The Gateway Inn in South Lakeland

Review of middle September visit. So in the words of “forest Gump” the hotel is like a box of chocolates quite not sure what you’re gonna get… let me elaborate On arrival we was really happy with the look, and location of the place considering some say it’s stuck on a roundabout, when in fact it’s opposite one that’s still a country roundabout “busy” but does not effect the hotel On arrival check in was easy and was met by the front of House manager. We also had a dog which was welcomed. The hotel looked well decorated and very fancy for being a boutique country style Hotel On arrival to the top floor room we was so happy to see the style continued Now we had some issues in this particular room, over the stay of 3 days in different matters. And it took some time for the manager to see we was not being fussy but genuine to the issues this went on over the course of are 3 days. But felt she should have been more shocked, and as annoyed by the findings as we was the we felt they was not, listened but no action really taken but listing to comments. Now by leaving the hotel sorted a compensation for room issues so out of fairness I will not list or slander. What I will say is that I feel they have better grips of the pub management and food offerings then rooms, I feel they need to go back to basics with what a guest expects from a room and be doing more checks on their team. I also note that a Friday morning keg and drinks ordered from the brewery was at 5:50 am ans was extremely loud to the point we heard the order being shouted to the team taking the delivery and not expected when your in the lakes for relaxing less early mornings, The hotel is owed by a couple and advertised in the welcome pack, my comment would be if they care they need to get in and see what is and is not being done in the rooms. Guests : First looks beautiful .. dive slightly deeper and your find the cracks For the trip it was well located to all local tourist towns and had a great field for dogs to use for the trip , could image that will be turned in to glamping pods one day. It’s worth noting a wedding was on the second day and again felt attention was given to where money was being spent on the day.

Guest at a wedding. Only criticism was we were at bit 'sadined' at the wedding table, little to no elbow room when eating, otherwise good.

Easy to book a table of 6 through dush cult. Amazing service being seated and drinks straight away from Emma. 6 Amazing roast dinners and the Cauliflower cheese side.Emma Checked us again if all was OK and another round of drinks. One of the best roasts we have had and well set out as the tables feel like we have plenty of space.

I recently visited this beautiful venue, but unfortunately, the experience left much to be desired. While the setting was gorgeous, the organisation, communication, and service were seriously lacking, and the quality of both the food and drink didn’t match the high price point. To start, the Guinness wasn’t served correctly, and as someone who enjoys sausages, I couldn’t even eat the ones served - way too herby, and I’m someone who rarely finds anything too overpowering. The Yorkshire pudding literally crumbled into dust, making it completely inedible. While the starters were good, they were simple enough that it would be hard to get them wrong. I barely touched my roast, and when I raised the issue, the response was disappointing. The waiter was rubbing his bellybutton, which was unsettling, and didn’t even ask specifics about what was wrong with the meal. With my experience in hospitality, I find it pointless to give feedback if it's not going to be passed on properly. They did offer us two free J2Os, but that hardly covered the cost of the roast, which was far below acceptable standards. To add to the frustration, the lack of communication was evident. The manager spent a lot of time chatting to other tables, leaving the two staff members to handle everything else because she was ‘busy.’ It was clear that the staff, while nice enough, hadn’t been trained properly and lacked the support they need to provide good service. For two cokes, two Guinness, two starters, two mains, crisps, and nuts, we were charged £84, which was absolutely shocking given the poor experience. I never usually complain, but this was unacceptable. We were also charged £10 just to book the table which wasn’t taken off the bill!

Can’t fault this place. Great food & excellent service. Can’t speak on the rooms as we were here for a meal, but 5/5 as always. Emma (our waitress) was very attentive despite it being busy

Very nice place, I liked it a lot. Clean and nice rooms, nice food, and the manager was always there for us. She helped us in any way she could and this made us feel very comfortable. Amazing hotel and staff!

Food was amazing, service was great! Loved the team too...The new manager was kind and really nice! Would definitely recommend!

We had lunch at the Gateway , the staff were lovely and the food was amazing, highly recommended...

Food not very good. Service also not great

We had a family meal here a couple of nights ago, 4 adults, 1 teenager, 1 child and a little Westie. The food was very high quality, and service was fantastic although a little slow at times as there were only 2 staff on duty and they were quote busy for a mid week evening. Sean was great and did his best to be as attentive as possible, little things like opening the patio doors when he saw that we were too hot really make the difference.

Brilliant service with a genuine smile, superb food and very fair prices. Lovely atmosphere - will be coming here again.

We had a superb meal here with first class service. Highly recommended.

EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND FRIENDLY STAFF LOTTIE ESPECIALLY HELPFUL, PLUS ZOE SO KIND.

Brilliant views, great staff, loved it

Can't comment on rooms as we only stopped for food after a day trip to Windermere but the food and service were fabulous, extremely helpful and friendly staff, food was wonderfully presented and tasted amazing. We will definitely be stopping in again after many day trips to the lakes.

