Windermere Hotel

Property is very dated. Needs a lot of decorating and upkeep. Rooms are very warm with limited options to open the window. Check in only starts at 3pm, even if your room might be ready, so long queue. Check out is 10am, so very early. No where secure to leave luggage, you leave it in a seating area used by the public. Certain staff could do with some customer service training and smile and be more friendly. Have to pay for parking at £6 a day, even if you stay at the hotel. Very close to the station and supermarket. Down the road from some local.pubs and nice eateries.

No restaurant open on arrival at 7pm in hotel for evening meal but Bistro next door is attached. Food was good and hot! Breakfast was buffet with good plentiful selection of cooked, cereal, juices, etc. Beds very comfortable, quiet room, super shower. Car park was cincession £6 per night, difficult to get out safely due to exit being on a steep bend. Staff were pleasant and helpful.

Internet service was good, rooms were clean if a little dated, bar was not very well stocked, staff were friendly up until you wanted anything slightly out of the ordinary or had an issue, then they tried their best to ignore you or just tell you nothing could be done about it. In particular the parking, despite having to pay for 2 nights parking there was none available on the Saturday night and we were told to park in the layby down the road, but were still charged.

Lift was out of order , my room was on top floor last room , no offer to help carry my many bags up , bar was poorly stocked, no diet mixers so couldn’t have a drink. Room was clean , very basic but comfortable.

We only stayed for 2 nights so we only went back to the hotel to sleep. Excellent shower, nice view from the window. The only draw back for me was the lift had broken and we were on the second floor

Nice hotel, pretty standard layout, a little old now and tied in places by the look of it room is clean decor from the 1980s at Best functional, Service was pretty friendly on checking. Didn’t read anywhere about the parking issue they have outsourced it, so you have to pay extra for that And be careful if you don’t because it’s got APR cameras, not quite what you expect in the Lake District

It was an ok cheap break but then having to pay £20 per night for the dog (I get it to a point but nothing extra for them)but I didn’t know I had to pay for parking at the hotel, £6 per night but if you ate a meal at the bar that was closed it was free. So a cheap two night get away really wasn’t.

Hotel nice and central to railway station and bus routes around the area. If parking they charge £6 per day that is not advised when you book.

The lift was out of order for the whole weekend. Should have been seen too. Breakfasts were very good.

We liked that the hotel was close to buses and town making it easy to get to around etc.Catering staff etc were very friendly and helpful and the food was excellent.The lift broke on our 3rd day of 7 night stay and remained out of order for rest of our stay. which was a bit of a problem as my wife had to hobble upstairs with her walking stick.Although the room was clean and tidy it was not as good as we were expecting it to be.The online brochure showed a very nice room but was not the same as the one we were given.Rooms like the one we had should have been shown in the brochure so we knew what room we were paying for. It was a very basic room and we expected more.We were very dissappointed with that as with my wifes mobility problems ,she struggled to step in and out of the bath.We also did not know about the £6 a night car parking charge until after we had booked and paid.We decided to travel by train because of this extra charge because we thought this was very wrong.Guests only should be allowed to park free of charge by taking registration of your vehicle like other hotels do..There was a bar and extra facilities but they were shut so we did not have the chance to see what that was like.On our last night dog was barking most of the evening in an nearby room,which kept us awake most of the night.We feel guests with dogs should be in a separate part of the hotel for health,hygiene and noise reasons.

Large building with age, great position and character. Staff were very pleasant. The small single room has clean fresh towels & bedding, shower was good. But, the carpet was dirty and is worn bare in parts. I Didn’t want to walk on it in bare feet. The radiator control knob was filthy with matted dirt. The heated towel rail had loose wires coming out & a burned discolour so I was frightened to use it. The bathroom door was bashed & paint off in parts. The wallpaper is starting to come away. For the price, the room should be in better condition. The carpet is too dirty to let out the room.

The exterior of the hotel shows v well. The rooms & halls in need of maintaining lots of paint removed along the halls, makes it look untidy & dirty Some bathroom (we had 2 rooms) seals needed replacing & cracks in lots of places The biggest erk was dirty cups, at a set table overturn the cups to find dirt/ hairs and at the breakfast area plates & bowls unclean with food still on them. Would not stay there again or recommend.

