Ambleside Salutation Hotel, BW Premier Collection

Just back from 5 nights we stayed in the langdale room lovely size with superb bathroom and hot tub on the balcony The staff were friendly and helpful. The hotel is kept in tip top condition, the food top notch bar a little pricey but then all hotel drinks are expensive wherever you stay. The leisure club was lovely and clean although I feel they could do with more chairs/loungers. Car parking can be an issue as very small does put you off taking your car out incase you can't get a space when you return perhaps the hotel could issue an allocated space to each room Would we return? Definitely less

We were having trouble booking a group of 8 of us for an evening meal and came across the menu for the restaurant at this hotel and liked the look of it. Fortunately they were able to accomodate us and it was by far the best meal we had that weekend, or indeed for a long time. Lovely restaurant, but not at all stuffy. Great service and food was delicious. Suited the carnivores and vegetarians amongst the group - not the case everywhere. Very reasonably priced. In fact similar prices for main meals to the Queens and what a difference in quality!! The only thing that was a slight disappointment was that they didn't sell cocktails as one of our friends was looking forward to one as an end of weekend treat. Perhaps it is something to consider. Highly recommended. less

Reception is efficient and helpful. There is a glass lift for all those who get claustrophobic in lifts. The room we had was adequate size with a spa bath. Sounds grand but actually it is a normal bath that pumps water out of the sides. The breakfast was right at the top of the tree with a number of hot options. I had kippers which were proper split kippers not those yellow looking objects out of a plastic bag. The choice of bread, cereals and fresh fruit was excellent. Location in the centre of town for those people who are challenged by walking a distance. The secure car park is small and difficult to park in but adequate if you are good at manoeuvring. There is some under cover parking also. This hotel also has a spa which I cannot comment on. Top price for a top hotel. I would stay again if I could afford it. less

This was our third visit to the Salutation. We have the club rooms which give more space as some rooms look very small. Rooms are nicely furnished and modern, space can be at a premium even with the larger room. Our club room has a walk-in lake district (aka rainforest) shower. There is a large three area lounge, looks very cosy in the winter. We had wine by the glass from the bar, good qualiy and served in large glasses. We did not have dinner, the menu looks quite basic pub style food. There are some excellent restaurants in the town and close by. Breakfast is good for a three star hotel, they now allow extra portions of your selection on the cooked breakfast. The only real issue we had is the parking. The hotel provides one space per room but many spaces require some tricky manoeuvring in and out and it is possible to get blocked in. It seems like us that many guests stay put to avoid the hassle of finding a space. Shame, as we have decided not to return due to the parking. less

Stayed here for a very enjoyable four nights, in a spacious room with a hot tub on the balcony. Staff at The Salutation gave us a friendly welcome, and everything about the hotel contributed to our relaxing stay. Despite the large lounge area, it still offers a reasonable feeling of privacy with well-arranged comfortable easy chairs and sofas, and a well stocked bar area. The hotel has spa treatments and swimming pool available. The Salutation is located right in the small town of Ambleside, so the views aren't particularly wide ranging. But it did mean we could park in the hotel car park and not use the car for 3 days - plenty of choice of local restaurants, cafes and attractions within an easy walk. Bus services too, to take you to and from the walks and scenery. The hotel does a great breakfast at reasonable cost - but there are plenty of choices nearby if you want something else. Just one minor gripe was the credit card surcharge, which although in itself isn't that much - just seems penny-pinching for an upmarket hotel. less