The Inn on the Lake — Restaurant in England

We have been coming to this hotel, twice a year for several years. My In laws introduced us to it around ten years ago. We would bring them for birthdays and anniversaries, since my Father in law died in 2020 we bring my Mother in law a couple of times a year for 2-3 night stays. She is now 94 and loves to sit in the bay window of her room and look at the view. ||The hotel has benefitted enormously from an extensive and high quality refurbishment programme, including the external areas. The owners and their design team have done a fabulous job of incorporating comfort and design to a very high standard.||However the investment put into the fabric has not been applied in staffing numbers in the dining areas and cost cutting measures that save little or no money and impact on the overall experience of guests enjoyment.||The Orangery|We had lunch here on our arrival at the hotel. It’s a lovely place to dine and the food is good, although the menu is odd that you can order specific dishes and specific times. |My mother in law ordered the tempura prawns and asked for a slice of brown bread and butter to be served with it. Our friend ordered a Croque Monsieur with a portion of chips. The chips arrived 15 minutes before everything else. The prawns arrived with a huge bread basket, charged at £7 ( we sent it back)and a ham and cheese sandwich on white bread arrived instead of the Croque Monsieur, so we waited for the correct order to arrive. The manager came over and apologised. Lunch took far too long but the food, once we received it was good. |I was presented with a bill for everything, including the food we didn’t order. The duty managed had said they would adjust the bill but obviously the message didn’t filter through to the staff.. That night at dinner we were presented with a complimentary bottle of wine as an apology which was appreciated.||The Rooms.|We always book Lake View Feature Rooms and since the Suite was added, my husband and I stay in that. The rooms are very comfortable and well furnished. This year small fridges had been added, but oddly no safes. |The bathrooms always used to have cotton wool in small jars but there were none in our rooms. I had to ask for slippers and was told by the duty manager that they only supply slippers in 4 rooms including the suite. I reminded him that we were in what is considered to be the best suite in the hotel, the other two rooms were one grade down from that, not to provide slippers is ridiculous in the best grade rooms.|The rooms are normally cleaned to a high standard but one day they were not, one room wasn’t cleaned at all when we returned to it at 4.30pm, the coffee mugs hadn't been washed up in our room and one bed was left un made in another room. |The hotel did have a large group in but this is no excuse for shoddy housekeeping, but I expect this was due to lack of staffing numbers as several of the staff told us they work in all areas of the hotel.||The Lake View Restaurant|The hotel had large groups in during our stay but the hotel had not brought in extra staff. Dinner was slow and unacceptable, the staff were lovely but couldn’t cope with the demand.| It took 45 minutes for starters to arrive and when we asked for a bread basket we were told they do not supply them in that restaurant. I asked if we could pay for the bread basket as you could order one in the Orangery. To our amazement we were told the Directors had said not to provide bread baskets in the | Lake View restaurant. What good quality restaurant doesnt provide bread, either complimentary or paid for? Given the very long wait for food to arrive I would of thought the Directors would have the sense to offer guests bread. One gentleman on another table for two called the manager over and complained about the very long wait for food and became very agitated the groups were being served and the other guests ignored. |Again, any hotel with common sense would of assigned perhaps agency staff, if pernament staff weren't available, to specifically serve the groups and then keep the regular staff to look after the other hotel guests who were almost certainly paying higher rates for everything over the groups.|The food was very good with the exception of the spinach and asparagus risotto which our friend ordered. It arrived with one small piece of asaragus and no spinach. This often happens in the Lake View restaurant, you order a dish and some of the ingredients is missing. However during this stay, apart from the service the food was the best we have had here since we started coming.|Special mention must go to Feranc the lovely waiter who is always smiling and is attentive (when he's not having to serve large groups). Mona the manager is very efficent but she too was worked off her feet coping with the numbers in the restaurant.||Breakfast in the Lake View Restaurant|On the first day we came down for breakfast at 09.15 and the buffet was virtually depleted, no yogarts, hardly any fruit apart from tinned peaches, which is not normally the case at this hotel. My husband ordered the smoked haddock and poached egg and said it was excellent. The next day the breakfast buffet was better stocked, I had the avocado on toast and that was very good too.||The Bar|The bar staff are lovely and tea and coffee is complimentary if you have had dinner in the Lake View restaurant. Despite the large group Jack served us quickly which was appreciated and Alika is a new addition to the staff and is delightful and helpful.||Overall|The Inn on the Lake could and should be a superb hotel. The quality of the fabric, its surroundings and aspect are special. However more investment needs to be put into staff numbers and also "the Directors" need to think about cost cutting that costs little to cut but is noticiable to regular guests.|We will return to the Inn on the Lake because my Mother in Law loves visiting it and I would like to say we would return as a couple but, there are better hotels that value their regular guests more and therefore we would be more inclined to stay there.||I always receive a guest questionaire after we depart and duly fill it in. Unlike other hotels I never get a reply back from the hotel and unlike other hotels, when we return, never have a note from the GM welcoming us back to the hotel as we do in other hotels. These are all small things that cost nothing but add to the guests perseption of being valued. I hope they read this review (very few are ever replied to on Trip Advisor)...

I've visited here several times over the years. This time we stayed in a lake view room as part of the 2 night dinner, bed and breakfast autumn package from thursday to saturday. Along with family and friends who have brought their pet as it is a dog friendly hotel.

Its a bold very attractive hotel, wonderful surroundings overlooking Ullswater and the stricking fell views all around. It's evident that they've been working hard to make changes like the resurfaced car park, the decor within the hotel and obviously the new guidelines around 'the virus' that I'm sure we've all grown tired of hearing about.

