We stayed there recently as a group of 12 people and had a great time. The hostel is brilliantly situated just a couple of yards from mountain paths or the great local pub! Charlie and Andy made our stay very smooth and cooked us nice breakfast. We also enjoyed the great kitchen to cook dinner, all in the very quiet and peaceful Elterwater!

I've stayed at the hostel a good few times now either with "football dads and lads" activity weekends or more recently with a buddy to enjoy the stunning mountain walks and scenery of the Langdale valleys. Stayed three nights w/e 20 May and the place is as good as ever...actually better ! Why ? Nick, Charlie, Andy and the whole team who run the place are incredibly welcoming and friendly and nothing is too much trouble. The hostel itself is very clean and very pretty and in one of the best villages in the Lakes ! Stay at Elterwater and you won't go too far wrong whether the high fells are your bag or lower walks....the scenery is stunning....as are the local pubs. The Britannia Inn is a 150 yards away and is brilliant and serves superb beers and good food. It gets very busy though so either book in the restaurant or take a chance. We didn't eat in the hostel lounge preparing a simple breakfast in the well equipped kitchen but the breakfasts served to a group staying looked delicious and great value served by chef Charlie's own hands ! When we stayed midweek the hostel was quiet so saw no evening meals being served though the menu looked good and once again good value. The hostel quite rightly does not allow you to bring your own alcohol but serves a good range of beers and wines the latter from £11 to £14. We had a few of the £11 bottles which were very good. Thought the beer prices a bit steep but I guess you need to make a few bob !
I was surprised that it was so quiet midweek which was great for us....but not good for business ! It deserves to be busier....the Lakes are long passed the terrible winter flooding and its now very much business as usual with the Grasmere to Keswick road well and truly open so if that's putting you off then don't worry. It's beautiful...just go and stay and enjoy a friendly team prepared to look after you where nothing is too much. if you are driving in you can park and offload your gear at the gate but it can be tight when it's busy..depends on what time you arrive but you can't check in till 5pm. Once unloaded you need to move your motor and I would recommend either the National Trust car park about 100 yards away free if a member about £6 per day if you aren't or a totally free option is on the Elterwater Common......straight up Main Street to the end of the village and then it's a quick right and left turn to a large car park. Don't forget though it's a hostel....you get affordable prices in an idyllic Lakeland village, you get a clean double bunk room with fresh bedding and a good nights sleep, friendly helpful attentive staff, shared wc and bathrooms, hot showers, good kitchen, prepared food if you want it. In other words you wouldn't book your special birthday or anniversary stay there but that is not what this place is about. If that's what you want go and stay in the Langdale Country Club or Eltermere Inn. The Elterwater Hostel is great.....buff your boots...get out your walking gear and head for them there hills...and them there pubs once you have earned it ...and book the hostel where Nick/Charlie/Andy and the team will ensure you have a great stay. Finally......come the end of October they apparently rent out the entire hostel to larger groups to have the whole place for themselve...that would make for a superb weekend for a large group of friends in run up to Christmas. I'm working on that one !

Came with large group; Charlie and Andy looked after us very well, great breakfast and lovely relaxed atmosphere. Real sense of being somewhere special and we were able to enjoy the sunshine. Oh, and the swimming in the tarns was fab; really appreciated the large drying room :)