Prince Of India Windermere Ltd — Restaurant in England

A Disappointing and Unwelcoming Experience

As a hospitality industry expert with years of experience in evaluating restaurants across India and internationally, I feel compelled to share our recent experience at Prince of India, Windermere Ltd, which fell far below the most basic standards of hospitality, service, and food quality.

We visited this establishment with a family group of 9, including two senior citizens, after searching online for Indian food near Lake District. Despite the abundance of negative reviews, we decided to give it a chance due to convenience and the fatigue of our group.

Accessibility & Ambience: The restaurant is located on the first floor of a building on the main road, with no designated parking—only limited street parking, which doesn’t feel safe after dark. There is no lift or wheelchair access, making it particularly difficult for elderly guests. The interior was outdated, cramped, and had an unpleasant, musty odor. The overall ambience felt neglected and uninviting.

Service: Sadly, the service was one of the worst aspects of the visit. We were greeted with no warmth, no smiles, no name badges—nothing even remotely close to the famed Indian hospitality. The staff, while of Bangladeshi origin, misrepresented themselves as Indian cuisine specialists. There was no basic courtesy or attentiveness.

Shortly after sitting, we were hurried to place our order, despite having just climbed stairs with elderly members and still settling in. When we asked for a few more minutes, the waiter responded with visible irritation. He later informed us we had to vacate the table by 9:00 PM, despite more than half the restaurant being empty.

Throughout our meal, we were interrupted several times by staff with an impatient and annoyed attitude. Side plates were removed without explanation, and no salads or condiments were served, which are standard accompaniments in traditional Indian meals.

Food: The food was overpriced and underwhelming. Portions were small, with meat dishes containing just 2-3 small pieces and the rest filled with onions, tomatoes, and potatoes. It did not resemble authentic Indian cuisine in taste or presentation. Despite pressure from staff to order more expensive items, we kept our order minimal to avoid food waste. The food lacked both authenticity and value.

Billing & Payments: The final disappointment was the billing process. They do not accept card payments—cash only, which is highly inconvenient for a £140+ bill. I had to leave the restaurant to withdraw cash. To make matters worse, the bill was hand-written, and they refused to provide a printed or official copy, only allowing a photograph of it. This lack of transparency is concerning and unacceptable in any professional setting.

Additionally, the meal ended without customary Indian refreshments—no saunf, no gesture of hospitality, just a basic mint sweet tossed on the plate.

Final Thoughts: We left feeling overcharged, disrespected, and thoroughly dissatisfied. Not one word of thanks, no goodbye—just a cold and unprofessional experience. It was disheartening to witness such a lack of hospitality in a restaurant claiming to serve Indian cuisine. I strongly advise tourists and locals alike to avoid this place. There are far better options, even if they require a short drive.

Not recommended under any...

Don't u dare spoil the Name of India - it's just a Restaurant not Indian

Once u enter the Restaurant u r not even sitted they come and ask do u need poppadoms. No I don't let me first sit for God's sake.

Your food stinks seems like u keep heating the food for days and then serve it. I Dont own a restaurant but trust me I cook much better food then u guys

Worst food ever had yes WORST. I am an Indian so I know how Indian food tastes like, in one word the food that I had tonight it was anything but Indian I really don't know what it was, which Indian planet it belongs to. Ordered Dal, biriyani, sag paneer. Paneer were rubbery n hard as stone, even my 2yr old didn't like it who is in love with Paneer. Dal was tasteless, Biriyani was not biriyani just plain rice fried with spices and tossed with Boiled chicken n they named it Biriyani. If you are an Indian or from any where in the world DONT VISIT THIS RESTAURANT or else u will start hating Indian food. I think they should change the name it shouldn't be called Prince of India. No please not India. The chef should visit India once and learn how to cook first then come and try his/her hands on Indian cuisine.

Sorry I don't have any photos as I didn't feel like...

If you're visiting the Windermere area and you are a fan of Indian food then you must try this place.

You can find it above a row of shops on the main St. The entrance is down the side of the row of shops. On the evening we called they were only accepting cash as the card machine was broken. I'm not sure if this was a one off or a regular occurrence but as I had plenty of cash this was fine.

We came in here on the 2nd night of our visit to Windermere. We did not book first and there was plenty of empty tables although it did start to fill up after we arrived.

They had a very comprehensive menu although we opted for the set menu for 2 and shared everything 50/50 as we couldn't make up our minds.

The food was gorgeous and there was more than enough for two. The service was very good and the food was served quickly. If I have one tiny criticism there was no pause between courses. As soon as we had finished one course the next one was there. Even a 5 minute break between courses to let the first course settle would have been welcome.

All in all I would recommend...