A true gem in Grassmere a boutique hotel set in a lovely Surrounding. This four star hotel is simply class with a nice spa, offering, sauna steam room and massage pool Heated beds and showers. The tasting menu is to die for and highly recommended with wine pairing.
Harley Stevenson-Cocks
Had an overnight weekend stay last week. Hote location is excellent. Room was nice, balcony and view were great. Shower was a little disappointing as you didn’t get a particularly good stream of water coming out, and there was no conditioner provided.The main let down was the spa facilities - you had to book a one hour slot to use them, which I understand as they’re for 4 people (max) and it means you don’t share with others, presumably. However having to book things in a regimented manner kind of defeats the relaxing purpose of a spa… it was also disappointing that, despite checking in at just after 3pm, there were no slots available in the spa that evening except for 7-8pm (i.e. when we’d be eating!). We booked in for the morning instead but the staff seemed a bit hesitant almost as if they didn’t expect that, and kept reinforcing that we had to make sure we were out by 10am in order to check out by 11 (obviously!).You also had to book breakfast on checking in - again, hardly relaxing. The first 3 time slots we suggested were all “fully booked” so we went with an earlier one, to find that the dining area wasn’t even half full for the periods of time we originally wanted to book. They seem to keep it this way to avoid “overcrowding” and so that people don’t have to wait for breakfast - so it’s a conscious decision on behalf of the hotel, just an odd one in my opinion.Last point to note was that despite the cost of staying here, they charge £10 for parking in their car park as well!
Stephen Taylor
The hotel itself is really clean and tidy, the room (garden view premium room) was very clean, very tidy and the bed really comfortable. The location is perfect as well, just a few minutes stroll into Grasmere.Breakfast was lovely although you only get filter coffee included, if you want a cappuccino etc it's chargeable at £4.50 for a small coffee.The staff were all really polite, friendly and nothing was too much trouble for themWhat let the hotel down during our stay was the 3 course evening meal. The food was really poor quality. Dry, overcooked and tasteless. And you get charged £5 for sides (in our case a few slices of potato and a couple of pieces of tenderstem broccoli) which you don't really have an option to avoid and are not made aware of when you book a dinner bed and breakfast deal. They even remove any small side it may come with as part of the menu if you order an extra side!!!The bathroom was really poor quality, the shower is a choice of slow trickle or fast jet, which along with a broken drain stopper made for a fun morning.The Spa too needs some serious TLC, rusted air vents, broken and missing tiles.If you just want a room in a good location which is part of a very clean and well staffed resort but aren't bothered about eating or drinking there then this is a really good choice.Food & drinks: Very expensive, seems everything is an optional paid extra, sides, cappuccino with breakfast etc all chargeable.
Nick Delaney
Nice stay in Grasmere. Really friendly staff, especially on reception, but perhaps in bar/restaurant a bit more training would be beneficial. Food reasonable for a hotel but not for a destination restaurant. Overall would certainly stay again if in Grasmere.
David Brown
The hotel and staff was very satisfactory however the restaurant is a let down. I found the menu to be underwhelming and overpriced. The £7.50 gratuity that appeared on the bill as discretionary was anything but discreet as asking to have it removed would undoubtedly raise a question as to why? I don’t like the fact that we had paid top price for the accommodation in that area and had to pay them £10 to park on the hotel car park, even though we we’re staying as guests, then slapped with a service charge for dinner. I hope the management see that this policy will lose them repeat business
Charles Chamberlain
We have just spent a wonderful two night break at Rothay Garden and would recommend it, we have been several times before.There is a “But” though….as part of the deal we had the tasting menu on the first night, food was excellent but it is the only tasting menu we have had where the staff have not described what is on the plate, sauces etc and no menu to refer to, just, this is the cod or beef etc, it is what else is on the plate we want to know about so that was disappointing, that said it was delicious.However the biggest disappointment was I wanted the wine flight, which I have had many times on my own elsewhere, only to be informed “unless the whole table has the wine flight it can’t be done.”My wife doesn’t drink red or dessert wine and only specific white wines so a wine flight does not appeal.To take that up a level if a party of four has 1 who doesn’t drink alcohol the remaining three can’t have the wine flight, apparently!No one seemed to be able to explain the rationale behind this. (and not really interested )I hope Rothay Garden pick this up and respond, as it did take the edge of my meal and a star off the review.The Lamb on the second night was sublime.Would have been 5 stars !!!Rooms: Large room and bathroom which is unusual. Balcony overlooking the river
William Gresty
Lovely hotel in a fantastic spot. Great food and staff.The only slight downside is that it was over expensive in bar and restaurant.Rooms: Rooms lovely but possibly because of my age a walk in shower would have been preferable.Walkability: Just a five minute walk to the centre and the beginning of a 5 mile walk to Ambleside.Food & drinks: No complaints about food and drink other than the prices and compulsory service charge.