You'd be reassured when coming here from the entrance they have a one way entry in and out with signage and santising stand. In public areas it is advised that you wear a face mask unless seated. Our room was spacious enough and equipped with all amenities that we'd need for our stay including robes and slippers.

Our arrival was got off to a great start especially with the view we had from our room that and the bottle of bubbly of our family.

Our autumn package included; a mulled cider and a slice of autumn cake which we had in the residents lounge near to the big open fire. The staff look smart and the service is lovely. Ours was served in tea cups and I thought nothing of it until I noted other guests after us receiving their cider in the tall glasses. Presentation does make a difference.

Our evening meal was in 'the orangery' due to a couple with us having their dog. We had the signature menu which consists of an amuse bouche, starters, chefs sourbet, mains meal, dessert, and you can also take tea and coffee in the lounge bar after your meal. Personally my advice would be if you can during your meal leave your dog in your room. My reason for this is I felt like our service was much slower in the Orangery and the food wasn't as hot as it could have been by the time we ate, and portion sizes did vary.

I've eaten in the main dining room previously and can honestly say that the service was second to none in the main room. Our meal on this occasion started at 7.30pm and only just finished our dessert by 10pm. This coupled with one of the most restless nights sleep because of some kind of boiler noise near our room left me with short fuse by the early hours. I ended up and sat in the bay window as the morning light arose just trying to unwind.

Breakfast in the morning was in the orangery and I knew what was going to happen? service was again slow! I had to walk right upto the kitchen to where there is a lectern in order find a member of staff on two occasions, as no one stayed in the room long enough. I understand this could be because they had been preparing for a wedding which was due to take place in the hotel grounds.

We took some time out of the hotel to enjoy the grounds and local waterfalls walk whilst the weather was dry. Before returning later. The rest of our stay was lovely as we sat back relaxed and unwound in the warmth out of the heavy downpour of rain. Our 2nd nights meal was so much better as was the service it really was a tail of two halves including our breakfast on our 2nd morning, literally what a difference a day makes.

Only to have that let down by our afternoon tea. Why? well we've previously enjoyed a wonderful almost silver service in the orangery but I actually felt as though I was eating out of my lap. There was 6 of us sat in the residents lounge on the couches and chairs with three tables pushed together to accomodate the crockery and food.

It was really disheartening our friends ended up leaving half of theirs, the sweets just didn't seem to be as good as I've enjoyed on several occasions. I ordinarily would have taken away what we hadn't finished but for the first time ever left more than I expected, and I have a sweet tooth.

Despite my experience on the whole everything else was lovely. That's why on this occasion...

Having stayed at Hartsop Fold many times over the years and falling in love with the charming Glenridding many years ago, we arranged our wedding here back at the end of 2019, for April 2020. Then Covid hit and we had to rearrange 3x. We stuck with our original booking and are so very glad we did, it was so very worth the wait!

Kerri, the ever-patient Wedding Admin/Coordinator, who we first met during our initial show round in 2019 stayed with us throughout the whole journey. Kerri was fabulous at each and every stage - always keeping us updated and was very helpful and approachable, quick to answer any questions and queries, offering advice and a calming influence & sense of reassurance throughout, especially during such a strange, uncertain time in the backdrop of covid-19.

Two years later, we were able to finally have the wedding day of our dreams - well, to be honest, the day far, far surpassed any of our hopes and dreams! And it was well worth the wait!! The best day of our lives! X

Johnathan was our wedding coordinator for the day and he could not have been more fantastic. Such a calming influence and so well organised - despite many surprises to deal with (singing waiters and a surprise Ullswater Steamers trip to name but a few amongts us caring for our 15month old baby first and foremost, all amongst which Johnathan helped to keep everything on track, no easy feat with 104 guests!). Johnathan was such a kind, caring and calming person to have around on our wedding day, with such approachability and warmth - he made everybody feel at ease and helped us all to relax & thoroughly enjoy the day, with great organisation skills and keeping everything on track.

The food at Inn on the Lake was truly exceptional. The veggie option was lovely and the hotel caters well for people with dietary requirements, such as food allergies etc. The hotel rooms were also beautiful, so clean and welcoming, especially the Bridal Suite with breath-taking lake & mountain views. The food at the hotel is beautiful and is clearly prepared with such wonderful care and attention, each of our wedding guests commented on how excellent the food was - as a pair of foodies this was very important to us! The wine was excellent quality, as was the choice of beers/gins etc. The Candleroom/Ramblers Bar provided the most perfect backdrop after the meal in the wonderful Lake View Restaraunt.

We were lucky enough to get married outside in glorious sunshine with the magnificent backdrop of Place Fell on the shore of Ullswater, which truly could not have been any more beautiful. The location is truly spectacular! The flowers were in bloom and the grounds are stunning and so well cared for, they were immaculate.

We cannot recommend Inn on the Lake enough to hold your wedding - the attention to detail, in each and every sense is second to none. They took all the stress and worry away, knowing we were in such safe and experienced hands. Johnathan is a fantastic Wedding Coordinator, with such warmth, care, attention to detail and a fabulous Northern sense of humour! - he made sure we, and all our guests, had the most amazing day ever. We are forever grateful to Inn on the Lake for helping to organise such a fabulous day for our wedding and we hope to return each year to stay for our anniversary!

All of our guests have commented how incredible the day and venue was and it made for the most memorable day ever. All of the staff can not do enough for you, always with a smile and so much kindness. Thank you to Kayleigh and the team for setting up the room for us with all our bit&bobs that meant a great deal to us, with such care and detail. The staff team feel like one big family at Inn on the Lake and that inclusivity and care rubs off on each of the guests, the atmosphere was wonderful, so friendly and warm.

Thank you so very much to Inn on the Lake for the most magical wedding day...