The Gateway Inn Hotel, located in the serene Kendall, The Lake District near Windermere Lake, is an ideal retreat for those seeking peace and natural beauty. The hotel offers spacious, clean rooms with stunning views, and modern amenities. Guests appreciate the warm hospitality and excellent on-site dining. Its proximity to Windermere Lake allows for easy access to outdoor activities like boating and hiking, while the hotel's gardens and lounges provide perfect spots for relaxation. A perfect choice for a quiet, picturesque getaway.

It was my first time visiting the Gateway today, my family have been and they recommended. The roast dinners were delicious, and the staff were amazing. Hats off to Emma who was nothing but professional and courteous to guests, despite being under a lot of pressure. Will definitely recommend and can’t wait to visit again 😁

Lovely food very friendly very hard working lady in the bar today very hard working thank you for a lovely afternoon 🥰🧡🧡🧡🧡🥰

Massive thank you and a 5* stay at The Gateway Inn, Kendal - We highly recommend for a night a 2 away with your pooches. Excellent food, 100% doggo friendly and the rooms we comfy. We'll definitely be back 🐾🐶

Never judge a restaurant by decor or mix match of broken furniture with sticky tables mean anything about service or food. However in this instance it does, when asking for a wine list I was told it is at the printers..? Which later when paying was charged an extortionate amount and for the wrong bottle. When questioning this I presented with the answer of we price both separate makes one organic one not at the same price .?? Well onto the food and with my steak being left in the air b4 cooking for to long it was discoloured and had a smell , to disguise this it was covered in parsley to the excess of the meal being parsley with steak. When displaying our feedback for the food we were given half price on that meal , this was not the desired outcome with a glass of wine at £10 and bottle at £31 this seems unjust. The meals of my family were also a little like the end of the day servings with the sausage and mash being 2 mini sausages with a spoonful of mash covered in peas to disguise the small portions. Regards to service the bar manager was not pleased with our honest review and never apologised, maybe not her day but not a customers problem.

The service was very slow but the poor chap was doing everything on his own ,shame on his bosses.

Wow just ate lunch. Ham hock terrine and chicken and ham pie, delicious and full of meat. Lovely gravy and crisp fresh veg on the side. What a gem, great Chardonnay too, polite and happy lady server, well done.

Didn’t stay in the hotel but their roast din dins was sensational and cauliflower cheese and broc out of this world 🤌🏽🤌🏽

2 night stay was a lovely break the whole experience was easy and we enjoyed it.

We have eaten here a few times now and I have to say the food is absolutely spot on, never disappointed. The staff are super friendly and welcoming and it is situated in a great location, easy to access and surrounded by natural beauty. I would highly recommend to anyone.

Food very bad value service not good will not return

We stayed here for one night ,lovely place and good location not far from anywhere .Food was absolutely fantastic.The room was ok for a night but very dusty and a lot of cobwebs around the room and in the wardrobe.Very hot had the window open all night but a very busy roundabout and pretty noisy.Maybe a back room would have been better .

This was the best roast dinner I’ve had in an eternity! And they served a child’s portion to me with no fuss! Great service, lovely atmosphere

Excellent hotel, clean and welcoming. Beautiful large room and bed with a 10 cm topper, as our Barbieri (hotelery expert) would like. Rich and abundant breakfast. Emma is all the kind and caring staff

Food was fresh and hot, but service was slow because the only member of staff was doing 10 jobs all by himself, but he was very pleasant. If there is a tiny criticism, it is the menu that was limited

It was fine, a handy stopover at thegateway to the lakes

We've not ended our stay here yet but cannot fault this place or the staff! We arrived after some sightseeing for check-in and were given all the information we needed plus helped with food even though the kitchen was closing which was really nice. The food was top notch, couldn't be faulted. The pie was chock-full and the black feather steak was amazing! They also had a special starter (duck scotch egg), I'm not a fan of duck but this tennis ball sized thing was the tastiest duck I've ever had...... and the runny yolk too, c'mon 👌. The staff have been very attentive and helpful. You will need transport staying here but being smack in the middle of Kendal and Windermere (15min drive each way) it is really well located as a base. Overall we had a fab time and would definitely come back.

We loved this place ! Emma warmly welcomed us and then took very good care of us during dinner. This dinner is the best we have eaten since we started our Roadtrip 1 month ago. Our room was cozy, quiet and very clean. Team change in the morning and the friendly atmosphere was still there. Good job and thanks to all !!!!!

Called in on the off chance for an early evening meal and was warmly welcomed and shown to a table for two. Service was very good, the staff were very attentive, and the food was excellent. Will definitely be going back there.

Excellent place to visit near the Lakes. Very nice room and a great breakfast. Pleasant staff. Will be back.

