The Golden Lion Hotel, St Ives, Cambridgeshire

Hotel

We cannot fault our stay at The Golden Lion.
The room was perfect. It included breakfast which was amazing.
Service was brilliant and staff were so helpful.
I would highly recommend it!

Really pleasant attentive staff and great food. There is a really lovely atmosphere and we will definitely be visiting again. Very enjoyable indeed.

Cannot recommend the golden lion enough. I hosted a baby shower here yesterday and from start to finish the staff were friendly, attentive, and professional. We had afternoon tea and had a few dietary requirement, these were met perfectly! Which meant those with the requirements still got a lovely afternoon tea.
We had the front room which really is a lovely setting, great little space to hire that I would 100% host other celebrations in in the future.
Thankyou so much to the front of house and kitchen staff for making it a very successful visit ☺️

The staff are absolutely fantastic.

Different menu food food friendly staff 😃 will return.

Brilliant Hotel! Got to know about this lovely hotel via a Travelzoo deal! Fantastic meal on Saturday night and wonderful breakfast on Sunday morning. Staff are great, friendly and very attentive and the room was well appointed with a great comfy bed and too class toiletries. Everything you could ask for and definitely will be coming back to try more of the delicious cocktails. Book yourself a treat as this lovely village is only 20 mins from Cambridge yet is half the price of a Cambridge hotels of the same standard. 10/10 to the Golden Lion Team!

Outstanding service! A great venue for a birthday meal, two days after lifting lock down restrictions.

Put my parents up to stay here at Christmas. The standard of cleanliness was very high (my mum is very picky, particularly at the moment) and the service they received from the friendly staff was fantastic. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again or recommend them to others.

Totally recommend. Lovely decor — fantastic food and top service. Very central — 2 mins walk to the river.

Wonderful tasty food. Well
Presented. Lovely atmosphere and helpful staff. Cannot fault it.

Amazing,,, lovely room friendly and helpful staff safe environment all government guidelines in place lovely stay thanks.

Just wanted to say a huge thank you to all the staff for looking after our table of 22 yesterday for a works baby shower and a retirement party! it was seamless from start to finish. The food was absolutely incredible — probably the best afternoon tea I’ve had in the area and It’s safe to say I’ve had a lot of afternoon teas thanks once again you were all amazing!

Had my Mom's surprised 90th tea party here today, the food and service were fab, the young girl who looked after us couldn't have been nicer, afternoon tea highly recommends, staff really helpful, thank you…

Lovely relaxed meal — excellent service — no pressure to rush our meal.

Absolutely great food, friendly staff and comfortable chairs.
Great choice of beers. And wines on offer.

Absolutely loved our stay here. Rooms were lovely, nice small touches to really make you feel welcome. Staff were friendly and helpful. Food was amazing. Would love to stay here again!

Fantastic friendly service tasteful food well presented lovely surroundings.

Ticks all the boxes, good service good food, good atmosphere, good price.

Lovely hotel. Great breakfast choice. Friendly staff.

Very overpriced! Poor service will not go back! No wonder it’s so empty now.

We had a lovely meal in there tonight. Food was amazing and the staff very friendly. Would highly recommend. Definitely will be returning. Thank you.

We had an amazing function held at the Golden Lion last night. The food was amazing and everyone complimented this, and Jason who coordinated everything was super, he could not have been more helpful and made the whole experience run smoothly! We would be more than happy to book another function again and we are sure in the future we will do. Thank you again Golden Lion team!

Amazing food lovely staff.

We booked Sunday Dinner. We had good old fashioned wing back chairs and our table was beautifully placed. Service was quick and efficient delivered with a smile from engaging staff
Starter was very nice and the roast was great
What’s not to like!
Ambience was good too
Won’t hesitate in booking again.

A nice bit of class without being too up market. Great atmosphere.

Popped in today with dog and baby for coffee and cakes. Lovely comfortable bar area, staff friendly and good nappy changing facility. Coffee and cakes lovely too.

Most pleasant. Personnel. Clean shiny and new, in an old traditional building. Great location!

Great place to stay especially with the new refurbishment done rooms are very nice and the decor is great. We booked 10 rooms single to family and all had the same quality and was very well kept. They also have sky including Asian channels.

Stayed here on one occasion, rooms were lovely and reasonably priced too. Breakfast was very good. Would stay again.

