen was "swamped".

Lovely hotel in a great location. Views over Windermere are amazing. The car park can be a tight squeeze for larger cars. The premises features a very large pub on the ground floor, which is used for a great breakfast for guests. Reception desk for hotel guests is in the bar. The bedroom was very well appointed, clean and spacious. The only issue that I had was that the staff were a little inattentive... Unnecessary waits to be served, tables in restaurant/bar area were not cleared quickly, not much in the way of a warm, friendly welcome.

Our bathroom hot tap took atleast 4/5 minutes to produce hot water, which was frustrating. We had supper on our first night and my wife's choice of curried cauliflower with coconut rice with almonds and raisins was a disappointment, as was the waitresses reaction. There were no almonds or raisins and a very weak coconut flavour. The waitress spent her time making excuse after excuse when we mentioned this, from "you must have had a batch without too much milk" to telling us "how interested she was in food,as she used to be a chef" Eventually she agreed to talk to the chef, who she called Dave. The excuses now included " its a new menu" to " he forgot to add the almonds and raisins " Her attitude throughout was indifference and was clearly suprised when i stated that we would not be eating at the hotel the following night. Not once did she offer a practical sollution to this issue but made embarrassing reasons why the food was not as advertised. Our dinner with drinks cost £58, so they lost atleast that amount for our missed night. Things go wrong, but its how you deal with them that are remembered .

Beautiful building, great food in the restaurant, delightful location.

Brilliant location Virtually on the lake edge

Beautiful inn with lots to do close by. The rooms were large and quiet. Breakfast was very good. We would highly recommend this place for a stay in Ambleside.

Overall convenient given the surroundings- close to the pier for cruises. Food is very good at the restaurant. Complementary English breakfast was amazing.

Conveniently located, also has a wonderful supper.

The Waterhead Inn is in a stunning location on the shore of Lake Windermere with open views over to The Langdales. A short walk to the centre of Ambleside, with friendly, helpful staff and rare, coveted parking.

Very comfortable room. On the top floor, which is unusual when you've brought a dog, but no hassle, other than it's a bit of a rabbit warren finding your room. Breakfast was very good and included at no extra charge. Lovely position overlooking the Lake, and a 10 minute walk into Ambleside. Bus Stops just outside meant we never needed to move car once in car park.

Great position

Lovely hotel in a great location. Views over Windermere are amazing. The car park can be a tight squeeze for larger cars. The premises features a very large pub on the ground floor, which is used for a great breakfast for guests. Reception desk for hotel guests is in the bar. The bedroom was very well appointed, clean and spacious. The only issue that I had was that the staff were a little inattentive... Unnecessary waits to be served, tables in restaurant/bar area were not cleared quickly, not much in the way of a warm, friendly welcome.

Lovely hotel in a beautiful location overlooking the lake, with onsite parking. Comfortable, clean rooms, cosy atmosphere and very dog friendly. The staff were also very helpful and pleasant The breakfast was always piping hot and plentiful, with a small selection of cereals, yoghurt, fruit and muffins. The only small issue was that the hot water seemed to be a bit hit and miss. The shower was always hot but the bathroom sink was usually cold, which was the same in our other family member's room too. This didn't detract from our enjoment though, we'd definitely stay here again.

A great location and room 11 we stayed in has a balcony looking over Lake Windermere. Lift not working. Staff friendly and helpful. Holiday let down by the food. We had dinner on the first night - veg was cold and chips half cooked. Pie crust was like concrete and gravy very thin. Not a nice experience so ate out of the hotel for the rest of the holiday

Really enjoyed the stay, just a couple of things let down the stay. Booked for two people and there was a big towel short. We asked 4 times for another towel and got told they would sort it, the young lady who we mentioned it to last did ask us (several hours later, after returning from day out) if it had been put in our room which it hadn’t . As this was the evening of day 2 we thanked her for asking and checking but said it didn’t matter. She seemed to be really efficient at her job, very friendly and remembered those she spoke to previously. We had food on the first evening in the hotel and ordered burgers. The portion size was tiny for the price, the burger was really bland so left half . When asked if everything was ok we said it was bland and the guy just said sorry and walked off. We went for breakfast the next morning which was lovely and fresh with lots of variety and choice of cooked breakfast items aswel as continental teams. Service was excellent . Overall the stay was lovely, room was nice, clean and cozy. Bed was comfy and extra pillows provided in the wardrobes.

Location: Fantastic Room 19: Fantastic, clean, roomy, really good bathroom and quite. King-sized bed was realy comfortable. The Inn was well presented, a really nice place for a meal, however, the menu was limited, could be better but the food we had was really good. Breakfast was a serve yourself buffet or continental. The buffet was nice english breakfast food but not very hot. Staff were excellent, very helpful, chatty and keen to be of service. Overall, an excellent location and a good hotel. The memu for the bar meals could be improved!

The staff were very helpful and friendly. Food in restaurant was really good, and also expensive. I ordered the monkfish and prawn curry, and it was a very small portion and I had to ask for more sauce. Breakfast was manic, had to wait over half an hour for my breakfast, after complaining they reluctantly did not charge me. I think it is very expensive to stay here and did not reach my expectations for what I paid.

I cannot fault the location of this hotel, it faces Lake Windermere with wonderful views. However (no fault of the hotel), you can't actually walk around the lake from this point, you run out of footpath. Parking is very limited but I did manage to find a space and the room was clean and spacious. The main issue is that the hotel wasn't really like a usual four star hotel (other than the price), it was like a pleasant pub with bar meals and rooms to rent. When you park your car, there is a sign to say "Checkin at the pub" but doesn't say where to go or even which pub. Breakfast is not a buffet apart from the cereals, yoghurt fruits and drinks which is generally a good thing as the breakfasts are cooked to order. But there was an element of disorganisation about it, they ran out of spoons, they ran out of bowls, they ran out of plates etc. The breakfast was actually very nice, came piping hot and the staff were both pleasant and hard working (I was served by a very pleasant, very tall waiter and an older lady both of whom did a good job), but despite how hard they worked, I felt they were understaffed and not well managed. I have reviewed this at three stars, because there was not a lot wrong with this hotel and all of it could be put right with a little more organisation. We also ate at the restaurant in the evening and the food was absolutely fine as a bar meal.

The hotel could not have been at a better location on the lake, a very large bar area with terrace overlooking the lake, service was excellent and the room was larger than expected, the breakfast was excellent and we ate twice in the hotel and tad expensive for what it was, we had our dog who could accompany us almost everywhere in the hotel, we enjoyed our stay and would return.

We stayed in a classic double room with view which was large and comfortable ( apart from pillows). The Bar area is very nice and large serving food and drinks ( not the best menu choices and drinks pricey). Staff were attentive and friendly but it’s not a hotel it’s more of a bar with rooms above with nothing much to do if it’s a cold rainy day. We ventured out into the town ( about 15 minutes walk), which was okay with a few shops/ bars/ restaurants. Breakfast was nice with a good choice, all very good but not sure it’s a true 4*.

Nice location and great breakfast

Excellent hotel in great location Very good breakfast too

Lovely hotel in a beautiful location overlooking the lake, with onsite parking. Comfortable, clean rooms, cosy atmosphere and very dog friendly. The staff were also very helpful and pleasant The breakfast was always piping hot and plentiful, with a small selection of cereals, yoghurt, fruit and muffins. The only small issue was that the hot water seemed to be a bit hit and miss. The shower was always hot but the bathroom sink was usually cold, which was the same in our other family member's room too. This didn't detract from our enjoment though, we'd definitely stay here again.