Storrs Hall Hotel

We needed a bit of R and R and since this has one of those repuations in the Lakes for being the diners' venue without the pomp we thought we'd give it a try. The room we had originally booked wasn't ready when we arrived (7.30pm Sunday evening.... go figure...) and we were placed in another superior room.....superior meaning crumbling walls and huge damp patches, but the bathroom was big and this was a good thing. Dining was a little over the top with "Michelin-attempting" dishes that just weren't working, everything just over the top fussed-about-with-food, forgetting flavour. The dining room felt silent (you hated to talk and in case you disturbed other diners) which just made us giggle and with self-consciousness. The try-too-hard service was just not condusive to relaxing at all....you know the type....you go to pour a glass of wine for yourself and the aiter comes straight over to take over for you....come on...that isn't good service, it's old fashioned and perhaps that's whgere we went wrong, we chose a hotel catering for old people who want to feel the old fashioned values of over-service, despite the crumbling interior and exterior. We preferred to eat out in town the other nights and Bowness has a few good little restaurants if you're prepared to go out of the tourist trap. Nice early morning walks around the lake but don't rder breakfast in your room since the service there is rubbish, quite the opposite to the over-service of the dining room. Fine for weddings and big parties but not for couples seeking a getaway I feel.

My partner and i stayed here for two nights and after reading some of the negative reviews before our stay, i was worried we were going to a delapidated wreck. However, we both really enjoyed it. The room was warm, clean, well furnished and very spacious despite being one of the cheaper rooms. The hotel had a warm, relaxing atmosphere and the overall feeling was one of calm professionalism. I will admit that the outside of the building does need some attention and the conservatory area at the rear should be redecorated asap because its shabbiness detracts from the stunning views of Windermere from the restaurant. I was woken both mornings quite early by clanking noises and doors slamming that i think were coming from the kitchens and have fed this back to the staff as it isnt acceptable when you pay to get away for a break. These are the only gripes though because the staff members were all polite and helpful, the evening drinks served in the sumptuous lounges a real treat and the breakfasts hearty, fresh and very tasty. For proximity to the lake and seclusion from the masses, this hotel is ideal and we would definitely return. The spa / pool at Low Wood is a bit of a drive away and quite small but i loved the outdoor hot tub that we lay back in when the sun had set. Nothing much quite as refreshing as a hot tub on a cool, still autumn night. I hope the hotel does get the facelift it deserves because it has the atmosphere and setting to be tremendous.

The first impression on arrival to the front looked a little drab to say the least,it didn't appear luxury immediately.The front requires some work to give this hotel a luxury look others have.Cutting corners and cost saving shows.We checked in having booked the Grand Large Luxury most expensive room for a special occasion walking in with another not so good feel,the room was at the back looking over the carpark, not large,not grand either.They had a fluffy dirty toy dog lying on the bed that needing a wash.I wouldn't pay their tariff for that room.I asked at reception if we could be moved as I wasnt happy and lucky enough we could be,although the receptionist had to make remarks and their opinion on the fact. We were moved to a room I expected to have paid and booked Grand and large.They did try to help.I was happy with the change,dont know why they tried to book us into that other room in the first place.BUT...We had NO heating from the radiators throughout the stay at 5 degrees cold outside!The room was so COLD and the bathroom was too cold to undress and have a bath.I asked reception by 9.30pm for some heating,they brought us a plug in heater!Thats a grand luxury £264 a night room tariff with a heater for you to plug in.A bottle of water had already been half drunk by the previous guest.The toiletries also were nothing different from a £70 a night hotel.Other luxury £264 a night hotels have dressing gowns after a bath.No extra luxury items in the room to feel any grander than a £70 hotel.Im so pleased we didnt pay any extra for the breakfast (they charge £25 for a couple non resident) as the breakfast grill was a brick,a knife couldnt cut through it but you could break a window with it.Had much better food in other hotels.Whilst we had breakfast on our return to our room,we found the room attendant had been in and moved furniture around and sorted the bed ready for the next guests to arrive before we had even departed!All our belongings were over the sofa at the time.We had over an hour before we were due to leave,felt like they wanted us out to get ready for their next guest.We complained about the cold throughout the stay before we left but there you go.The receptionists presentation was a little untidy,other hotels are much smarter in atire.Overall I managed to enjoy the stay with our own touches but I would never come here again.Shabby not luxury.

