Parkside Hotel

We tried the French Martini and really enjoyed it. The food was delicious and good value, and Johnny and the team looked after us brilliantly. We went to the pub two nights running and would definitely recommend it to Aussies visiting the Lake District.

The staff were so helpful. There was a mix-up with my food order, but they were understanding and let me choose between having the incorrect dish for free or waiting a little for the meal I'd originally ordered. The food was a real highlight, from breakfast to dinner, and they even left biscuits in the room. The rooms were lovely, with good views of the nearby mountains. I'd happily recommend it for a trip to the lakes, 10/10.

After the first day of our Coast to coast walk, we arrived to find the hotel deserted. A neighbour said this happened regularly. She mentioned the back door was open, so we went in, but there was no electricity. A television had been taken away, and energy company bills were piling up behind the front door. Calling the hotel got us a recording saying the mailbox was full. I'd choose somewhere else to stay.

The place felt run down, short-staffed and far too expensive for what we got. When I phoned a few weeks before booking, I was assured the WiFi worked properly because I planned to do some work there, but it only reached around reception. At 7:30 AM the fire alarm went off. We were told it was a drill, though with just me and my wife there, it seemed pointless. Breakfast arrived bit by bit, with the bacon and sausages coming about 15 minutes after the toast. We weren't expecting The Savoy, but this was a complete shambles and nothing like the information I'd been given.