Bed had springs that were broken, big cracks up the walls, didn’t seem clean really at all

Nice enough stay at this hotel. Room was clean. Bed was comfortable.

Mould in the bathroom ceiling. Black mould around shower cubicle. Very small bedroom. Ceiling wallpaper in bedroom hanging off. Hole in bathroom door. Razor cover left on shower gel unit. Steps inside down to carpark at different levels, Carpet in hall very drity and again more wallpaper hanging off. Staff on reception weren't very presentable. All in all very disappointed

Unwelcoming staff, room smelt damp possibly a room where they allow dogs to stay, bathroom door didnt shut properly mould on curtains, pictures of rooms very deceiving looks nice but was not worth the money. I am sure they have nice rooms, on good note Hotel in prime location to walk to shops and restaurants.

Well I don’t know where to start. All I can say is absolutely HORRENDOUS from start to finish. First of all is the cleanliness of the hotel room and bathroom. Mould all over the bathroom and shower please see photos attached. I didn’t have a shower all weekend. Holes in the door. Holes in the wall and marks all over. My husband had to fix the handles on the drawers. Ceiling paper peeling off. No shampoo or soap in dispensers. Parking 6 pound per day Dogs 10 per dog per day. We went to speak to staff about the room and they just said sorry no alternative. We also requested soap and toilet rolls which never came. The pub next door is also horrendous with rude staff we went in for one drink and didn’t go back. Also went to reception to complain about this and was just told sorry. The door lock isn’t secure and could easily be pushed open when locked. To say we spent all together £310 for this experience is not on. I would not recommend and would go so far to say that this hotel should not be operating with rooms like this.

The hotel looks magnificent from outside but inside is quite shabby. Rails in the shower rusty and some taped over, a bit old and worn-out, corridors smell of chlorine, bathroom doors don't close without a strong lift and push. On the plus side, it was clean, our twin room was quite spacious, and since we spent most of our time outside, the shabbiness didn't matter that much.

Noisy. Dirty bathroom

Filthy rooms, which are poorly maintained and dilapidated. Complained to hotel management and was given a response that the rooms are apparently acceptable to have cobwebs, dirty tissue in the corner of the room next to mouldly walls, damaged bath sides and wardrobes hanging off the walls. I was also given a response from hotel management that none of the above justifies a refund. Truly appalling stay and customer service. Book here at your peril!

And older property that is tired. However, the room was very quiet despite being next to a door and lift. With the window open 6" it was warm and comfortable. Lots of hot water and a very handy but limited (paid) car parking. AND the view over Windermere was FAB!!!!! However, BE CAREFUL when entering and exiting the car parking to the main road - blind corner.

It's in a perfect location right in the village. The lobby was nice and staff were friendly. The rooms are ok but could definitely use some upgrades. Mattresses were old, there were nearly no plugs, and we had two beetles in the room. Also, you have to pay for parking which feels like a bit of a scam.

Views were stunning from room across Lake Windermere. Booked a Superior Room which was clean but disappointed with state of decoration. Very tired looking also carpet needs either deep clean or replaced. Furniture out dated and worn. Bathroom window shelf water damaged and distorted as was shelf above sink. walls need redecoration. Buffet breakfast £10 was ok but plates were small. Staff at reception pleasant.

My room window is not working, which prevents me from sleeping

The room walls were thin and i could hear everything in the neighbours room next to my room. Apart from that the service was great service with staff and clean too.

Clean room & comfy beds but quite noisy, can hear other guests in the corridor & pipes banging were noisy.

Nice historic building and exterior. Nice and close to station. Good things end there. Paint in rooms is old and scuffed, with various marks on the walls and doors. Can hear everything happening in the hallways. Good water pressure, but temperature could only be described as lukewarm. Breakfast was average and not worth it.