The hotel was full the nights we stayed with an American party. This in fact made for a very enjoyable stay as there was lots of company. I agree that the oppulence of yesteryear is faded but i though this added to the charm. Passing a couple on the stairs with their boxer dog gave us an idea of what to expect. We really loved our room; old fashioned furniture but very comfortable bed and all the extras you would expect. Lovely view over the lake which we were not expecting and on a rainy day it was nice to sit in the alcove and watch all the wild life The food is superb. I ate at a Michelin star restaurant recently and the food compared very well. the chef is one to watch. Ate so much at breakfast that we couldnt eat again all day. Dont stay here looking for a modern hotel..its an old fashioned country house style. We will definetly be back

This hotel is ok but we would not stay here again. My new Husband and I stayed for 2 nights as part of our Honeymoon in the Lakes. This hotel is typical English hotels which were probably great in the 1970's but are now faded grandeur but still charging a premium. It needs stripping back and re-painting properly inside and out (not the paint jobs it has previously had which is jsut paint over more paint). Also there is lots of ornaments/wall hangings and curtains etc which are clearly not of the same circa to which this hotel was built. Shabby trying to be chic is the best description.

I had my wedding at Storrs Hall in August and i have to say i found all the staff to be helpful and attentive. The front of house receptionist, who seems to be have mentioned in a negative way in other reviews, was lovely to everyone and was happy to help at all times. The day ran smoothly and everyone left having had a great time! The location was great and the food was superb. Having looked at other hotels in the lakes for our wedding , Storrs seemed to tick all the boxes and delivered. I would higly recommend a stay at Storrs hall as the grounds are lovely. I also found the breakfast to be 'Yummy' and perfectly big enough!

There seems to be quite a discrepancy between reviews here so, having spent four days at Storrs, I'll see if I can help clarify the areas that seem to conflict (with a summary at the end for those who want to skip the detail). There are two elements to Storrs. The main building with its hotel rooms and the separate 'self-catering' lodges which are discreetly placed very close to the hotel. Many of the conflicting opinions seem to cross this 'divide' if you like, with those staying in the hotel seeming much happier than those in the lodges. The hotel itself is a very old stately building and steeped in history. If you like plush modernity then this isn't the place for you. If you love history, grand rooms, old furnishings, wonderful lake views then you'll love staying in this hotel. The bedrooms are in keeping with the style of the hotel so don't expect fresh decor! If you want luxury modern features, forget it. If you love an older world feel then you'll enjoy. We stayed in two rooms while we were there. The basic room was admittedly a bit small as was the double bed. If you like space, then definitely opt for one of the more expensive rooms or you'll be disappointed. We had pre-booked to move up from the basic room after a couple of days and when we did, the second room was very spacious with an enormous bed and a beautiful lake view. Much better. Both rooms had fully modernised bathrooms which I think was a good idea; keeping the aged elegance in the bedroom but with the clean functionality of a modern bathroom. The hotel bar has a pleasant old world feel to it while the main lounge is a magnificent large room with a view over Windermere to die for. You could sit for hours here just supping up the atmosphere. A smaller lounge is adjacent. Outside, the hotel is set on a 17 acre large piece of land jutting out into the lake which means that Windermere is viewable from two frontages of the hotel making it all feel very private. A walk around the grounds and along the lake shore is a joy. I see that the decor of the outside of the hotel has been criticised but I would not support that view. It is true that the part of the building where you arrive is not the best, but stroll down to the lakeside and look back and you are struck by the elegance of this wonderful period house nestling amongst the trees. Magnificent! The staff were very friendly, helpful and plentiful. I could not find fault with the service we received. Rooms were clean and quickly made up. Further to an earlier comment regarding an intrusive wedding, they did hold functions in the hotel whilst we were there, but we were not denied access to the restaurant or bar as reported earlier. I suggest it might be prudent to check before booking. We ate at the restaurant on the first evening and had an excellent meal for £47.50 a head which deserved the two rosette award the hotel enjoys. The meal served is of the 'Nouveau Cuisine' variety which means quantity is not a strong point. If you are doing a lot of physical activity during the day it would not give sufficient sustenance (as reported earlier), but for those on a more leisurely break who enjoy fine dining it matches the need. Breakfast in the morning is a grand affair with full waitered service - increasingly rare these days and much appreciated. Summary. I feel this hotel will tick all the boxes for those who want a quiet break in a historic house which once had great importance on the lake- it's almost like staying in one of those stately homes you've often visited. However, for those staying in the lodges, I can see that the hotel's grandeur seems in complete contrast to the accommodation you would be in. I've done hotels and self catering and which I choose largely depends on what I want from the holiday. I think that it was probably unwise for the lodges to be put on the same site as this hotel because the contrast of expectations are too great for both to be satisfied. I suspect from other's comments that the facilities that self-caterers would expect might be where this hotel falls short.