John W
Stayed overnight when visiting the Lake District. Its a lovely hotel, which we thought was very relaxing. Free parking and a lovely garden. Friendly and helpful staff, spotless clean and the hotel has a lovely atmosphere. The food was absolutely delicious, reasonably priced for the quality and the restaurant is in a lovely orangary extension- candles on the tables, staff with white gloves and a lovely atmosphere. The only reason I’ve not given a 5 star review is we did not have a very good nights sleep- the pillows are very uncomfortable and our room faced into a fast running stream which kept me away all night. Sadly I would say we would not revisit.
David Barker
Fantastic place and thr staff are great - when we were there there appeared to be a scheduling issue with dining room which resulted in a 45 minute wait for breakfast.But we were on holiday, so no rush - and everything else was super.
Joseph A
The hotel is located in a really nice area a 2 minute walk in to the centre of Grasmere. The staff are very attentive and make sure you have a nice stay. From a customer service point of view it was really fantastic. The options for breakfast were great and even had vegan options which I think is great and provides more options. I thought the rooms were slightly outdated and actually had 3 wasps in there, not sure if there was a wasp nest right outside the window. The spa is nice a touch slight bit of rust on roof however was great to go in there and relax. Having stayed at the hotel I left incredibly relaxed and would visit again
Well located quiet, clean and comfortable high class hotel without being too “posh” to feel uncomfortable. Friendly staff. Didn’t try the evening menu but a great breakfast. Spa could do with a bit of attention but was still a great added bonus and pre-booked time slots meant it was never busy.
1811jonathan
In general the hotel was ok. Room clean etc. The evening meal and some of the service in the restaurant was a let down . Tough steak and having to ask three tines for another drink. Grounds are well kept and nice location
556iaina
We spent three delightful days at the Rothay Garden at the beginning of September. Upon arrival we were upgraded to the Garden suite which was a really pleasant surprise. Waiting in our room was a bottle of chilled champagne which came as part of our booking. The room which was located on the ground floor was huge with an extra-large bed and pleasantly appointed bathroom. It also had its own enclosed patio outside with a table and chairs, all of which resulted in a very pleasing welcome. We had booked our stay with dinner and breakfast included and weren’t sure what to expect. It seems that the hotel has recently changed the format of the menu from that shown on their website. The menu now allows you to choose any dish without extra cost on a two or three course basis (depending on which one you had paid for). There was however an additional charge of £5 for side dishes. The meals themselves were delicious with a reasonable choice of dishes. The wine menu contained a good range of drinks at normal restaurant prices. We opted for the Pinot Grigio at around £32 a bottle which we found most agreeable. Breakfast consisted of a generous range of starters with a selection of mains to follow. All the food was served at the table together with tea or coffee. Again the breakfast was very tasty and nicely presented. We only used the spa on one occasion as generally we were out exploring the area. The spa itself is fairly small and can probably only accommodate 4 to 6 people at a time. We had a relaxing session for around an hour during which we chatted to a couple who had come from Durham. Delightfully we found the hotel lived up to our expectations. It was clean, quiet with a relaxed atmosphere and an ideal location for exploring the surrounding area. Situated at the north end of Grasmere village it is free from tourists but only a ten minute walk to the centre. We found the staff to be professional, helpful and hardworking providing a high standard of service. Were there any negatives? Not really, as mentioned by a previous guest, there was a lack of slippers for the spa. We also felt that a usb charging point would be a bonus in the room as almost everyone has phones and pads etc. In conclusion we had a wonderful three day break at the hotel and would strongly recommend it to anyone wishing to visit the Lake District.
