The Golden Lion Hotel, St Ives, Cambridgeshire - The Coaching Inn Group

Hotels
8.6 (1688 reviews)
Market Hill , St Ives , gb

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Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Room service
Heating
Terrace
Family rooms
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Friendly staff
Clean rooms
Good breakfast
Cons:
Noise issues
Parking difficulties
Some cleanliness concerns

Categories

Cleanliness
8.11
Mixed sentiments, with some guests noting a dirty room with cobwebs and another mentioning exceptionally clean.
Service
9.08
Guests frequently mention friendly and helpful staff, contributing positively to their experience.
Location
9.12
Multiple reviews highlight the hotel's excellent location, both convenient and central.
Room Quality
8.07
General sentiments indicate satisfactory room quality, though some reports mention issues such as noise and cramped spaces.
Amenities
8.6
Guests appreciate amenities like comfortable beds and breakfast, but some report a lack of complimentary water.
Value for Money
8.56
Many reviews mention good value for money given the location and amenities.
Food and Beverage
8.61
Consistently positive mentions of the breakfast quality and dining experience.
Overall Experience
8.68
Overall, guests express satisfaction and willingness to return, despite some minor issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2025-12-20 15:12

Property Description

Charming 18th Century Coaching Inn
Located in the heart of St Ives, Cambridgeshire, The Golden Lion Hotel is a charming 18th Century Coaching Inn exuding history and character.

Comfortable Accommodation
The bright and airy bedrooms at The Golden Lion Hotel offer en suite bathrooms, tea/coffee facilities, and flat-screen TVs. Perfect for a cozy and relaxing stay.

Delicious Dining Options
Indulge in a full English breakfast and a varied menu of freshly prepared dishes using local seasonal produce. Pair your meal with a selection of wines, spirits, and local ales.

Experience the historic charm and modern comforts at The Golden Lion Hotel, St Ives, Cambridgeshire. Book your stay now for an unforgettable experience.

Important information:

When booking 8 rooms or more, different policies and additional supplements will apply.

Children are allowed on request. Contact property with your requirements. Additional fees apply.

Pets are allowed in the classic rooms upon request. Additional fees apply, please contact property in advance to ensure a pet-friendly room is allocated.

The hotel is a popular venue at weekends with various events and can have live music playing until late, they do their best to ensure this is kept to a minimum.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM

Location

Guest Reviews

8.6
Based on 1688 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.11
Service: 9.08
Location: 9.12
Room Quality: 8.07
Amenities: 8.6
Value for Money: 8.56
Food and Beverage: 8.61
Overall Experience: 8.68
T
Tim • solo_traveller • gb
8
Pros:

Beautiful room design

Cons:

The view from the room was of a wall about a metre away it would have been helpful to know this when we was booking the room

2026-08-28 • via Nuitee
M
Miika • solo_traveller • fi
10
2026-08-27 • via Nuitee
L
Lara • solo_traveller • gb
7
Pros:

Team were lovely.

Cons:

Room 18 had no windows, a small velux and was absolutely boiling hot. One fan didn't cut the mustard.....

2026-08-26 • via Nuitee
C
Caroline • solo_traveller • gb
8
Pros:

Comfy, quiet and clean room.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
M
Matthew • couple • gb
9
Cons:

The only tiniest negative is the lack of onsite parking. There's plenty in the town and it's hard to see how the hotel could have it's own parking space, but it is worth knowing that parking can be a little awkward.

2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
A
Alfie • solo_traveller • gb
9
2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
A
Angela • couple • gb
4
The hotel was fine but spoilt by a lack of air conditioning
Pros:

It was very well placed.

Cons:

The room was unbearably hot.

2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
D
Debbie • couple • gb
8
2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
M
Maximilian • couple • de
9
2026-08-22 • via Nuitee
C
Clark • couple • gb
7
2026-08-22 • via Nuitee
I
Ian • couple • gb
10
2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
K
Kerry • couple • gb
7
Brief ok visit
Pros:

Location great staff nice

Cons:

Nice hotel been before
Loo needed cleaning on arrival
No fob given so couldn’t get in at midnight
Prosecco ordered but non alcoholic in error
All sorted but easy errors to fix

2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
P
Paula • couple • gb
9
Loved it. Really friendly staff amazing food and lovely rooms. If we hadn’t gone during a heat wave there wouldn’t have
Pros:

Spacious with fun decor. Very well maintained and clean. Air conditioned bar and restaurant. Beautiful building in a pretty town

Cons:

Very picky but no air conditioning in the bedrooms and we stayed during a heat wave. Had to walk 15 minutes in a heat wave with luggage from a nearby car park.

2026-08-15 • via Nuitee
P
Piers • couple • gb
8
2026-08-11 • via Nuitee
R
ROUILLON • extended_group • fr
10
2026-08-11 • via Nuitee
S
skennedy100 • solo_traveller • gb
7
Pros:

Area is nice, food in the resteraunt was really good.

Cons:

Room was roasting, no means of cooling it down.

2026-08-11 • via Nuitee
A
Anita • couple • gb
7
Great for an overnight
Pros:

Perfect location in St Ives

Cons:

The bed was a little lumpy

2026-08-10 • via Nuitee
C
Chris • couple • gb
9
2026-08-10 • via Nuitee
O
Orest • couple • gb
10
Pros:

Great location breakfast looked great but didn't try it. Would definitely visit again, easy check in and exceptionally clean.

2026-08-10 • via Nuitee
D
Deborah • solo_traveller • gb
6
Pros:

The hotel was lovely

Cons:

We were in room 15. With only a sky light window the heat was horrendous. Even the walls and floor were boiling hot. It was the most uncomfortable stay ever due to heat in the room. A fan was supplied but it did absolutely nothing. No way should the room have been let.

2026-08-10 • via Nuitee