Cumbria Grand Hotel

For how much I paid, I was robbed. This hotel got the landlord special and it shows. The bathroom door couldn't close all the way because of all the layers of paint. The fan in the bathroom window was sagging from a cracked pane and left a hole open. Paint all over the window panes from a quick and cheap paint job. The floor didn't look like it had ever been vacuumed in the room, and the floor in the bathroom was actively dirty with hair and smashed bugs. The cabinet in the bedroom had a broken door, the beds were uncomfortable. Water stains in the bedroom wall, not too mention all over the building. You could see paint drips in the paint all over the place and it smelled moldy in certain areas. People smoking on their balconies meant that our room often smelled like smoke. We were there in July so closing the window wasn't really an option. The staff were all nice. Breakfast was just OK. It definitely looks like it was awesome 40 years ago but hasn't really been updated or maintained since. The view was nice, except for the overflowing trash bins that we thankfully couldn't smell. I paid $242 American and I'm not happy with the value I received. Wouldn't recommend.

Nothing

On a hot night without air conditioning a fan would have been appreciated.

Poorly maintained room (pealing paint & wallpaper, old chipped furniture with missing handles). Very dirty room window unable to open more than a few centimeters. Housekeeping service below standard (poorly made beds, a pile of linen was left outside our room for 2 days).
Stained and torn dining area chairs and sofa’s.
Inflexible kitchen staff unwilling to accommodate a food order 2 minutes after kitchen closing after having waited in the queue.

Challenges with one of the showers.

Everything great

small and dirty rooms, no fan no ac, very expensive for what they offer

There was nothing I didn't like

Peaceful

Nothing

Nothing, can't fault anything at all

Unfortunately, our experience was very disappointing.

We booked a Superior Double room 302, and the room description indicated that it included a seating area. However, apart from a writing desk and one chair, there was no separate seating area, such as a small table and armchair. The only chair provided was badly stained and unpleasant to use.

There was very little about the condition of the room that felt “superior”. The room was extremely tired and poorly maintained, with peeling and damaged wallpaper, cracks and marks on the walls and ceiling, stained curtains, dusty surfaces, a visibly dirty ceiling light fitting, and deteriorating areas in the bathroom. The window and balcony area were also in poor condition.

I fully appreciate that this is a very old and historic building, but there is a clear difference between historic character and a lack of basic cleaning and maintenance. Many of the issues we encountered did not require major renovation — simply better housekeeping, routine maintenance and attention to detail. Considering this was a Superior Double room, it made us wonder what standard the regular rooms are maintained to.

The hotel has extensive grounds, which could be a real asset, but unfortunately these also appeared poorly maintained. Even close to the restaurant, piles of cut grass had simply been left lying around, while the bushes close to the hotel contained a noticeable amount of litter. With such a beautiful historic building and large grounds, it was disappointing to see the outside areas lacking basic care and attention as well.

The food was another major disappointment. I ordered a £16 chicken and bacon salad. The bacon appeared to have been previously cooked and reheated, making it hard and greasy, and the chicken did not taste freshly cooked. More concerningly, the salad had not been properly washed — there was grit/sand in it and I even found an insect.

Decor of the building needs updating / a good clean.
Breakfast was mediocre
Most of the breakfast staff looked miserable, however the staff were happy to help you.