Check in was fantastic special shout out to Adrian at checkin who made us feel welcome. He also changed the remote batteries for our room tv and arranged a table fan for us. All the staff at reception and at breakfast were polite and attentive. Discounted self parking on site for customers (register at reception and use the QR code). Ours was an decent sized bright en suite room with high ceilings and a lake view (distant). Decor was a bit dated but its the oldest hotel in the area with a blue plaque and amenities are modern i.e. Lift, towels, toiletries, full length mirror, tv, hair dryer, kettle tea coffee sugar milk in room, 2 arm chairs and a chair plus side table in room. Free hot buffet breakfast. Good location near station but a bit further from Ambleside or the main lake Bowness where all the tours or bus routes commence (its hilly with steep inclines walking down is ok but I dont recommend walking up). Luckily the bus and rail station is next door if you dont have a car. There is a pub & restaurant next door, tourist info center is opposite, and few good restaurants and high street shops within a 5 min walk downhill on the way to Boots or Sainsburys. What needs improvement is (1) there is no water dispenser in the lobby/reception. (2) creaky floor boards (3) no aircon. This hotel would be ideal for anyone with mobility issues and looking to stay in and not got on excursions or trek and just looking for a relaxing break with lake views.

We all had a great time and hope to return soon. The beds were very comfortable

Room and hotel is all you need. Cosy rooms and comfortable beds. My only criticism is that the walls are paper thin, and I was woken up by some neighbours being rather intimate. Overall was good. Thanks

No hot water, tv didn’t work and the receptionist was rude.

All the staff were welcoming and friendly and the breakfast was run so well we enjoyed our stay

Very basic and in need of some improvements. Staff not very welcoming or engaging.

Was told that the lift was broken when arrived, i was put on 2nd floor even though i said i had disabilities. No offer to take bags up or any alternative.

I was nervous about staying here after staying at one of their other hotels and having a very unpleasent experience but this hotel was the complete opposite. All staff were very friendly, kind, helpful and efficient. The hotel is a listed building where it rains ALOT so the minor issues with a tiny bit of marking, paint peeling, creaky floorboards etc were indeed expected and added to the character of the place. The main thing was the cleanliness, it was absolutely spotless, the domestic team are first class and could teach the other hotel a thing or two. There was a lovely bar area where breakfast was also served, lots of choice for cooked breakfast and cereals although pastries and fruit options could do with an expansion. At the end of the day we got what we paid for, a basic price for a basic room, close to local amenities and transport links. It is a very old workers hotel and not for anyone expecting a 5* luxury spa style stay. £6 per night to park is a little unnecessary, especially with no concessions for disabled people who cant park further afield, but that is on the company not the hotel itself.

The warm & helpful catering team at breakfast made up for the consistently cold, unsmiling, & unwelcoming reception team. One of the RECEPTION team - with disappointing inaccuracy - actually gave me far narrower time-parameters for breakfast than those variously advertised online.

Excellent location, friendly and helpful staff

After booking I looked at the reviews some were bad ..but I found this hotel perfect location..staff very friendly..room was clean..plenty hot water.. breakfast great choice..£6 a day parking in the hotel was very reasonable.. railway station directly across the road and bus stop .will definitely be back next time I am in Windermere..thank you 😊

Check in was fantastic special shout out to Adrian at checkin who made us feel welcome. He also changed the remote batteries for our room tv and arranged a table fan for us. All the staff at reception and at breakfast were polite and attentive. Discounted self parking on site for customers (register at reception and use the QR code). Ours was an decent sized bright en suite room with high ceilings and a lake view (distant). Decor was a bit dated but its the oldest hotel in the area with a blue plaque and amenities are modern i.e. Lift, towels, toiletries, full length mirror, tv, hair dryer, kettle tea coffee sugar milk in room, 2 arm chairs and a chair plus side table in room. Free hot buffet breakfast. Good location near station but a bit further from Ambleside or the main lake Bowness where all the tours or bus routes commence (its hilly with steep inclines walking down is ok but I dont recommend walking up). Luckily the bus and rail station is next door if you dont have a car. There is a pub & restaurant next door, tourist info center is opposite, and few good restaurants and high street shops within a 5 min walk downhill on the way to Boots or Sainsburys. What needs improvement is (1) there is no water dispenser in the lobby/reception. (2) creaky floor boards (3) no aircon. This hotel would be ideal for anyone with mobility issues and looking to stay in and not got on excursions or trek and just looking for a relaxing break with lake views.

