With high hopes of a warm welcome after a day of walking we were disappointed in the ODG Hotel. Staff insisted on yelling out the dinner orders over the heads of the drinkers - (and I mean really YELLING !) to the extent that one area of the Walkers bar remained empty even on a busy night.

This, and a stand up quarrel between the chef (who wanted to leave at 9) and an unhappy customer meant that we avoided for the hotel for the rest of the week. Other hotels in the valley were much more welcoming.

There is no doubt that the location of this hotel is superb, surrounded by high hills on two sides at one end of the lovely valley of Langdale. There is also no complaint with the cosy and bustly nature of the place. The problem is that the proprietors are charging luxury prices for basic hotel accomodation.
We stayed in 3 hotels in the Lakes during a recent stay. All were comparably priced (see our reviews for Winder Hall and Leathes Head) but the £96 B&B at the Old Dungeon Ghyll bought us a very small double room (Room 7) with no space (and only one chair) for seating and a wardrobe that reeked of mothballs. The ensuite was merely a box in one corner with a crude sliding door that housed a shower of insignificant power, loo plus the smallest imaginable basin with shelf above it that required contortionist skills to wash in...I gave up the idea of shaving altogether!
The teamaking requisites were presented in a tacky plastic tray that dominated a bedside table with three cheap biscuits and one drinking chocolate to fight over!
The bed was comfortable though and we coveted the embroidered curtains!
Sadly there was no table available in the Hiker's Bar which is obviously the life and soul of the place so we ate in the rather spartan residents bar. Food is very basic but acceptable value.
At breakfast we were asked if we wanted full English or Vegetarian...only later did we discover that other options were available on request. Overall, breakfast was acceptable rather than exceptional.
As far as service at the hotel is concerned, well maybe I should have judged from my call to book and gone elsewhere - I was asked to phone back later "when Neil was around"...odd that only Neil could deal with a booking and that I, rather than the hotel, had to call back. Check-in was handled by someone who appeared to be one of the kitchen staff (this appeared to be the norm) who emerged unkempt in a grubby, holey white teashirt and apron. Checkout was handled by another kitchen colleague who deemed any enquiry as to the whether our stay had been OK, or the customary thanks to someone who had just handed over £100+ to be surplus to requirements.
No doubt others may say that such quirkiness is part of the "ODG"'s charm...to them I would say "Fine, but get rid of the luxury-image website and lower your prices!"

I spent 2 nights at the ODG ...what a wonderful place . Huge log fire in the Walkers Bar,friendly staff and great plentiful food.Music night is first Wednesday of the month , Neil the landlord is very talented on his violin and mandolin.Every one else on guitar, drums recorders etc made for a night to be remembered.Everyone there was friendly sharing stories of their days walks, dogs either lolling under tables or jumping to catch beer mats. The bed was super comfy but I wonder if that was enhanced by the fact that the night before I had slept very badly in a cold tent!!Heaven came in the form of a large bath tub filled to the brim with lovely hot water. Great place full of atmosphere. I loved it.Thanks Neil

Basic but great. As a stopover on our walk of the Cumbrian Way this proper walker's hostelry in the magnificent scenery at the end of Langdale provided shelter, hot water, a fine resident's lounge, substantial helpings of pub grub and a full breakfast to set us up for a day's walking. If you aren't a walker stay somewhere smarter, if you are you'll love it.