I was hoping that a stay at Dale Head Hall would be lovely, as the views looked amazing. At c £160 per night with breakfast for a studio room for 2 — I thought it would be a pretty good. Not the case though. I do like old world charm, but this disappears when you enter the hotel, with a random jumble of settees. It just feels like a community centre. It was the room that got me first though. Cheap laminate flooring, stainless steel sink, smell of disinfectant, very dark… and dirty/worn carpet outside the room. The array of cigarette lighters outside the room where the smokers obviously congregate — didn't seem to tie in with the location or £160 per night. The room just looked like it had been done on the cheap, and my friend and I just didn't want to stay there. What surprised me most though, was the response of the supervisor on duty. When I said I wanted to leave, they thought it was reasonable that all of the hotel wasn't up to the same standard, as things needed updating all the time… and they couldn't do it all at once. If I had been paying £80 I could have understood that, but not £160 per night. After a bit of arguing, I was shown another room, but this was largely the same… but with more light minus the metal sink. By this time, we really didn't want to stay there. I was then shown another room, which was actually lovely… but I'd lost all desire to stay there… as the rest of the hotel is just so shabby and I'd had to argue. There was no manager on site, so I couldn't get a decision on the money I had already paid — so I left… and went to the Inn on the Lake at Glenridding. For £80 extra per night, we got an amazing hotel plus 2* 3 course meals plus an amazing breakfast (not a breakfast in a bag as offered at Dale Head), stunning views, truly great staff… everything was clean and of the same standard… and no smell of disinfectant… What a contrast. I'm just mad that someone can offer sub standard rooms in this day and age, and I've spent £320 for a room I really didn't want to sleep in. Funnily enough — comments on Trip Advisor echo these views… with 38% of reviews stating the hotel is Average, Poor or Terrible. This is way too high a dissatisfaction figure for a hotel that appears to charge £160 min per night. I don't like complaining, but coming out of lockdown — we were so looking forward to a break… and this place was so incredibly disappointing.
Not the case though. I do like old world charm, but this disappears when you enter the hotel, with a random jumble of settees. It just feels like a community centre.
It was the room that got me first though. Cheap laminate flooring, stainless steel sink, smell of disinfectant, very dark… and dirty/worn carpet outside the room. The array of cigarette lighters outside the room where the smokers obviously congregate — didn't seem to tie in with the location or £160 per night.
The room just looked like it had been done on the cheap, and my friend and I just didn't want to stay there.
What surprised me most though, was the response of the supervisor on duty. When I said I wanted to leave, they thought it was reasonable that all of the hotel wasn't up to the same standard, as things needed updating all the time… and they couldn't do it all at once. If I had been paying £80 I could have understood that, but not £160 per night.
After a bit of arguing, I was shown another room, but this was largely the same… but with more light minus the metal sink. By this time, we really didn't want to stay there. I was then shown another room, which was actually lovely… but I'd lost all desire to stay there… as the rest of the hotel is just so shabby and I'd had to argue.
There was no manager on site, so I couldn't get a decision on the money I had already paid — so I left… and went to the Inn on the Lake at Glenridding. For £80 extra per night, we got an amazing hotel plus 2* 3 course meals plus an amazing breakfast (not a breakfast in a bag as offered at Dale Head), stunning views, truly great staff… everything was clean and of the same standard… and no smell of disinfectant… What a contrast. I'm just mad that someone can offer sub standard rooms in this day and age, and I've spent £320 for a room I really didn't want to sleep in.
Funnily enough — comments on Trip Advisor echo these views… with 38% of reviews stating the hotel is Average, Poor or Terrible. This is way too high a dissatisfaction figure for a hotel that appears to charge £160 min per night. I don't like complaining, but coming out of lockdown — we were so looking forward to a break… and this place was so incredibly disappointing.