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
R
Robert • couple • gb
3
will not be back and will not recommend it to our friends
Pros:

food ok ,

Cons:

room dirty window sills with mould outside small balcony dirty with bird droppings we were in room 7
staff didnt seem very happy , no good morning no smile , the basics ,tea or coffee brown or white toast , customer inter action training needed, even at check out just handed the receipt no have you had a nice stay safe onward journey ,nothing

2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
S
Shaun • solo_traveller • gb
9
2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
B
Brian • solo_traveller • gb
9
Pros:

Friendly staff, good food, comfortable room. The stairs to our room.

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
P
Paul • couple • gb
6
Lovely location, lovely staff, tired accommodation and lacking breakfast
Pros:

Excellent location & friendly staff

Cons:

Tired rooms - poor breakfast - the Full English was missing 2 items so wasn’t Full!

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
J
James • solo_traveller • gb
9
Welcoming and friendly staff, clean and well maintained room, very comfortable bed, great night’s sleep, wonderful break
Pros:

Great location, right in the centre of St Ives. The hotel is steeped in history and has retained its character.

Cons:

No on -site parking. Everything else was fine.

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
A
Ali • family_with_children • gb
7
Pros:

Central location. Comfortable room. Allowed us to check in early to change for a wedding.

Cons:

Unfortunately breakfast was a little chaotic. Full English breakfast was available but no tomatoes or baked beans (surely a staple in the kitchen). When it did arrive, there was no breakfast for one of our party of four, we had to ask and it came separately. We ordered toast but that did not arrive until after we had eaten and were about to leave. Coffee in the pot was cold. When the breakfast arrived it was quite nice, shame about everything else.

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
P
Paul • couple • gb
8
Pros:

The hotel and staff were very nice

Cons:

Sleep wasnt good as at the front lot of noise from out side kept us awake

2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
J
JANE • family_with_children • gb
8
Lovely !
Pros:

Location
Staff

Cons:

Room little tired but clean

2026-09-10 • via Nuitee
S
Sally • solo_traveller • gb
9
2026-09-09 • via Nuitee
B
Beverley • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
B
Beverley • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
N
Nkandu • solo_traveller • gb
8
2026-09-06 • via Nuitee
M
Malcolm • couple • gb
9
Very good
Pros:

Very good

Cons:

Dont know

2026-09-06 • via Nuitee
M
martin • couple • gb
10
2026-09-05 • via Nuitee
M
Minal • extended_group • gb
8
2026-09-05 • via Nuitee
J
John • couple • gb
10
2026-09-03 • via Nuitee
D
Declan • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-09-02 • via Nuitee
M
martin • couple • gb
10
2026-09-02 • via Nuitee
S
Simon • solo_traveller • gb
7
Pros:

Ambiance

Cons:

Parking and limited breakfast and duvet very thick and room very hot

2026-09-02 • via Nuitee
M
Mill • solo_traveller • gb
10
Good stop overnight.
Pros:

In town centre. Lovely, comfortable bed.

Cons:

Step at bottom of stairs was slightly too high. I tripped twice. A bit mean on the breakfast.

2026-09-01 • via Nuitee