January 2024 by Bronte
Absolutely loved our stay at Rothay Manor. Our family had two rooms, a suite with a hot tub outside which was very private and relaxing in the evenings. The other was upstairs, an elegant room with a terrace. The wall paper was lovely and really added to the aesthetic of the rooms. The bed was comfortable and the bathroom was fantastic with a great shower with awesome water pressure. The food was incredible! We knew it would be good but it exceeded our expectations. The staff were friendly although for a small luxury hotel some could use some more training, however it didn?t reduce our experience. We had a great time, the fireplaces, lounge and dining rooms were beautiful. There are walks right out the front door to explore the lakes and I would definitely recommend staying here for a luxury lakes experience.Rooms: Charming and comfortable.Walkability: Beautiful walks from the hotel.Food & drinks: Incredible food!
January 2024 by Tom S
We had the pleasure of a Xmas break in a Pavilion Garden Suite ( Grisedale ) with some friends in the next door suite. One word - stunning. From the moment we arrived on Xmas Eve until the moment we left on the 27th it was simply superb. Every single member of staff was so very helpful and very, very friendly. There were Xmas presents in our room for both ourselves and our dogs - simply brilliant touch.We have stayed at many dog friendly establishments throughout the years and I can honestly say that Rothay Manor was head and shoulders above the rest.They are genuinely dog friendly and dog lovers.The Pavilion Garden Suites are absolutely ideal for dog owners and dogs are welcome throughout the Hotel ( except the Restaurant ) and can even dine with you in the Brathay Room.The food throughout the stay was amazing - from the Xmas Eve tasting menu to the Xmas Day Dinner to the Boxing Day a la carte menu we simply could not fault either food or the service ( not forgetting the brilliant breakfasts either ). Chef and the kitchen staff clearly know how to cook and present quality meals.The bar / lounge area is extremely comfortable with real fires too. We had a very pleasant conversation with the barman as he explained the differences between the various types of cognac on offer.We were made thoroughly welcome and made to feel at home - we loved it.I can highly recommend and we will definitely return. Sensational break at a sensational Hotel.Rooms: We loved the Garden Suites - attention to detail and dog friendly.Nearby activities: Great walks and stunning views within easy reach and boat trips available at nearby Windermere.Safety: Absolutely no issues at all with safety.Walkability: Within easy walking distance of Ambleside and Waterhead.Food & drinks: Stunning food and a very comprehensive drinks menu ( wine and spirits ).
January 2024 by Emma Fisher
Stunning break in the Lake District, great stay at Rothay. Will be returning. Fab food and drink selection.Rooms: Pavilion rooms are beautiful and very luxurious.Noteworthy details: Wonderful service
December 2023 by Deborah Walsh
Fabulous food. Fabulous setting. Fabulous service. Completely relaxed but totally professional atmosphere which complimented the amazing food, wine and cocktails perfectly. From start to finish (it is a full evening unhurried affair) we were made to feel like valued friends at the perfect dinner party by our wonderful hosts Chris and Joe. The only downside was having to make our food choices and therefore having to miss out on some of the options available (which the lucky couple on the table next to us, who had been staying at the hotel for 3 nights and had sampled lots of different dishes, reliably informed us were all completely fabulous).Eat here. You won't be disappointed. One word of advice though..... you must leave room for the cheese!!A perfect evening was rounded off by friendly conversation and laughter with our very knowledgable hosts Chris and Joe. A lovely evening in a restaurant whose approach to customer service and quality was exemplar. We will be back very soon.
December 2023 by Y Y W
We booked with the deal bed, breakfast and dinner 4 days 3 nights. We had a wonderful experience and felt sad to say goodbye on check out - which is a good sign!The experience met with expectations , as in the level of service and quality of the room inlined with what we paid for.Goods bits we pleased about are- Given we breakfast and dine in the same restaurant for four days in a row, the staff had sat us various table for a change which we pleased. We particular happy got to sit in a 4 people table when it?s only two of us on two occasions. We felt relaxed and have our own space to talk.- on departure, we were given a bag of candy for the road. Nice touch.- no hassle, friendly staff, food are devine, room are quiet and pleasant.Areas of improvements- we were attracted to the hotel being small luxury hotel, given we?ve been various SLH we think it could do better to give more personal touch. For example, we did leave a note for the occasion of our stay during the booking, but throughout our stay it was not mentioned. This is really the one star missing from the review.- we did notice area behind bathtub which is not easy to reach area not spotless clean. Need more attention to detailAll in all, happy customers , will recommend to others and it?s a place will return.Keep it up!
November 2023 by Kelly Merrick
My husband and I were lucky enough to spend a week here in September, what an amazing all round experience. Food was incredible, service was impeccable. Beautiful rooms in a lovely old building. Special mention to Restaurant Manager Chris, made our stay even better, such a nice guy. Thanks to everyone there.
November 2023 by Stewart McKegg
Sunday lunch is excellent, not the cheapest, but worth it, we were overcharged as one of the group only had 2 courses, not 3, but didn't notice until later.