Had a Sunday Roast really nice.

Just a visit to the restaurant. Managed to fit us in even though we hadn't booked.

This strategically- situated pub really IS a most welcome Gateway to the Lake District. Wonderful outlook, especially from outdoor terrace. Excellent food, prompt service and super-friendly staff.

Stopped here for a late lunch after a scenic detour on our way back from Scotland. The food was really good and so was the service. We'll certainly stop here again!

On the edge of Kendal sat just above the bypass roundabout which leads one way to Kendal and south. Then north to the lakes. Set on a hill with rooms and friendly staff working hard to provide lovely food drinks and hospitality to the public.

Just got back from the gateway What a delicious meal I had a lamb burger that was absolutely gorgeous. The staff were very helpful and friendly

Absolutely amazing Lunch. Roast locally sourced Lamb was divine. All the trimmings roast parsnip, roast carrot, roast potatoes and red cabbage. Came with a home made stuffing that was simple but delicious. All sat on a bed of pureed carrot and swede. All covered in a rich meaty gravy. Stunning

We went for tea after avoiding it for a few years after a not so good meal. New management now and it shows. Very pleasant staff. The man who served us was very pleasant and didn't leave us sitting around. I had: The spicy chicken kebab starter and then a roast beef dinner for main. First thing to say is you can get a Sunday roast every day there which is amazing. So the kebab. Nice amount of heat to the spice. I'm not a fan of super hot food so it was just right for me. The roasted or fried veg it was with was nice too. Plenty of flavour. The naan bread I suspect was bought in but was still nicer than the usual ones you can buy. Apologies if I'm wrong there. Bit too much salad tbh. But I ate it and it was nice. The mint dip was a nice refreshment to the spicy chicken. The beef dinner was nice for the most part. The beef was tasty and well cooked but you only got one slice. Although it was thickish. Roast potatoes. Only two of these. Seems to be the way pubs are doing it now. Filling up on the mash. This mash however wasn't the greatest but only because there was too much butter in it. Made it a little bit too rich. I feel like it might be margarine. Again apologies if I'm wrong. The veg was tasty. Wasn't a fan of the purple cabbage. Whatever it's cooked in is very sweet and there's a spice in there that enhances the sweetness a bit too much. (Get me) Stuffing was tasty. Not enough of it though. The Yorkshire pudding was definitely homemade and freshly cooked. Nice and big. The gravy was also very nice. All in all I'd recommend. There's a few things I'd like to try on the menu. Service was great. Food was good.

The best chicken, ham and leek and super friendly and efficient staff.

We had Christmas dinner here and it was fantastic. Generous portion sizes and friendly staff.

Amazing roast dinner, lovely staff

Stopped for lunch on the way home. Fabulous food & plenty of it. Great, convenient location & friendly staff, plus being totally dog friendly makes it one of our favourite places to eat.

Had a quick lunch here creamy carrot chilli soup delicious, as was the hot mulled wine. Staff were friendly and helpful.

Sunday Roast was fantastic. Best in a while. Massive portions too. No wonder it’s award winning. You have to book, gets very busy

Firecracker salmon, amazing, food is so good 🥰

Impromptu stop for lunch. Food was divine and service amazing.

Stranded by deep snow, we called in here, having abandoned our car nearby. We were able to obtain cups of tea and warm ourselves by the log fire, but the chef couldn't get in. A couple of hours later, they brought out scampi, fries, crisps and sandwiches for all us stranded motorists. Unfortunately, they couldn't put us up for the night or even let us stay in a chair, but we managed to drive home after the snow ploughs came. There was a good view from there so we didn't have to venture out to check. I offered to pay for the food by phone but they wouldn't accept anything. Thank you for sheltering us for the evening!

Nice food and lovely atmosphere.

My favourite place for lunch, fantastic welcome, easy access, food never disappoints, just the best

Enjoyed a lovely late lunch. Impeccable service with delicious, well-presented, very reasonably-priced food. An excellent menu with something for all tastes. Only took a photo of our starters...

The Gateway Inn in Kendal is a luxurious retreat offering elegant accommodations, exceptional dining, and impeccable service. The charming exterior and inviting lobby set the stage for a memorable stay. The well-appointed rooms provide comfort and style, while the attentive staff ensures every need is met. The onsite restaurant offers a delectable array of culinary delights, with a menu that showcases the finest seasonal ingredients and creative flavors. The prime location allows for exploring Kendal's attractions and easy access to the Lake District National Park. Whether for a romantic getaway or family vacation, the Gateway Inn promises an extraordinary dining experience.

Had a wait a long time for my meal.

Good food, lovely staff. Would definitely visit again.

Lovely helpful staff. Nice clean dining rooms. Best Sunday lunch I have ever had .. well done chef. Dog friendly.