Glendale Guest House

My single room was at the top of the house, up several flights of stairs, and was very cramped. The en-suite was well appointed but tiny and narrow. The key was awkward in the lock, though I learned how to turn it. I arrived at the Guest House at 4pm and couldn't get in. The camera doorbell went unanswered despite several rings, and nobody picked up the mobile number posted in the porch, so I went into town to pass the time. When I returned at 5pm, the owner answered and explained she'd left her 17-year-old daughter in charge, but the girl hadn't heard the bell over the TV. The owner apologised and offered a reduction if I came off Booking.com, but I didn't know how to do that and never received the promised reduction. Arrival was listed as from 3pm, so I felt the owner should have been there to let guests in. She said the mobile hadn't been answered because it was her husband's number and he was abroad, another reason I felt she should have been there. When I asked to pay, she said she'd use the card number she had, which I agreed to. I asked for a receipt and was told Booking.com would email one. I'd never heard of them doing that, but was in a hurry and didn't check. No payment receipt ever arrived, so I felt I'd been lied to about it. There was no need for that.

The location is handy for Keswick town centre, Theatre by the Lake, and Derwentwater, with street parking available. Still, a first impression really does count, and ours was poor. We dropped by to let the hosts know we'd arrived, out of courtesy, but were turned away and told to come back after 3pm for check-in. There was no smile, apology, or chance to explain that we had an event at Words by the Wster LitFest and weren't trying to check in early. When we returned, the host was chatty and informal and didn't mention the earlier encounter. My single room was the smallest I've ever slept in, with barely room to move. The door couldn't open if the bathroom door was open, the sloping floor was disorienting, and the drains smelled faintly. The flush and shower were extremely noisy. Breakfast was on a rigid schedule, at the quarter hour, and we were offered one time without an apology. The food was good quality and plentiful, but my companion found a long dark hair in hers. She politely told the host, who immediately denied it and said my companion was mistaken, claiming her own hair had been tied back while cooking. She seemed not to notice that her hair was loose while talking to us. Paying guests should feel welcome, and an attitude adjustment is needed. Keswick is busy and draws plenty of visitors, and tourist places can take people for granted, but we all deserve decent service and respect when we're paying.

Breakfast was ready at the time we'd agreed, tasted good, and came with a nice chat and some local information from the owner. The house was clean and had a welcoming feel; the rooms had the essentials and comfortable beds. Glendale Guest House is on a quiet street, and we found a street parking space without any trouble. The owner helped us find our rooms through the ringing doorbell. We stayed one night and enjoyed it very much. Highly recommended!

We had a great long weekend at Glendale Guest House and would recommend it wholeheartedly. The hosts were friendly and suggested some lovely local walks. Breakfast was nice, with orders placed the night before, and it was always cooked just right with good coffee. After long walks, the comfortable rooms were especially welcome. On our last day we were able to leave our bags there while we went out. The location was perfect. We'll be back.