HoneyBee26
Overall a nice stay. The hotel is set in beautiful, well-tended gardens and has a very calm and relaxing feel. Our room was also very nice, large and comfortable. The food was also very good. However, we were disappointed with some aspects of the hotel - no slippers in the room - this is a spa hotel and these should be provided. We were told they had "run out". The spa itself was fairly mediocre - the aromotherapy room didn't add anything to the experience and when sat in the pool and looking up, the vents in the roof were covered in rust. Why not just replace or paint these? When we booked to use the spa for 8am the following morning, we arrived around 8.15am and the sauna has not been switched on, nor had the beds, so everything was cold. Surely if you know guests have booked in to use the spa, someone would check it had been switched on? As others have mentioned, the additional service charge is excessive - we ordered a bottle of Prosecco to the outside spa area. It was brought to us (warm) put on the table and then finally asked if we'd like it opening. We did, so it was opened and then just left on the table! If you're going to charge service, then at least offer a service and pour the drink! Overall, we had a nice weekend but we felt the hotel needed some tweaks and a bit of TLC for us to return.
Chillaxilicious
This was our second visit to the Rothay Garden Hotel in Grasmere for some much needed pre-Christmas R&R, and it was great to be back. Previously, we had a Superior Deluxe room (Loughrigg). This time, we had a Luxury room although the name escapes us! Our room was fantastic (on both occasions) and the food is wonderful. I personally love the breakfast. As someone who might usually spend 5 minutes wolfing down a weetabox, breakfast is quite the occasion and I love the relaxed feel. The service we have received at the hotel has always been been exceptional.
A true gem in Grassmere a boutique hotel set in a lovely Surrounding. This four star hotel is simply class with a nice spa, offering, sauna steam room and massage pool Heated beds and showers. The tasting menu is to die for and highly recommended with wine pairing.
Had an overnight weekend stay last week. Hote location is excellent. Room was nice, balcony and view were great. Shower was a little disappointing as you didn’t get a particularly good stream of water coming out, and there was no conditioner provided.The main let down was the spa facilities - you had to book a one hour slot to use them, which I understand as they’re for 4 people (max) and it means you don’t share with others, presumably. However having to book things in a regimented manner kind of defeats the relaxing purpose of a spa… it was also disappointing that, despite checking in at just after 3pm, there were no slots available in the spa that evening except for 7-8pm (i.e. when we’d be eating!). We booked in for the morning instead but the staff seemed a bit hesitant almost as if they didn’t expect that, and kept reinforcing that we had to make sure we were out by 10am in order to check out by 11 (obviously!).You also had to book breakfast on checking in - again, hardly relaxing. The first 3 time slots we suggested were all “fully booked” so we went with an earlier one, to find that the dining area wasn’t even half full for the periods of time we originally wanted to book. They seem to keep it this way to avoid “overcrowding” and so that people don’t have to wait for breakfast - so it’s a conscious decision on behalf of the hotel, just an odd one in my opinion.Last point to note was that despite the cost of staying here, they charge £10 for parking in their car park as well!
