The Riverside

Hotels
8 (2319 reviews)
Stramongate Bridge , Kendal , GB

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Fitness facilities
WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Fitness center
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Room service
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Excellent location by the river / central
Very friendly and helpful staff
Good restaurant / food
Lovely views from rooms
Underground parking available for some guests
Cons:
No air conditioning in rooms — very hot for some stays
Room cleanliness issues (dust, mould, unclean sheets, spiders)
Hotel and rooms feel tired / in need of refurbishment
Parking limited or unreliable for a hotel of this size
Value for money concerns relative to room condition
Small beds and some maintenance issues (noisy doors, broken fans)

Categories

Cleanliness
6
Multiple guests reported poor cleanliness: dust, mouldy silicone around baths, paint peeling, sheets not fully clean and spiders in rooms. Cleanliness is a clear weak point.
Service
10
Staff repeatedly described as very friendly, helpful and attentive (help removing spiders, upgrades provided, warm welcomes) — service is a major strength.
Location
10
Consistently praised: central, next to the river, close to the train station and town — location is an outstanding asset.
Room Quality
6.5
Mixed to negative: several reports of tired, dated rooms, noisy doors, funny smells, small beds and maintenance issues (bath fan not working, spray beyond shower screen). Some rooms were spacious or upgraded, but inconsistencies lower this score.
Amenities
6.5
Amenities are mixed: gym and (unused) pool were acceptable, but recurrent lack of air conditioning, limited/frustrating parking and absence of refrigerators in some rooms reduce the score.
Value for Money
6.5
Guests were divided: some called it good value, others felt it was poor value given dated rooms and extra issues — overall value leans below target.
Food and Beverage
9
Food and restaurant received many positive mentions (excellent restaurant, delicious meals); breakfast opinions were mixed (adequate to good, with a few complaints about tinned fruit).
Overall Experience
9.5
Overall sentiment is positive due to excellent location, strong service and good food; several guests said they'd stay again despite some room/cleanliness issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-08-12 22:17

Property Description

Riverside Hotel in Kendal town centre
Most of the rooms offer stunning views of the River Kent, equipped with satellite TV, tea/coffee facilities, and free Wi-Fi. Guests can enjoy local produce at the Riverview Restaurant sourced from the hotel's Victorian kitchen garden.

State-of-the-art Leisure Club
The hotel boasts a leisure club with a heated swimming pool, sauna, steam room, hot tub, gym, and exercise studio for guests to unwind and stay active during their stay.

Convenient Location
Located just 250 metres from Kendal Railway Station and a 10-minute drive from the M6 motorway, the Riverside Hotel offers easy access to explore Windermere, the Yorkshire Dales, and other nearby attractions.

Ready to experience a blend of historic charm and modern amenities? Book your stay at Riverside Hotel now!

Important information:

Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: MAN

Location

Guest Reviews

8
Based on 2319 reviews
Cleanliness: 6
Service: 10
Location: 10
Room Quality: 6.5
Amenities: 6.5
Value for Money: 6.5
Food and Beverage: 9
Overall Experience: 9.5
L
Linda • solo_traveller • gb
6
Pros:

Location is lovely 😍

Cons:

Hotel is in need of a refurb, very aged furniture, needs a good freshen up and painted. Rooms were dusty with mould in the bathroom around the bath

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
J
Jeannette • couple • nl
6
Terleurstellend
Pros:

De ligging, aan het water en vrij centraal.

Cons:

Het was niet schoon. Er zaten veel vlekken en beschadigingen aan de muren. Badkamer had schimmel bij de voegen en kapotte meubels. De fitness viel ook tegen, veel kleiner dan verwacht en druk doordat het tevens door niet hotel gasten wordt gebruikt. Alles was veel minder mooi dan op de foto’s

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
A
Alison • couple • gb
10
Pros:

Stayed for one night only but was very pleased with the hotel, good location, nice room with river view, free parking, friendly staff, good breakfast

Cons:

Nothing

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
J
Julie • couple • gb
2
Not recommended
Pros:

The hotel has a lovely bar area with some outdoor seating by the river serving a good range of food.

