The Lounge Hotel and Bar

I stayed two nights for work, and the staff were amazing, friendly, and helpful. The bar area is truly beautiful, the room was a good size, and the bed was comfy. After the really cold weather, the fantastic shower was lovely for warming up. My only issue was the room temperature: it was so hot when I arrived, then really cold the second night. Breakfast had a great selection and was really good, and both my evening meals were amazing.

This is good value for money, with clean rooms and welcoming, polite staff. The location is handy for Penrith and the surrounding area, about a 10-minute walk from Penrith train station, with shops, takeaways, and supermarkets nearby. Free parking at the back is a great extra. Our room was clean and had a comfy bed, but it stayed too warm even with the fan on and the window, which only opened a little, left open all night. That disturbed our sleep, despite it being November. The bathroom and shower were great. Breakfast was average for us, though there was plenty to choose from, including yoghurt, cereal, juice, and hot drinks. The eggs on toast came with just one slice of toast, which was a downside, but tasted nice. The full English was okay, nothing special, and included with the room, which was convenient. The breakfast room was modern and pleasant, with the news on for a bit of atmosphere.

We'd booked party packages here before for other events and had been very pleased, so this evening's farewell meal for family was a real disappointment. Our numbers had dropped because of illness, and we told the venue when we arrived. Even so, we were charged for seven extra meals, £140, because they said they'd prepared food for the original party size. Our organiser had left phone messages, but they hadn't reached the bar staff or kitchen, and we had nothing in writing to confirm the lower number. The reduced count was clear well before service, yet nobody checked the total, arranged the tables accordingly, or asked if things were okay. Anyone booking a party package should confirm the numbers in writing to avoid the embarrassment we had. The food wasn't hot enough, and the service was very poor. We had to ask for cutlery for two tables, even though management said they were catering for 35, and only 28 settings had been laid out. We also had to walk around the room to find the dishes we wanted, since each table had different food. The food was put down and that was it, with none of the usual check-ins about how it was. Some people in our party work in hospitality, including pubs, hotels, and restaurants, several at a high level, and many have Level 3 Food Hygiene qualifications. We know the work, and the service was dreadful; the food could have been much hotter. I rarely leave a poor review and sometimes offer constructive feedback when a place could improve, but this is an honest account of the evening, and I make no apology for its negative tone. We travelled to Penrith and seriously wish we hadn't; I could have hosted a far better meal at home. I challenge the establishment to justify its policies, behaviour, and food service that night. It may have lost 28 potential repeat customers.

The breakfast was good, and Jesse, who served us, was excellent. My partner and I stayed at the Lounge & Bar Hotel from Fri 30Jan to Sun 1 Feb, in room 25. It was spacious, nicely decorated, and spotless, with a huge comfortable bed and a large TV with all services available, so we watched a drama series on Netflix. We were visiting nearby towns and didn't try the restaurant this time. Regards, Julie & Jim from Warrington.