The hotel itself is really clean and tidy, the room (garden view premium room) was very clean, very tidy and the bed really comfortable. The location is perfect as well, just a few minutes stroll into Grasmere.Breakfast was lovely although you only get filter coffee included, if you want a cappuccino etc it's chargeable at £4.50 for a small coffee.The staff were all really polite, friendly and nothing was too much trouble for themWhat let the hotel down during our stay was the 3 course evening meal. The food was really poor quality. Dry, overcooked and tasteless. And you get charged £5 for sides (in our case a few slices of potato and a couple of pieces of tenderstem broccoli) which you don't really have an option to avoid and are not made aware of when you book a dinner bed and breakfast deal. They even remove any small side it may come with as part of the menu if you order an extra side!!!The bathroom was really poor quality, the shower is a choice of slow trickle or fast jet, which along with a broken drain stopper made for a fun morning.The Spa too needs some serious TLC, rusted air vents, broken and missing tiles.If you just want a room in a good location which is part of a very clean and well staffed resort but aren't bothered about eating or drinking there then this is a really good choice.Food & drinks: Very expensive, seems everything is an optional paid extra, sides, cappuccino with breakfast etc all chargeable.
Nice stay in Grasmere. Really friendly staff, especially on reception, but perhaps in bar/restaurant a bit more training would be beneficial. Food reasonable for a hotel but not for a destination restaurant. Overall would certainly stay again if in Grasmere.
The hotel and staff was very satisfactory however the restaurant is a let down. I found the menu to be underwhelming and overpriced. The £7.50 gratuity that appeared on the bill as discretionary was anything but discreet as asking to have it removed would undoubtedly raise a question as to why? I don’t like the fact that we had paid top price for the accommodation in that area and had to pay them £10 to park on the hotel car park, even though we we’re staying as guests, then slapped with a service charge for dinner. I hope the management see that this policy will lose them repeat business
We have just spent a wonderful two night break at Rothay Garden and would recommend it, we have been several times before.There is a “But” though….as part of the deal we had the tasting menu on the first night, food was excellent but it is the only tasting menu we have had where the staff have not described what is on the plate, sauces etc and no menu to refer to, just, this is the cod or beef etc, it is what else is on the plate we want to know about so that was disappointing, that said it was delicious.However the biggest disappointment was I wanted the wine flight, which I have had many times on my own elsewhere, only to be informed “unless the whole table has the wine flight it can’t be done.”My wife doesn’t drink red or dessert wine and only specific white wines so a wine flight does not appeal.To take that up a level if a party of four has 1 who doesn’t drink alcohol the remaining three can’t have the wine flight, apparently!No one seemed to be able to explain the rationale behind this. (and not really interested )I hope Rothay Garden pick this up and respond, as it did take the edge of my meal and a star off the review.The Lamb on the second night was sublime.Would have been 5 stars !!!Rooms: Large room and bathroom which is unusual. Balcony overlooking the river
Lovely hotel in a fantastic spot. Great food and staff.The only slight downside is that it was over expensive in bar and restaurant.Rooms: Rooms lovely but possibly because of my age a walk in shower would have been preferable.Walkability: Just a five minute walk to the centre and the beginning of a 5 mile walk to Ambleside.Food & drinks: No complaints about food and drink other than the prices and compulsory service charge.
Stayed overnight when visiting the Lake District. Its a lovely hotel, which we thought was very relaxing. Free parking and a lovely garden. Friendly and helpful staff, spotless clean and the hotel has a lovely atmosphere. The food was absolutely delicious, reasonably priced for the quality and the restaurant is in a lovely orangary extension- candles on the tables, staff with white gloves and a lovely atmosphere. The only reason I’ve not given a 5 star review is we did not have a very good nights sleep- the pillows are very uncomfortable and our room faced into a fast running stream which kept me away all night. Sadly I would say we would not revisit.
Fantastic place and thr staff are great - when we were there there appeared to be a scheduling issue with dining room which resulted in a 45 minute wait for breakfast.But we were on holiday, so no rush - and everything else was super.
