A beautiful building in a stunning location. I didn't pay 5 star prices so I didn't expect 5 star luxury. What you get is a stay in an historic building with a pub attached and slap bang in the beautiful lakes. The rooms are clean and tidy and the staff were polite and pleasant. There are some wonderful walks right outside and if you want to go further afield the bus stop is at the end of the drive. And at the end of the day the beer cold and well kept. They serve a basic selection of foods. The mattress and pillows were clean and comfy.

Staff just need to be a little more engaged and informative. They were perfectly polite and pleasant. I can't quite put my finger on it but there was something not quite right.

The location and bedroom views were amazing, staff were friendly and offered advice on walking in the area, food was good value for money, the character of the building was quirky, and not to everyone's taste, but the owners kept the original character which hadn't changed in over 40 years, which adds history to the building. The drawing room with the open fire was like going back in time, it enabled us to relax and chat with other guests as well as the staff, there were no TV's in the drawing room or in the bedrooms, but with a view which was on offer from all aspects of the hotel, why would anyone want to watch TV. We stayed at the Old Dungeon Ghyll to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern technology and we were not disappointed. We got exactly what we wanted from our visit, which was to relax in a beautiful rural setting.

That we only spent 2 nights, we wish we could have stayed longer.

This is a lovely old fashioned hotel where general expectations are quite well met and one which is situated in a magnificent, isolated Lake District location. The attached pub is rustic in character with great food and a fine selection of cask real ales for the enthusiast. A particularly excellent location for hikers and climbers. Breakfast was wholesome and tasty.

My personal experience was that it lacked some professionalism and customer focus.and I felt neither welcome on arrival nor thanked on departure.

Breakfast was certainly much better than I've had in many places. The kippers were great and the poached eggs were perfect. The chef has clearly done it before. The personal bathroom though not en suite was spacious relatively recent and great. The shower was so much better than the usual electric powered drizzle. Although the bedroom was dated, in keeping with the rest of the place, the bed was clearly quite recent and very comfortable. The residents lounge was a wonderful historic and beautifully appointed space in which to relax and soak up the ambience of the place. It's a vintage, quirky, pleasantly unmodernised good value place in a wonderful location. Please keep it as it is.

I would rather have waited longer and had the steak and ale pie a bit crispy having been heated in the oven.

This hotel is fortunate enough to be based in one of the most beautiful valleys in the entire country. The rooms are very nice and the private bathroom I had was very close to my room and enormous. Both rooms were recently decorated and very clean. All of the food is home cooked and excellent. The building is 400 years old and comes with considerable charm. Since the hotel has been connected to Starlink, the Wi-Fi is very good which is handy because there is no mobile phone signal in the area. The Climbers Bar is one of my favourite pubs in the country and on a Wednesday evening and sometimes a Thursday there is often fantastic live music. The open fire is roaring and all of the staff and locals are an absolute pleasure to mix with. The pub has been rightfully voted the best in England for walkers and the excellent Theakston's Old Peculiar is the icing on the cake. You'll probably realise by now that I absolutely love the place. Already planning my next visit!

For me there are zero negatives to report.

Best location for serious walkers. Great vibe. Wonderful staff. Extremely clean. Hikers bar superb. Restorative food and drinks. Did I mention the views? It’s the last stop in the valley at the start of the great trails up to the high peaks between Great Langdale and the valleys coming in from the sea to the West. Its location is in an epic place. It’s fairly simple, so not a 5 star. But perfectly fits the walker/climber vibe and is very clean and meets all your needs. It’s been there for ages and knows what it is about.

I’m always tremendously sore after I leave, lol, due to the walks.

Loved everything! Such a charming place to stay. Lovely cooked breakfast to fill you up for the day, we had a bit of everything. We were so lucky with the weather so had some amazing walks for Chapel Stile and Elterwater and a good hike to Stickle Tarn. There was music on Saturday and everyone brought an instrument for a bit of singing. Wonderful staff and such a lovely atmosphere. Shout out to Francesca! Can't wait for the next trip, will only be staying here.

Beautiful hotel. Large lounge to relax. Catered beautifully for walkers Great location for walking from - outstanding routes from doorstep. Great breakfast produced efficiently. Packed lunch if requested. Substantial evening meal. Staff very accommodating - we arrived as kitchen closing but as we rang ahead - food ready on arrival. Dog friendly

Room size was fine for a couple, but a bit small if sharing with a medium sized dog

Very homely place to stay where the staff and other visitors seemed frendly, relaxed and very helpful. Great location for the bigger treks into the fells. There was an atmosphere there that you were a part of a hikers/climbers community, and everyone seemed easily approachable for advice.. especially weather and routes, etc. The building is warm, cosy, and clean, if not a bit old fashioned.. which was really quite a charm of the place and in keeping with the surroundings.

A TV in the room would have been good if we'd stayed longer and had a lazy day or evening in, but I totally understand why this has not been implemented, probably intentionally.

Stunning location, at/near the trailhead for dozens of epic hikes. The hotel has all you need: delicious breakfast, a restaurant and a pub. Small towns with cafes, inns & pubs are 10 minutes away. Staff is top-notch and go the extra mile.

On weekends the pub can attract boisterous (i e., drunk) groups of hikers and campers, and it keeps serving them until 11pm right outside your window. This may not fit with your idea of a restful, back-to-nature, peaceful destination.