In short: Tripplo’s analysis covers a sample of 66 guest reviews of Borrowdale Gates Hotel. Guests in the sample highlight Location, Service & staff and Food & restaurants. The most common complaints: Vegetarian dishes at dinner disappoint some guests. Meals and drinks are considered expensive.
Free PDF: the Tripplo report on Borrowdale Gates Hotel Free · instant download
Set in 2 acres of tranquil wooded gardens.
The charming rooms have TVs and tea and coffee facilities, and many have breathtaking views of the valley and fells. There is free Wi-Fi in the public areas of Borrowdale Gates Hotel.
Borrowdale Gates Restaurant serves traditional British cuisine and local Lakeland produce, including lamb, game and fish. There is an extensive wine list, and guests can also enjoy afternoon tea in the cosy lounge by the open fire.
On the edge of Grange (near Keswick), this Lakeland house is less than a 5-minute drive from the shores of Derwent Water. Set in the English Lake District, walking and climbing routes are near Borrowdale Gates.
Tripplo’s hotel summary
Tripplo’s analysis · Updated 21 October 2026 · How we review hotels
Borrowdale Gates Hotel is made for people who come to the Lake District to walk. The house stands in wooded gardens on the edge of Grange, in a quiet corner of the Borrowdale valley, and guests can head out onto the fells, including Cat Bells, straight from the door. Back at the hotel there is afternoon tea by the fire in the lounge, and dinner is the high point for many guests, with traditional British cooking based on Lakeland lamb, game and fish. The trade-offs, however, are modest. Dinner is a set menu, so anyone who wants to choose freely each night may feel limited, and a few rooms have small flaws such as old windows or missing blinds. Service is warm on the whole, though not always even. Keswick and the shores of Derwentwater are a short drive away. Walkers and couples who want calm will find a comfortable base; those who want a town outside the door should stay in Keswick itself.
Guests score it 9.0 out of 10 — the average across the 9 hotels we list in the Lake District is 9.1.
- The hotel sits in a quiet corner of Borrowdale, away from the busier towns, and guests repeatedly describe the setting as peaceful and the views of the valley and fells as beautiful, including from the restaurant.
- Walkers value being able to set off on foot without driving first. Guests point out that the hotel lies at the foot of Cat Bells and that walking, cycling and climbing routes lead into the valley from the doorstep.
- The restaurant serves fixed menus rather than à la carte, which some guests missed, and one or two found the portions on the small side.
- A few guests mention older windows that were hard to close, a ground-floor room without blinds and a room that ran warm because it sat above the boiler room. These are details rather than a pattern, but worth asking about when booking.
Free PDF: what guests really say about Borrowdale Gates Hotel
The Tripplo Report gathers the whole analysis in one PDF, ready in seconds.
- Pros and cons in every category guests mention
- The complaints that come up again and again
- Room guide and price analysis
- Alternatives worth comparing
Free · instant download
Should you book it?
Borrowdale Gates Hotel is worth booking for walkers who want to start out on foot into Borrowdale — but pick somewhere else if you want to choose freely from an à la carte menu every evening.
Book it if you want
- Walkers who want to start out on foot into Borrowdale
- Couples looking for a quiet country house with good dinners
Pick somewhere else if
- You want to choose freely from an à la carte menu every evening
- You want shops and pubs within walking distance
No fees from Tripplo – you book directly with our partner
What guests actually say
Tripplo’s analysis uses a sample of 66 guest reviews. Texts may be shortened. Mentions are counted after automated classification and describe the sample, rather than every guest’s experience.
The sample follows how Booking.com and Google sort reviews, which puts satisfied guests first, so criticism is under-represented. Read the drawbacks below and the latest reviews on Booking.com before you book.
Food & restaurants
- +Dinner is praised as genuine fine dining
- +Breakfast is well cooked, nicely presented and served with a view
- +Many guests simply call the food excellent
- –Vegetarian dishes at dinner disappoint some guests
- –Portions can be small and the set menu leaves little choice
- –A few found breakfast rather basic
”The food is excellent. This is fine dining. Chef is great!” — guest, translated
Service & staff
- +Friendly, welcoming staff
- +The front desk gives useful tips on walks, buses and routes
- +Attentive waiters in the restaurant
- –Some guests met a cold or unhelpful reception
- –The restaurant team can come across as inexperienced
- –Mix-ups with table reservations and check-in
”Staff all very friendly and welcoming.” — guest, translated
The rooms
- +Comfortable beds and warm, tastefully decorated rooms
- +Balcony rooms with views across the valley and fells
- +Some rooms are spacious and recently renovated
- –Some rooms and bathrooms are on the small side
- –A few rooms feel gloomy or dated
- –Poor ventilation makes some rooms hot in summer
”Our balcony room had an amazing view of Grange village and the surrounding fells.” — guest, translated
Condition & cleanliness
- +Rooms and public areas are often described as clean and well kept
- +Recently renovated rooms
- –Rooms not always serviced during longer stays
- –Some rooms dusty or not properly cleaned on arrival
- –Parts of the hotel feel dated
”Our room was dusty and dirty. It definitely needed a refresh and a good clean.” — guest, translated
Location
- +A quiet spot in the Borrowdale valley with stunning views
- +Walks start right from the door, Catbells included
- +Beautiful gardens around the hotel
- +A short drive to Keswick
- –Remote, with little nearby and limited public transport
- –Without a car you largely depend on the hotel for meals
”Great location, walks on your doorstep.” — guest, translated
Noise levels
- +A peaceful setting away from the crowds
- +Quiet nights in the countryside
- –Sound carries between floors in some rooms
- –Barking dogs from another room disturbed one evening
”Lovely location and very peaceful.” — guest, translated
Value for money
- +Some see the set dinner menu as good value
- –Meals and drinks are considered expensive
- –Supplements for extra dinner courses
- –Billing errors, so it pays to check your bill
”The food is way overpriced and so is the whole experience.” — guest, translated
Pools, beach & aquapark are mentioned too rarely in the sample for an honest picture — we don't guess.
No fees from Tripplo – you book directly with our partner
Frequently asked questions
How do guests rate Borrowdale Gates Hotel?
On Booking.com it scores 9.0/10 from 709 guest reviews.
How many stars does Borrowdale Gates Hotel have?
Borrowdale Gates Hotel is a 4-star hotel.
What amenities does Borrowdale Gates Hotel offer?
Borrowdale Gates Hotel offers gardens, free Wifi, restaurant, bar, afternoon Tea and lounge with Open Fire.
Weather & sea temperature — Lake District
Right now: 7°
Prices for your dates
No fees from Tripplo – you book directly with our partner
We may earn a commission if you book through this link – at no extra cost to you, and it never affects our rankings.
Loading map...
Grange-in-Borrowdale, Keswick, CA12 5UQ, United Kingdom