The hotel is located in a really nice area a 2 minute walk in to the centre of Grasmere. The staff are very attentive and make sure you have a nice stay. From a customer service point of view it was really fantastic. The options for breakfast were great and even had vegan options which I think is great and provides more options. I thought the rooms were slightly outdated and actually had 3 wasps in there, not sure if there was a wasp nest right outside the window. The spa is nice a touch slight bit of rust on roof however was great to go in there and relax. Having stayed at the hotel I left incredibly relaxed and would visit again
Restaurantji Recommends
Well located quiet, clean and comfortable high class hotel without being too “posh” to feel uncomfortable. Friendly staff. Didn’t try the evening menu but a great breakfast. Spa could do with a bit of attention but was still a great added bonus and pre-booked time slots meant it was never busy.
In general the hotel was ok. Room clean etc. The evening meal and some of the service in the restaurant was a let down . Tough steak and having to ask three tines for another drink. Grounds are well kept and nice location
We spent three delightful days at the Rothay Garden at the beginning of September. Upon arrival we were upgraded to the Garden suite which was a really pleasant surprise. Waiting in our room was a bottle of chilled champagne which came as part of our booking. The room which was located on the ground floor was huge with an extra-large bed and pleasantly appointed bathroom. It also had its own enclosed patio outside with a table and chairs, all of which resulted in a very pleasing welcome. We had booked our stay with dinner and breakfast included and weren’t sure what to expect. It seems that the hotel has recently changed the format of the menu from that shown on their website. The menu now allows you to choose any dish without extra cost on a two or three course basis (depending on which one you had paid for). There was however an additional charge of £5 for side dishes. The meals themselves were delicious with a reasonable choice of dishes. The wine menu contained a good range of drinks at normal restaurant prices. We opted for the Pinot Grigio at around £32 a bottle which we found most agreeable. Breakfast consisted of a generous range of starters with a selection of mains to follow. All the food was served at the table together with tea or coffee. Again the breakfast was very tasty and nicely presented. We only used the spa on one occasion as generally we were out exploring the area. The spa itself is fairly small and can probably only accommodate 4 to 6 people at a time. We had a relaxing session for around an hour during which we chatted to a couple who had come from Durham. Delightfully we found the hotel lived up to our expectations. It was clean, quiet with a relaxed atmosphere and an ideal location for exploring the surrounding area. Situated at the north end of Grasmere village it is free from tourists but only a ten minute walk to the centre. We found the staff to be professional, helpful and hardworking providing a high standard of service. Were there any negatives? Not really, as mentioned by a previous guest, there was a lack of slippers for the spa. We also felt that a usb charging point would be a bonus in the room as almost everyone has phones and pads etc. In conclusion we had a wonderful three day break at the hotel and would strongly recommend it to anyone wishing to visit the Lake District.
Overall a nice stay. The hotel is set in beautiful, well-tended gardens and has a very calm and relaxing feel. Our room was also very nice, large and comfortable. The food was also very good. However, we were disappointed with some aspects of the hotel - no slippers in the room - this is a spa hotel and these should be provided. We were told they had "run out". The spa itself was fairly mediocre - the aromotherapy room didn't add anything to the experience and when sat in the pool and looking up, the vents in the roof were covered in rust. Why not just replace or paint these? When we booked to use the spa for 8am the following morning, we arrived around 8.15am and the sauna has not been switched on, nor had the beds, so everything was cold. Surely if you know guests have booked in to use the spa, someone would check it had been switched on? As others have mentioned, the additional service charge is excessive - we ordered a bottle of Prosecco to the outside spa area. It was brought to us (warm) put on the table and then finally asked if we'd like it opening. We did, so it was opened and then just left on the table! If you're going to charge service, then at least offer a service and pour the drink! Overall, we had a nice weekend but we felt the hotel needed some tweaks and a bit of TLC for us to return.
This was our second visit to the Rothay Garden Hotel in Grasmere for some much needed pre-Christmas R&R, and it was great to be back. Previously, we had a Superior Deluxe room (Loughrigg). This time, we had a Luxury room although the name escapes us! Our room was fantastic (on both occasions) and the food is wonderful. I personally love the breakfast. As someone who might usually spend 5 minutes wolfing down a weetabox, breakfast is quite the occasion and I love the relaxed feel. The service we have received at the hotel has always been been exceptional.