Cons:

Dirty very dated dusty room and mould around the window. Under the bed where my partner looked after dropping a pound was thick with dust. Thick dust everywhere. Unfortunately breakfast was not served in the nice bar area. Instead it was in a separate part which was very run down and dated. Spa area also opened to the public so to busy to use.

2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
W
Wendy • extended_group • gb
10
Nice location with parking.
Pros:

Free parking is always a bonus!

Cons:

Nothing!

2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
L
Leanne • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

The staff were very friendly, the room was clean, and our dog was welcome!

Cons:

Nothing!

2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
A
Andrew • solo_traveller • gb
8
2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
S
Sarah • couple • gb
8
Lovely friendly ideally located hotel
Pros:

Staff were lovely and welcoming.

2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
D
Dawn • couple • ca
5
2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
L
Leigh • extended_group • gb
10
2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
M
Maxine • couple • gb
7
2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
M
Martin • couple • gb
7
Hotel was in a great location, staff friendly. Rooms felt dated and could do with a clean. Dust on walls, dirty lamp and
Pros:

Great location, friendly staff. Downstairs modern but rooms feel dated

Cons:

Couldn’t use pool, one of the reasons we booked hotel. Wasn’t made aware before arriving that pool was out of use.

2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
C
Craig • couple • au
8
Pros:

Great location. Beautiful old building right on the river.

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
A
Amelia • solo_traveller • us
7
Delapidated hotel with lovely staff in great location
Pros:

The staff were all beyond excellent - friendly, professional, caring, informative. Can’t say enough good things about the people who work here. The location is also great - nice walk to the center of town; pretty location between bridges on the river.

Cons:

I can only speak to my room, but every bit of it needed to go. Furniture, lighting & fans were broken. There were stains on the wall. Nowhere to hang towels. In fact there were no towels at all in the room. If it wasn’t broken, it was of such low quality that it didn’t deserve to be in such a nice location in such a nice town.

The room doors throughout the hotel are all designed to slam shut, creating a near-impossible sleep environment. There is no way to move luggage up to your room without taking stairs. There is no air conditioning and also no screen on any window (I was advised to close my windows, which were open when I arrived, to keep the spiders out).

I was told (after I finally called the emergency number) that phone line to the reception was out of service.

This could be an incredible hotel if the investment was made.

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
M
Michael • couple • jp
7
2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
L
Louise • solo_traveller • gb
6
2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
C
Carole • couple • gb
5
Comfortable enough with great views over tge river
Pros:

Breakfast was good.

Cons:

It smelled of dog when we first walked in. The area under shower needed a good clean. The tap on the bathroom sink was loose and the toilet flush was broken. We did report the tap and they said it would be fixed the following day, but it wasn't.

2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
L
Louise • solo_traveller • gb
6
Ok stop over from long distance trip ...good if you like a swim
Pros:

Leisure area great open 7am and had pool to myself. Only small pool but very clean with jacuzzi and sauna. There is a gym. Changing rooms excellent. Free car parking. Hotel staff very friendly. Nice balcony on bar to sit by river and bridge.we had a nice view of river from our room.

Cons:

Rooms very dated and need money spending on them. Didn't eat there so can't comment on food. Nothing nice around hotel have to cross bridge and walk past closed down shops for a while to find anywhere nice.

2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
A
Andrew • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

Very clean, nice views of river from the room. Great breakfast. Staff very friendly

Cons:

Nothing

2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
L
LANCE • extended_group • gb
7
Pros:

great staff, gym and pool good, even if crowded when 3 people tried to swim, close to town centre, short easy walk

Cons:

could do with an upgrade , lick of paint etc, but no problems really

2026-09-10 • via Nuitee