Holbeck Ghyll - South Lakeland

Really enjoyed our stay, don't think that it will be long before this place gets its Michelin star back!

Went here for Christmas dinner We had been previously in Pre Covid days and had had a lovely time with great food and excellent service. Clearly it has now changed hands and is nothing compared to its former self. Food was aweful! advertised as a Christmas Dinner Tasting Menu at £120 per head, surely it would have been reasonable to expect quality food perhaps approaching a Fine Dining expeience? Instead we had a travesty of culinary car crashes! Two shell fish courses, Two desert courses, and a Christmas Turkey dinner main, so bad that I struggle to describe it. Meet and greet was by a very attentive and polite young man, (the only positive in the whole experience) The actual service from a scruffy older man who did not even have basic waiting skills. As if thats not bad enough they then charge a 12.5% service charge. Avoid at all cost! You have been warned.

Visited for lunch . It was a special occasion, as explained when we booked, and also had 2 bouquets delivered to the hotel. The small dining room was very cold only one log on the fire, we put two logs on ourselves from the log bucket, this was never replenished or the fire checked by the staff. We sat with our coats on, we could see other diners in the next room also had their coats and hats on. We kept closing the door, restaurant manager kept leaving the door open, which didn’t help. Disappointed with the food on the A la carte menu. I did phone to speak to the manager who fobbed me off by telling me that the log burner could only take one log at a time “really” he also said he was not aware that it was booked as a special occasion. Will certainly not visit again.

I’m sure the hotel is lovely but they need to work on their customer service. Spoke to staff via phone on 2 separate occasions to purchase gift voucher for afternoon tea. On both occasions was assured an e-mail would be sent to me allowing me to purchase pay . No such e-mail has been received so have purchased from another hotel.

Booked a table for special celebration. We were aware that it was only the bar menu but we didn't expect the terrible food that we were served. The staff were lovely but despite trying , they were struggling with a room full of people complaining. As soon as we arrived two glasses of prosecco were presented for the bride and groom, on the house. But no one else had drinks so we could not toast. The bar prices were outrageous, higher than a London Hotel, £20 for a cocktail. The bar menu was uninspiring. The food that followed was dire. Sloppy Caesar (you have to pay extra for chicken, dry as the stale croutons), chicken burgers with inedible sauce, limp lettuce, a slab of dry chicken and old brioche buns. Chips were extra, apparently home made but tasting of rancid oil. The steak was average and the peppercorn sauce lacked peppercorns but instead had a bit of pepper taste (we refused to pay for it, as it was also extra). Soup was served without a spoon, steak without steak knife. We could not be bothered with pudding. The staff did everything to make us feel welcome but I think the problem here lies with the owners. How can you justify the quality of ingredients you serve at the prices you charge is beyond me. Nice views and all that. We spoke to the manager who defended the whole thing rather than admit that they didn't even have a chef in the kitchen. We were celebrating a wedding and we felt that we could have been warn, as we would have made other arrangements. Beware on booking this restaurant on a Monday or Tuesday.