September 2023 by Emma Wilson
I had an absolutely fabulous day at Rothay Manor! From the moment we arrived, we were exceptionally well looked after. The highlight was the dream-like three-course meal, which was a culinary delight. We received a complimentary upgrade to one of the brand new pavilion rooms, which was hugely appreciated for our ?mini moon? and it was an absolutely gorgeous space. There were stunning interiors throughout the hotel and no detail has been missed. We really loved the welcome cocktails and snacks which were much needed after a big hike!I highly recommend Rothay Manor for a fantastic stay in the Lake District. It was our first time there, but we'll definitely be returning.
September 2023 by A S
Despite the claim, this is far from a luxury hotel. The rooms with low ceilings and stuffy air make the space feel cramped. Absence of air conditioning and ionizer left the rooms stale (like old wardrobe) and hot when it was 30 degrees outside. The provided ventilator was outdated and hardly made a difference.Simply impossible to sleep at night. The beds have SPRING mattresses (!) that made me notice every turn of my partner. To cool the room temperature we kept the window open at night which exposed us to a mild sewage smell.Cleanliness seemed to be another significant oversight. The bathtubs weren't properly cleaned, and the soap dispensers gave the impression of being refilled, with plastic bottles turning yellow around the edges.Additionally, there was no bottled water provided in the rooms. The guests are expected to drink tap water!There is no concierge or reception services after 8 pm. The quality of concierge itself is quite questionable. I was provided with a hiking map (with the hotel logo) which unfortunately proved more misleading than helpful. If you're planning to hike in the mountains, I'd advise using the AllTrails app.I firmly believe this is no more than 3 stars and definitely not luxury.P.S. The hotel would greatly benefit if the team were to attend a hotel school.
September 2023 by Rachael McConville-Darwin
Came back for a few nights in the Pavilion garden suite.Beautiful room, nice little garden part.Rooms were dog friendly as is the hotel and staff. Not allowed in the main restaurant which is understandable but there are several areas they can go where you can eat and drink.The area is beautiful, lots of walks and the staff are happy to give guidance on where to go.Would really recommend, we had to cut our stay short unfortunately but will be back.Rooms: All the rooms are good. Dog friendly rooms in the pavilion area.
August 2023 by John Lee
An absolutely brilliant stay, from arriving to leaving. Really helpful and friendly staff,we had an evening meal, overnight stay and breakfast.We had a fantastic time in the restaurant, we were really well looked after by Craig the head waiter, quite a bit of banter between us, as we'd been here 17 months ago & he remembered us, so we had a bit of a laugh, mind all the other staff who were on that night were equally friendly and helpful. I think when Craig goes he'll be sadly missed for a while, sad news but all the very best to him. ABSOLUTELY SMASHING GREAT!!! ??
August 2023 by Ed D
We booked a last minute single night with our two dogs on the way back from a typical Scottish two week campervan trip. It was a stunning experience. The most dog friendly hotel we have ever stayed in. Staff were spectacularly helpful. Room was classy, feeling more like a home than a room. The food was clever and tasty, with the breakfast in particular as good as I have had. Special mention to the nice waiter who gave me the backstory on 16 cheeses to help me make the right choice. Not a cheap stay, but a memorable one.
August 2023 by AmyHannah
We stayed for 1 night for a last-minute break and can't fault the hotel! Pros: * all the staff were excellent * The hotel is beautifully decorated * Room was lovely - well-appointed, comfortable bed, great shower, clean and quiet. We had a fantastic nights sleep! * Breakfast was very good * convenient location - 10 minute walk into Ambleside Cons: * the room was warm, not a major issue as we just opened the window a little, but I imagine this is worse when the weather is hot. Overall, this hotel was wonderful. The service was faultless from everyone we interacted with, and the hotel has a lovely atmosphere. Would recommend and definitely stay again!
July 2023 by BobbieSteve
Friendly, helpful staff. Went out of their way to accommodate special diet. Good location. Lovely room and bathroom. Room came with kettle, coffee machine, fridge and snacks. Breakfast excellent. Dinner menu was not for us, too fancy and not enough choice, although they did offer talk to chef. Plenty of good restaurants nearby. Lovely terrace to sit and have a drink. No air conditioning but fan was provided. Rain shower but shower caps provided.
July 2023 by Rich Holden-Booth
This is a review of the restaurant. Girlf and I went and was surprised wasn?t more full on a Friday eve. This is one of Ambleside best restaurants and very reasonably priced £75 for three courses but all the amuse bouches and bread etc as well. Michelin level food. The staff I wouldn?t Michelin though. No biggie and no offence meant. Very good staff but let themselves down. Still def deserves 5 star. ? We were keen to really enjoy the meal and go slow. The staff kept brining out the courses early. One amuse bouche we hadn?t even touched when the main came out. Despite me asking them to slow up delivery pretty early in meal. And when our order was being taken, the waitress?s colleagues at the bar joked about something and we lost her attention while my girlf (whose birthday is was) was in middle of asking her a question about main course. When she turned around we were waiting for an answer but got a blank stare instead, a bit embarrassing. I had also told the girl booking on the phone it was my girlfriends birthday celebration. So I was a bit embarrassed at the start of the meal when the waitress asked us ?is it a special occasion?? Nevertheless, a lovely gesture was made for Happy Birthday (I doubt it meant extra food so please don?t trouble the chefs!? Was amazing treats. Staff are fab, just a few details. I will be back tho. This review may be the most middle class thing I?ve ever written.