I did not like the staff on booking in I found them abrupt and condescending, The breakfast was fairly good but not appetising. Overall the hotel looked like it needed a good clean and decorating.

Very conveniently located hotel with extremely friendly staff and fairly comfortable rooms. The hotel is no-frills and a bit dated in some ways, but it's good for the price. Our standard room had a lovely view and the staff were wonderful. Would stay again!

Good location

Clean, friendly staff. Bus route to Bowness and plenty of bars, shops & restaurants.

Easy access to train station

Quaint hotel within walking distance of train and bus stations.

Excellent value for half board. So convenient for trains , buses and walking . Helpful hardworking staff and clean rooms etc.

Hotel nice and central to railway station and bus routes around the area. If parking they charge £6 per day that is not advised when you book.

Walkable to everything

We liked that the hotel was close to buses and town making it easy to get to around etc.Catering staff etc were very friendly and helpful and the food was excellent.The lift broke on our 3rd day of 7 night stay and remained out of order for rest of our stay. which was a bit of a problem as my wife had to hobble upstairs with her walking stick.Although the room was clean and tidy it was not as good as we were expecting it to be.The online brochure showed a very nice room but was not the same as the one we were given.Rooms like the one we had should have been shown in the brochure so we knew what room we were paying for. It was a very basic room and we expected more.We were very dissappointed with that as with my wifes mobility problems ,she struggled to step in and out of the bath.We also did not know about the £6 a night car parking charge until after we had booked and paid.We decided to travel by train because of this extra charge because we thought this was very wrong.Guests only should be allowed to park free of charge by taking registration of your vehicle like other hotels do..There was a bar and extra facilities but they were shut so we did not have the chance to see what that was like.On our last night dog was barking most of the evening in an nearby room,which kept us awake most of the night.We feel guests with dogs should be in a separate part of the hotel for health,hygiene and noise reasons.

Ideal location, 5 minutes walk to centre and 20 minutes walk to bowness lake

Room was a good size , furniture was a bit dated , staff friendly, good breakfast.

Enjoyed my 2 night stay. Clean hotel and room. Breakfast needs to be warmer that's all.

An old hotel and it showed not very clean at all. Paid for a cooked breakfast and couldn’t eat most of it as it was tasteless and greasy. Defo NOT staying here again

No restaurant open on arrival at 7pm in hotel for evening meal but Bistro next door is attached. Food was good and hot! Breakfast was buffet with good plentiful selection of cooked, cereal, juices, etc. Beds very comfortable, quiet room, super shower. Car park was cincession £6 per night, difficult to get out safely due to exit being on a steep bend. Staff were pleasant and helpful.

All good but it would be nice to have a closed room or cupboard to store bags before check in. The loos in main reception were a bit smelly. The bedroom was lovely nicely decorated.. very basic but clean and nice bathroom. Great breakfast

We were in room 34. It was a spacious room which was clean and comfortable; some creaky floors though. Evening meal and breakfast both good and staff helpful.

Dinner is very poor. Low quality fish and fish cake. Soup nice.not enough vegetables . Breakfast fantastic. Service good. Location excellent. Very cheap, although i found out if i had booked through Shearings it wpuld have been cheaper.

Breakfast good but evening meal was terrible

Hotel is clean and tidy throughout, staff appeared to be very sparse. The main evening meals were at the adjacent pub, but on a first come first seved basis. There was no offer of dinner within the hotel. There is a distinct lack of atmosphere, which is disappointing, even the hotel bar was closed each evening of our visit. Breakfast was a buffet type, with limited choices, for example only scrambled eggs, no offer of any other type. Sausages were to say the least burnt. This hotel could do very well with some new input.

The lift was out of order for the whole weekend. Should have been seen too. Breakfasts were very good.