Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa

Very pleasant experience had as we booked through Wowcher and the value was very good. The spa was smaller than what we expected and I would have thought it would have been better equipped with a jacuzzi and perhaps service from the bar. The room was a very good size but was let down by the incredibly soft and small bed as well as some below par Tea and Coffee facilities. Very clean though and a lovely view of the lake. The highlight for us though was the service from Emily in the restaurant, both in the evening and the morning after for Breakfast. She was extremely pleasant, well presented and she took the time to make conversation. She is an asset to your team and I can only hope she goes on to bigger and better things. Thank you Emily for making our stay memorable.

Overall a great classic hotel with excellent staff (in the dinning room and lounge) Good breakfasts and excellent dinner. Very comfortable bed in a spacious cosy room. First rate location and wonderful views over the Lake. Has a pool and sauna. Very good afternoon tea. Some of the public rooms are chilly in winter and on holiday weekends things feel at full stretch sometimes. Parking is not cheap. Quality/choice of the tea (bags), towels, and coffee could be better We had an excellent visit and were impressed by the Staff’s hard work. Great tourist location.

We booked an Autumn deal, staying overnight 30th Sept 2025 in a standard room. No view but it was just a bed for the night and the views were enjoyed when walking around & sat in the restaurant. We live in Cumbria and for many years have had breaks around Windermere and the surrounding area. This was our first time at the hotel, the main draw on this occasion was the 20m pool, although having said that the weather was lovely on this day and we frequented local bars, sitting outside to enjoy the views. Would we return to the hotel = Yes we would, however there are many lovely hotels in the area for similar pricing, they do not charge a supplement for a breakfast choice and most certainly do not charge £25 for parking EACH day of your stay! The hotel is looking a bit tired in places which suprises me because of its stunning location and part of the huge McDonald chain of hotels. We paid £160+ for one night B & B + the £25 parking fee. The evening meal & wine was lovely and served in the Lakeside restaurant with stunning views of the lake, piers and marina. Breakfast was in the same restaurant. I am not a person that generally enjoys breakfast but when I do, a hotel choice is generally Salmon / eggs. I had nothing else apart from toast, coffe and fruit juice but still had to pay a supplement because I chose Salmon. The coffee was weak. Unsure re coffee brand but on the tongue a taste of herbal / fruity?? It was...ok. My wife ordered elements of a full cooked breakfast but the hash brown was missing when the meal was served. Staff = lovely and helpful as always. Reception, restaurants, bar and room cleaning. The only real negative point is the £25 per day if you use the hotel car park. Don't pay that. I have never paid anywhere near that ever! For parking. Many hotels in the immediate area do not charge a parking fee. Local streets have some limitations for parking, but if you are prepared to wait until after 5pm and move before 9am the following morning, you might find free parking. In addition and with a minutes walk, you have council car parking which is far cheaper than £25 per day. Per day!!! Overall, a nice stay, great location and set within one of the most beautiful and picturesque areas in Cumbria. Yes we would stay again, but will we - maybe not because locally we have stayed in beautiful nearby hotels, some with stunning views and all with free parking

It was a memorable experience! We tried the afternoon tea, and the ambiance was truly magical, the lake view is stunning and very relaxing. Overall, the experience was lovely, though the taste of the food was fairly average, to be honest. The place is usually very busy, so reservations are highly recommended. A great choice for the view and atmosphere.

The service here was incredible the staff so friendly and welcoming, the environment is clean. We used the spa facilities, which were great, we didn't get any treatments on the day but did use the pool, ice shower, steam room and the sauna followed the afternoon tea, that had a good selection of sweet and savoury choices. We was given choices as to where we'd like to sit, the staff member showed us a few tables and also suggested the best seat for the perfect view. Thank you very much for hosting us. We didn't use any of the rooms as we did a day trip.

Stayed at the hotel last week. Lovely hotel-good food. Nice rooms. Lovely views of the lake when sat in relaxing lounge. Staff Lovely-very helpful. My husband and I had a complimentary afternoon tea-this was very nice.( This was given by the manager as last time we went to stay we had to leave at midnight as I was very poorly) Had a lovely stay-looking forward to returning.

The hotel overall is lovely, the views are incredible! But for me the rooms could have been subpar and i still would have given 5* ans that all because of the staff. Ive never been to a hotel before where i am So thought, i am dairy free, more then happy to miss out on things and adapt myself, but as soon as the staff in the restaurant knew i was brought soya milk, sorbet instead of the desert everyone else had and i really loved that an appreciated that, it seemed that nothing was too much trouble I cant wait to return as a holiday guest instead of a business trip

Lovely old Hotel. Comfy bed. Nice and warm. Good bathroom but no complimentary extras. Pump soaps in shower but no washcloths? Dining room for breakfast was really nice. The black pudding and hash browns were a bit dry but a really nice selection of fruits to go with cereals. Good pot of coffee and the wait staff in the dining room were 10/10.