Nice hotel restaurant. Tasty food. However, after quickly and efficiently serving our mains, the staff disappeared and we waited 45 mins as we wanted dessert. In the end, we gave up, paid at the bar and went to the teashop by the river for some cake. Shame, as everything else was very good.

We hired the function room on Saturday night for my 'significant' birthday party and were so pleased with how well we were looked after. Lucy was our point of contact for planning and was so helpful and friendly. John, the DJ, played some great tunes, getting everyone up on the dancefloor (who doesn't like 80s music?! ). Craig, the bar manager, was attentive and chatted to everyone, making us feel welcome and even handed me a complimentary cocktail to celebrate. I loved the size of the function room and the delicious buffet didn't last long! I would certainly recommend the Golden Lion if you're planning an event — and their afternoon tea is something special too.

Excellent food, lovingly prepared with a touch of flare. Really nice atmosphere and decor. Beer Reasonably priced. Good for family's having a meal, or a lads night out in the evening.

Nice little hotel, we had room (8) that had just been refurbished so it was lovely had everything in it, tea, coffee, hair dryer, ironing board, fan & the bed was comfy. The room looked nice & modern. It was market day so was noisey from very early on but it didn't bother us too much. The staff were lovely especially the lady at reception (upon arrival) The only thing that let it down was the breakfast the wait was ridiculous especially as it was near enough empty.

Only going it 4* because of food and Hotel. As for staff and clothing I was a bit taken aback, I know that staff work long days and need to feel comfortable but in a hotel for Sunday Lunch I did not expect waiting staff to be dressed in jeans and trainers. One member of staff was almost NOT warring his trousers (if you know what I mean) On speaking to the manage I was told that jeans and trainers was the uniform, when I mentioned the lad hardly warring his trousers the reply I got was some what not impressive "it's ok he's leaving next Sunday"

Been here a couple of times and the food has always been great. It's not the cheapest but you do get what you pay for. Staff are friendly and there is a nice atmosphere too.

My Brother and I have just stayed this week for 2 nights, for a family funeral. Well we can't wait to go back. Lovely food, lovely room and the staff where all brilliant. I have to mention Peter who looked after us superbly, what a lovely guy he is. Needs employee of the month for putting up with us 2. See you soon.

Lovely food and nice staff but I've had enough of pubs and restaurants that think it's their job to decide what's best for us by removing regular Pepsi, only leaving Pepsi Max and Diet Pepsi. You can buy Coca Cola in a bottle but of course it's a lot more expensive. I'm not obese or unhealthy but I enjoy having a cola with a meal but don't appreciate the political standpoint that several pub chains seem to be taking and so will avoid those that do so. Unfortunately, this lovely restaurant is now on that list!

'Golden' Lion… Not sure anything was 'Golden' about it this time. For somewhere I stay on occasions throughout the year, my most recent was disappointing. 1. Firstly, your duty manager Karen could do with a customer service refresher course. On arrival she was incredibly patronizing and demeaning. We all have bad days at the office but a little smile wouldn't hurt, plus it goes a long way… 2. Secondly, the room you allocated me, number 15. The temperature was beyond unbe…arable and totally out of my control. It was incredibly hot, stuffy and sweaty, didn't sleep at all and yes the radiator was off. No windows in this room, only a fan which looked like it had been sourced from a 1940's antique shop with a rotation of about 2 revolutions per minute. 3. Your staff had switched the lights off in the evening whilst myself and colleagues were still chatting inside opening in hours which seemed like a pushy attempt to get us to leave. 4. Breakfast in the morning, had to wait 30 minutes for cold scrambled eggs… Your waiter had also forgotten my colleagues order after he had waited for a long time also, in the end he advised your waiter to forget about it. It's a shame really, I usually have a good stay here but this time, it just didn't cut the mustard.

The staff there are very helpful, the food is excellent. The restaurant is lovely since they’ve had the place done out.

Very cozy, old, well restored.

Had a fabulous time at Gala NYE dinner, live band and music. Lovely breakfasts the following morning too. Staff were absolutely fabulous too. Our only complaint was we were woken up at 3am by a couple arguing and walking up and down the corridor shouting at each other.

We really liked this hotel, the room was comfortable and did exactly what you needed. Downstairs the bar and dining areas are really well presented, the breakfast is excellent and lots to choose from. Dog friendly too, our little dog was made really welcome, and there was only a small charge for her. The only slight downside was the actual location of our room, which was over the top of the kitchens, which meant that the extractors were running until quite late at night, so when booking, choosing a room that is either front facing or on the right side would be preferable.

