The Golden Lion Hotel, St Ives, Cambridgeshire

My daughter and myself treated ourselves to afternoon tea here and it was a really lovely experience. The room was traditionally decorated, the seats were lovely and comfy, the staff were very gd. We had tea refills, the sandwiches and cakes were well presented and gorgeous. The scones were homemade and warm. There was just one thing that spoilt it. The scones and jam were served with a thin whipped cream ( for afternoon tea it has to be clotted cream).

The Golden Lion in St Ives is part of the Coaching Inn Group, which is probably our favourite hotel chain and we stay regularly in several of their hotels. The Golden Lion has no parking, but the Cattle Market long term car park is a convenient 5 minute stroll away. Check in was welcoming and efficient and our Superior Double room (number 12) is spacious, smart and comfortable. The only potential issue was that we were in the middle of a heatwave and, because the hotel is an ancient building, it can’t install air conditioning. They thoughtfully provided fans however and with the windows open as well we were fine. Breakfast is served in a very attractive room and there is a good choice. Unfortunately, on the first morning, there was no fruit salad, yogurt or smoked salmon as they had run out and were awaiting a delivery. Personally, I would have sent a member of staff to the nearest supermarket with a twenty pound note out of petty cash - it’s not rocket science. Our cooked breakfasts on the first morning were acceptable but my Full English didn’t have that “sizzling - fresh out of the pan” quality and was rather lukewarm; and although we both asked for soft yolks, my fried eggs were semi-hard, as were my wife’s poached eggs. Disappointing really. On the second morning, breakfast was back to the standard we expect of the Coaching Inn group, with fruit salad aplenty, and fresher tasting hot food with perfectly runny eggs. And I am glad to be able to finish on a positive note as this is a very good hotel with lovely staff. We have enjoyed our visit and will certainly come back. My 4 star rating simply reflects the poor breakfast on the first morning.

I'm writing this review for the bubbly lady who managed our breakfast on Monday morning. She brought real energy to her job. In general the staff were making an admirable effort. The space is especially nice, the location is excellent, the bedrooms are fine. Our spring break package was very good value. I hope the manager is still reading this, as unfortunately the quality of the food wasn't great. Maybe it's because we were there on a Sunday evening, but it all seemed tired. My cake at afternoon tea, and my mushroom soup and vegetable roast at dinner, were all edible rather than good. My friend's chicken wasn't even that; he sent it back. Hope you can get this improved as in general we had a lovely stay.

Stayed here for business. In a nice and central location and only a short walk from the river. Plenty of places to eat and drink all within a short walk. Check in was simple enough. The room was a good size and very clean with a really comfy bed. There was a “heatwave” while I was there so the rooms don’t have air con although they did place a fan in the room but the room was uncomfortably hot. (Not their fault lol) Food was good and reasonably priced, although if you want cheaper food and drink there’s a Wetherspoons next door! There is no parking belonging to the hotel. There are a couple of public car parks only a short walk away or you can park in the town square spaces although that’s only free from 1800 - 0700 although the ticket machines weren’t working so no one would know how long I was there. Overall a very clean and comfortable room, I would stay there again.

Stayed in the suite for our wedding night. Was comfortable, clean, staff friendly and a great breakfast. The room was very large, would be perfect for a few nights stay. Bathroom well appointed with fab smelling bath gel etc. we had a great stay.

This was our second visit to this hotel, and once again, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Fantastic location – right in the centre of town Superb customer service, especially from Jake and Connor Delicious breakfast and evening meal Our only minor issue was the location of our bedroom – it was situated right at the top of the stairs before you entered the main upstairs corridor, and the view from the window was of a brick wall. However, the room itself was spacious and well-appointed, with a very comfortable bed and pillows, a great shower, large soft towels, and lovely toiletries. The temperature was a little on the cool side, though a free-standing heater was provided. Overall, great value for money, and we would definitely stay here again.