I only noticed the bad reviews here after booking 2 nights in a 'budget' room and immediately became wary. We had nothing to worry about. We really enjoyed our stay, the hotel is in an ideal location just outside Grasmere. The room was basic but had everything we needed, staff were helpful and breakfast was lovely.

I booked a room for 2 nights for the 24th & 25th of April through the internet and gave my credit card details as requested.

Unfortunately, because of circumstances beyond my control, I had to cancel. I phoned the hotel on the 16th April, explained the problem and they agreed to credit my card. I sent an e-mail confirming the cancellation the same day and thanked them for their understanding.

One month later, I received my credit card statement and discovered that, 2 days after I had spoken to them, £60 had been debited from my credit card.

When I phoned the manager to query this, she quite obviously knew that this was a 'nice little earner' for their hotel and said it was company policy to keep any money paid, unless 6 weeks notice had been given about any cancellation!!!!!

This is quite obviously ridiculous and mostly not possible for people booking through the internet foe weekend stays in the Lake District as this is predominately short notice quick turnaround business.

Furthermore, the Active Hotel website, which Forestside is connected with, clearly states that 14 days cancellation notice should be given otherwise there MAY be a cancellation charge. Presumably this would only apply if the hotel was full and the room booked could not be re-let, so losing the hotel money.

To actually have someone at Forestside tell me on the 16th (a full 8 days from a quiet weekend in April) that they would refund my money and then 2 days later to have it extracted from my card with no acknowledgement of my e-mail telling them I wished to cancel and thanking them for their understanding of my situation, shows me, and hopefully others that are thinking of staying at this hotel, that they should look elsewhere.

My partner and I had booked a 'premier double' room in this hotel. On approach to the hotel we were impressed. Forestside is set in a beautiful location and the building itself is lovely. In reception we were greeted by a welcoming open fire. However, once we began to climb the stairs to our room we noticed that the interior was a little shabby. Upon seeing our room we were horrified. The room was tiny and felt cold and damp. The bathroom was nothing short of institutional (we had ensuite - others are not so fortunate). The temperature of the room was unacceptable and as the hotel uses storage heaters the situation was not going to improve until the following morning. We went to reception to complain however the receptionist had gone home (the time was 4pm). Upon telephoning the number for the duty manager that was advertised on the notice board it was answered by a young girl who asked how we had got the number! Eventually she summoned her father who offered us another room or alternatively a further heater in the original one (we were informed this would make it 'like a sauna!').
Upon viewing this new room we found that this was even colder (the windows had been left open and there was no heat in the wall heater. It was early March). Further, a shower curtain and rail was lying in the middle of the bedroom floor. We returned to reception, asked for a refund and checked out. It is difficult to believe that this property is able to call itself a 'hotel'. The interior had more of the look of a youth hostel. One to definately avoid.

We booked into the Low Wood Hotel (between Windermere and Ambleside) and got a fantastic room over looking the lake. We even had a jacuzzi in the room! Make sure you have dinner at the Punchbowl Inn at Crosthwaite - dinner cooked by a michelin starred chef.