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

Hotels
8.6 (1652 reviews)
Market Hill , St Ives , gb

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Children allowed
Pets 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

Property Policies

  • Pets

    Pets are allowed on request. Charges may be applicable.

  • Groups

    When booking more than 8 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

  • Parking

    No parking available.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in public areas and is free of charge.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for £10 per person per stay when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 12 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    Adults stay for £10 per person per stay when using an available extra bed.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
    Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.6
Based on 1652 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
H
Hall • solo_traveller • gb
10
I will be staying again.
Pros:

Staying there

Cons:

N/a

2026-07-23 • via Nuitee
M
Megan • couple • gb
9
2026-07-22 • via Nuitee
S
Stephen • couple • gb
10
2026-07-21 • via Nuitee
C
Craig • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-07-21 • via Nuitee
P
Paul Richard • couple • gb
5
Holiday spoilt by the room(17)
Pros:

Lovely building with a great location

Cons:

No onsite parking
Breakfasts were hardly warm
Staff never removed plates in between courses. Table so cluttered
Room was horrendous, window directly above extremely loud kitchen extraction fans. Thought I was at cape Canaveral! Room smelt of cooking oil and food. Fans kicked off at 07.20 in the morning and on till gone 10pm!!
Do not accept rooms 16 and 17!!
It was that hot you needed windows opening.

2026-07-19 • via Nuitee
B
Bradley • couple • gb
10
2026-07-19 • via Nuitee
C
Cary-Ann • solo_traveller • gb
8
A firm Favourite!
Pros:

The Golden Lion is consistent and a favourite when traveling to St Ives for work.

Cons:

During the summer months the rooms can get quite hot. However, it is a listed building and so there is little the team can do to overcome this.

2026-07-16 • via Nuitee
R
Rita • couple • gb
10
Would not hesitate to recommend this hotel. We will hopefully return.
Pros:

Lovely hotel. Everything clean and well presented.
Had dinner in the restaurant, the staff were all friendly and nothing too much trouble. Very comfy beds, we had a very good nights sleep

Cons:

The only thing I could say is it might be good to invest in air conditioning as the bedroom was very warm. There was a fan which the housekeeping had put on for us which helped a little.

2026-07-14 • via Nuitee
M
Margaret • family_with_children • gb
2
Very disappointing
Pros:

The bar was comfortable

Cons:

There were very few staff in the hotel and the service was not good. The hotel is shabby and dirty. Our bathroom had gaps between the bath and floor and the sink unit is falling apart. The bath also leaked. The carpet was diry as was the bathroom floor. We stayed in room 12.

2026-07-14 • via Nuitee
A
Anne • couple • gb
10
Pros:

Location

Cons:

No on site parking

2026-07-13 • via Nuitee
N
Neil • solo_traveller • gb
10
Great room everything I needed clean staff were excellent
Pros:

Fantastic room really enjoyed staying

2026-07-12 • via Nuitee
D
Diana • solo_traveller • gb
9
Very good hotel in an excellent position in the centre of St.Ives - would recommend
Pros:

Good central location
Comfortable suite

Cons:

Room top floor - no lift

2026-07-11 • via Nuitee
C
Craig • couple • gb
4
Ok
Pros:

Location

Cons:

No air con small room and not clean bathroom and blocked drain

2026-07-09 • via Nuitee
P
Paul • family_with_children • gb
8
Idea for the type of visit
Pros:

Had an excellent meal and the room was very clean & tidy

2026-07-02 • via Nuitee
S
Sophia • couple • gb
10
Outstanding staff nothing is too much for them
Pros:

All the staff at this hotel or outstanding…nothing is too much for these guys and gals

Cons:

My rooms bathroom needs some tlc…mouldy sealant

2026-06-30 • via Nuitee
J
John • solo_traveller • gb
7
Disappointing stay
Cons:

Dated decor, stained dining chairs, very expensive drinks...the glass of wine was dearer than the specialist wine bar in the town. Our room had the smallest window which was high up which made the room really hot, I know that we were experiencing very high temperatures but when we mentioned it there was no offer of another room even though the hotel didn't appear to be fully occupied.

2026-06-29 • via Nuitee
R
ROBERT • extended_group • gb
10
2026-06-26 • via Nuitee
S
Susan • couple • gb
8
Enjoyed our stay
Pros:

The decor of the hotel. very friendly staff..well set out breakfast with good choice

Cons:

Bedroom window which looked out on to a wall. The bed quilt was far too heavy for summer. Grouting above bath needed attention

2026-06-25 • via Nuitee
A
Alison • solo_traveller • gb
8
Good location St Ives
Pros:

Location great and good breakfast

Cons:

It was very hot but there was a fan in the room.

2026-06-23 • via Nuitee
S
Steve • family_with_children • gb
9
Pros:

Everything was great! Clean rooms, comfy beds, nice decor, great staff.

The only one thing, their was no AC. Stayed in June, temperature 28 degrees and was ok ish in the evening once cooled down with window open over night.

2026-06-23 • via Nuitee