Rydal Lodge

The current pictures are obviously old and not a true reflection of the current state of the hotel. Upon entering it smells of damp and cat. It is scruffy and dark. The bedroom room had clean sheets but mould patches in the shower tray seals. The very small lounge area is certainly not a space you would want to sit in. Due to cleanliness and smell. The gardens are overgrown and need tendering. Only decent public space was the bright dining room.

My friend and I stayed in the Old Cafe Bunkroom at Rydal Lodge. It is like a mini apartment with bunk beds, ideal for two friends to go hiking in the area. The room has kettle, toaster, fridge for supplies. On our second morning we opted for a cooked breakfast which was delicious, you can make your own tea and toast in the room as well, ideal for us. Like most bunk rooms you make your own beds and ***** them when leaving, the bedding is supplied, which is a bonus. The B&B is situated midway between Grasmere and Ambleside, and they are very easily accessible by local bus. We done the Fairfield horshoe and finished in Ambleside for a drink before getting the bus back which stops outside the B&B, perfect. The Badger Bar is less than 100 meters away and serves great food. What more can you ask for! A big thank you to Iain for making us most welcome.

I have had the most wonderful first stay at Rydal Lodge, it definitely won't be my last. I was given a warm, professional welcome by the host Iain on arrival. After a 6 hour drive I was made to feel at home immediately. The log burner was on making the place feel warm and cosy. I was staying in the Loughrigg Suite which is a beautiful 16th century bedroom/sitting room which was clean, warm and well appointed. Fluffy towels and toiletries in the bathroom, a good supply of drinks/biscuits on the refreshment tray. The bed was very comfortable and I slept well. The views out over the grounds and river are stunning. Breakfast was delicious and served when I asked for it. Iain gave me tips on how to make the best of my stay and where to go in the local area. As you head out of the hotel grounds you are right on Rydal Water which is a stunning smaller lake and the autumn colours were quite breathtaking. 5 minutes walk up the road opposite takes you to a spectacular waterfall. Buses run regularly from opposite the hotel. I look forward to returning in the Spring.

Ian is a most charming host and was able to provide us with a lovely cosy room when me and my husband needed to extend our stay in the Lakes. If you’re looking for rustic, oldie worldie charm and a great cooked breakfast, then this is the place. Ian was also able to provide us with a packed lunch so that we could start out onto the fells early without looking for a sandwich shop first. Altogether, great value for money.

Facilities fine, garden nice probably but staff were extremely unprofessional, overly intimate with guests. At check-in time the receptionist took personal call for which I had to wait 5 minutes. Then told me the contents of his call recounting a "humorous" personal anecdote of his son violating a foreign country's visiting policies (- why would their guest care? I haven't asked to be your friend, I'm just trying to pay for a room.) Wouldn't take my payment at the time because "doesn't know how". Gave contrasting information to what the hotel said elsewhere. The second morning I had to wake him up this staff member after he was over 30 minutes late to the scheduled breakfast time! Then was missing food I'd ordered and the coffee was cold. I don't know why they insist on booking a time and ordering breakfast in advance if they can't bother to abide by their own policies. He just made an excuse for that he slept in (- why do I care? Does he think I'd be interested?) There were other things too but maybe this reviewer will add those later on better recall...

Returned to a warm welcome from Helena & Mark, & a super Easter Week 2023 in the Bunk-room at Rydal Lodge in April. The room is en-suite with toiletries provided & also comfortably & thoughtfully equipped with amenities ie; fridge, microwave, kettle, toaster & hairdryer. As always it was spotlessly clean. Breakfast is available as an option. There is a library & snug with a Honesty Bar. Parking is available on site. The beautiful gardens slope down to River Rothay & is a few minutes walk to Rydal Water, The Cave & Rydal Mount & Hall. There is plenty of advice & maps provided by the hosts. Thank you to Mark & Helena who made sure I had a great stay... not least providing advice, support & diagnosing car troubles when Green Flag let me down badly! Looking forward to a return soon. Proximity to Ambleside & Grasmere & a super bus service (Stagecoach) enables one to get to areas of interest, superb walks, restaurants, Art & Craft Galleries, Cinema & also to the outlying towns & lakes. Several popular walks for all abilities are available. The Badger Bar opposite provides evening meals & in fact also has a Badger feeding & viewing area!

We stayed here for 2 nights for our ‘mini-moon’ recently and had a wonderful time. Mark and Helena the owners are so lovely and friendly, we felt welcome straight away. We stayed in the Rothay Suite which was beautiful. Lovely decor, comfy bed, very spacious with all the facilities we needed. There was even a complimentary bottle of Prosecco in our room on arrival which was a lovely touch. The breakfast was delicious and very generous. We loved that we were able to select which items we wanted each day rather than just being given a standard full English like most places. We were able to just choose the bits we wanted which prevented waste which is great. The food was piping hot and tasted very fresh. The snug and library areas were lovely and so cosy. There were plenty of books and board games to choose from. There is also excellent WiFi throughout the whole place. We would definitely recommend and will return next time we visit the Lakes!

1st time visit to Rydal Lodge and will definitely be back. Location is splendid and hospitality 1st class. Mark & Helena were very welcoming, full of useful knowledge of the surrounding areas and even provided maps for local scenic walks. Lovely cooked breakfast each morning and the honesty bar is a lovely touch for guests. Can not recommend this place enough. Room 3 was spotless with everything needed for a comfortable stay. Mark & Helena really can not be any nicer and will go above and beyond to ensure your stay with them will be remembered for all the right reasons. Thank you both for a wonderful 3 days

Stayed several times and always impressed by the cleanliness, and the superb hosts. Mark & Helena always go the extra mile to help you make the most of your stay. As vegans its great to be well catered for with plant milk for rooms and good options at breakfast too.