Storrs is in a total mess. The hotel sits in a great location - thats about it. The front of the hotel is dropping to pieces and certainly is not representative of a luxury hotel. On arrival there was a wedding ceremony taking place in the reception so we had to enter the hotel through a fire exit leading to the bar - hello! The check-in was ok and we were shown to our room - good size and nice view but certainly not luxurious more tired / faded glory. We asked if could change rooms but the hotel was full due to the wedding party. However for comparison they showed us another room which someone had checked in to but were out for the day! Can you believe it! Some friends were also staying in the hotel and their rooms were terrible, One was so damp the room stank and the others had water running down the inside of the walls from the rain. Breakfast was ok however the service was terrible. We had to ask four times for butter, the seasonal fruit plate was four tiny bits of borderline rotten fruit and were certainly no way seasonal. We avoided eating in the hotel for the rest of our two day stay - many great places to eat close by - The Masons Arms and The Punch Bowl in Crosthwaite both have really great atmosphere, fantastic food and also have rooms. All in all the hotel could be a real stunner if the owners put in some significant investment. As it stands this hotel is playing on its location only and charging 5* prices for what is a lower end 3* place.

What a fantastic place! This hotel should be a 5* we simply fell in love with this place! After having read some of the previous reviews, I was wondering what this place was going to be like and was pleasantly surprised! That leaves me wondering what kind of people wrote the previous reviews... Something about us, we are both in our early 30ties, degree educated professional couple and have really enjoyed our stay! Even the weather was lovely, sunny with a little bit of cloud. We had room #6, which was the cheapest one (£165 prpn with breakfast) however, it was really lovely, furnished with antique furniture and original curtains/wallpaper (this house is owned by a "silent" owner who leases it out to a hotel company, he left the place as it was when he lived there..he was a keen collector and the whole place feels like home with original furnishings, etc) The hotel staff could not have been more friendly and welcoming and their English was excellent. They were also very polite and helpful. Regarding our breakfast (we did not eat dinner here, instead drove to Windermere - about 3min drive away, easy parking-where we were spoilt for choice with different choice of restaurants), this was done via "menu", I had a lovely porridge, yoghurt with fresh exotic fruit & freshly squeezed orange juice and my partner had full English breakfast. My portions were great, regarding my partner’s; it was a bit on a small side, but excellent quality. So for people who prefer quality over quantity, i would fully recommend this. We also had toasts and various pastries (this is standard on every table), so we definitely were not hungry afterwards. However, reading previous reviews, I would imagine this would not suffice for people who are used to eat 3 portions of fully fried English breakfast (that is definitely not us!) We also ordered room service on one occasion, at 18:00 we ordered 2 cream teas (they only serve this till 17:30 but were flexible enough to comply with our late order) and these were just out of this world!!!! The best scones ever, with clotted cream, strawberry jam and fresh raspberries! Simply divine and fully recommended! :) We also loved the position of this hotel; it was right on the lake, really quiet yet only 2-3 min drive from Windermere. The parking was also very easy, having been able to park right by the entrance all the time (yet the hotel was almost full!) To sum this all up, I would definitely recommend this hotel to and will hopefully come back soon!

I stayed at Storrs Hall for one night whilst on a two day walking break with a friend. I had been aware of the Hall for years as we used to drop in for a drink whilst sailing on the lake years ago and was interested to see what it was like following it's refurbishment. The Hall is in a great setting and the gardens are lovely. It has been refurbished well, but is starting to look slightly tired and a facelift maybe in order. Our room was nice, but attention to detail isn't great - I had booked a twin room and we were given a double. We were told it would be sorted out for us whilst we were at dinner, but when we returned to our room we still had a double bed and had to ask again and then wait whilst the beds were remade into twins. Our lake view was obscured by scaffolding and there was old rotting indoor furniture that hadn't yet made it to the tip below our window. We ate in the restaurant and the food was very good and beautifully presented, but rather pretentious and not nearly filling enough for two people who had been walking on the fells all day!! The breakfast however was superb and we both loved the fact that it was served to you we didn't have to collect it from a buffet . The staff were very friendly and attentive, but as many are European and their English not fantastic we did have trouble getting what we asked for.