Great pub for a weekend meal, lovely atmosphere with a range of seating types, and a good selection of drinks, with a reasonable price. Quick service with a polite reception. I can't say for hotel visits for the pub area is far nicer than the nearby spoons which is far denser and cramped.

Very nice decor and comfortable. However the food was very disappointing unfortunately. The service was also very slow too, but the waiter and waitresses were very pleasant. I would definately go back but for drinks only.

Very nice venue… Staff were very accommodating considering I had not booked in advance… the food was good, I had the pork roast, with the only downside being the small portion of crackling… nevertheless our waiter Jon was kind enough to get me another portion which was excellent… I have never tasted such perfect crackling… I will definitely return…

Staff were friendly and accommodating considering the fact that I had not booked in advance… Food was good, I had the pork roast, with the only drawback being the small portion of crackling… I have never had such delicious crackling… nevertheless the waiter Jon was kind enough to get me another portion which was brilliant… I would definitely recommend this pub, it was clean and well presented and the staff, although very busy, managed to be attentive throughout…

Recent! y refurbished to high modern standard, this Grade 2 listed historic coaching Inn is extremely comfortable. Staff were friendly and welcoming. Busy bar used by locals as well as residents. Breakfast is a cold buffet continental offer and hot cooked-to-order English. Breakfast service was a little slow and erratic partly due to under-the-counter.

Good food. Comfortable seating. Friendly staff.

Met friends for lunch here, service was amazing but we were slightly disappointed with the price and quality of the sandwiches.

I had visited The Golden Lion prior to recent, I discovered that they also had a new refurbishment and to put simply wow! The hotel looked amazing. Me and my friends loved the new wall features being chandeliers over the bar, we thought it was very pretty. We spent no time in ordering some cocktails off the the menu and are evening continued with laughs and also being in a lovely atmosphere it contributed to our evening especially as we were able to start a tab on our food and drinks! Thank you we will see you soon!

Stayed there for 2 nights with my wife. The room was comfortable and clean, service was wonderful and the breakfast faultless. The staff were very helpful and super friendly. I would fully recommend this inn for anyone who wants to get to know st ives.

Good breakfast (if slow! ), well equipped room… but window faced a wall. Still, it was great value overall and so am happy with our stay.

Tasteful refurbishment. This centrally located hotel offers a clean and welcoming environment. Great breakfast, good food and selection of drinks plus teas, coffees and cakes if just passing by. Professional and hardworking management and helpful staff. Highly recommend.

Visited The Golden Lion training lunch and opening evening and it was amazing! The food was superb, the new look/refurb of the restaurant/bar makes it feel posh but not pretentious and staff is so so friendly. Definitely visiting The Golden Lion more often.

Very pleasant place for a drink and a meal. The staff are warm and welcoming, the service very good. Prices are inline with expectations. I would have given 5 stars but I found the light levels a bit too low during the day.

I feel compeled to write a short review on the Golden Lion hotel even though I've never been there. To cut a long story short my mother is going for a major opperation at Papworth hospital. Due to emergencys her opperation has been moved three times, each time I have had to cancel my room at the last minuite. The staff have been amazing, very friendly, reasuring and have managed to sorce me another room. For that reason alone I give the Golden Lion a five star ratiing. Yours sincerely Jude.

Well kept ale, friendly staff, but service was a little slow considering there were 4 people behind the bar. All in all a nice pub.

Great food as always, but they messed up our order. We wanted (and ordered) hand cut chips with our pie of day. We got mash instead.

Good selection of beers, friendly atmosphere.

It's a local regular for anyone out drinking in St Ives, a place to meet up with friends before heading to any of the late opening bars. The staff are friendly and there is a good cocktail menu but these can take a little too long if it's a busy night. There is a smoking area out back and a balcony. There also a function room and hotel rooms but I've never used either. The food is pretty standard pub grub, but again I've not really had too much of this. For what it is, it's pretty good.

Good venue, helpful staff would recommend for an event, bat is a bit expensive but the food is very good.

Good location. Average room. Average service. Not bad, not great.

The food was brilliant, and reasonably priced. The service was prompt and polite, I really couldn't ask for more!

Large screens showing the football and decent beer… it was a good evening!

Good hotel and great atmosphere.