Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa
Hotel in Bowness-on-Windermere
4-Star Hotel
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Includes essentialsGarden, Pool, Internet / Wifi and more
Book with confidenceWe partner with the top travel sites so you know you're getting a great deal on the perfect rental
About this hotel
Family-friendly hotel with a full-service spa and a health club
Along with a full-service spa, this smoke-free hotel has an indoor pool and a restaurant. WiFi in public areas is free. Additionally, a health club, a bar/lounge, and a snack bar/deli are onsite.
Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa offers 106 accommodations with safes and complimentary bottled water. Beds feature premium bedding. Flat-screen televisions come with digital channels. Bathrooms include bathtubs or showers, slippers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.
An indoor pool and a children's pool are on site. Other recreational amenities include a health club and a sauna.
Along with a full-service spa, this smoke-free hotel has an indoor pool and a restaurant. WiFi in public areas is free. Additionally, a health club, a bar/lounge, and a snack bar/deli are onsite.
Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa offers 106 accommodations with safes and complimentary bottled water. Beds feature premium bedding. Flat-screen televisions come with digital channels. Bathrooms include bathtubs or showers, slippers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.
This Windermere hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and desk chairs. Additionally, rooms include coffee/tea makers and irons/ironing boards. Housekeeping is provided daily.
An indoor pool and a children's pool are on site. Other recreational amenities include a health club and a sauna.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Amenities
Pool
Internet / Wifi
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
Hot tub or spa
TV
Gym or Fitness Center
Garden
Map of Bowness-on-Windermere
Available Rooms
Superior Room, 1 Double Bed
1 Double • 213 ft²
Sleeps 2
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
Superior Room, 1 Double Bed
1 Double • 213 ft²
Sleeps 2
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
Superior Suite, 1 Double Bed
1 Double • 213 ft²
Sleeps 2
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
Family Room, 1 Double Bed
1 Double
Sleeps 4
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
Family Room, 1 Double Bed
1 Double
Sleeps 4
You'll be directed to Expedia.com for availability & pricing
$$$$
Ratings and reviews
5.0 / 10.0
Great hotel, fabulous staff, and a very good Spa. Perfect location in Bowness. You are exactly where you want to be.
The bedrooms are comfortable but a bit tired. The TV in the room we had was tiny given the cost of the room.
Brewfast is good but a little bit stingy when it comes to the full english. 1 sausage, 1 radher of bacon, 1 egg, 1 plumb tomatoe, a small portion of beans, 1 hash brown and half a breakfast mushroom. Half a mushroom! I am not kidding. Whoever thought of that cost saving measure should hang their head in shame! For a hotel that isnt cheap, that takes the mickey.
That said, will we go back? Almost definitely!
5.0 / 10.0
Lovely hotel. Staff polite and helpful. Pool and gym are excellent. Highly recommended.
3.0 / 10.0
Access to facilities not explained on arrival. Room was to warm, cobwebs around lamp and lighting. Shower hose leaked. Fridge didn’t work so drinks were warm. Location was good.
5.0 / 10.0
Excellent Hotel and Excellent Location
4.0 / 10.0
Hotel was nice, a little dated as others have mentioned. Room was very clean and had everything you need.
Evening meal was really nice and service was good - very swift and 3 courses all done within the hour - could have been there a lot longer if you wanted.
Breakfast was also very good.
Had an issue with the Wifi - had nothing in the room - spoke to reception who were dismissive saying he has it on his phone and had a new system 3 days ago - I said you may want to turn on the wifi at the end of the hotel as nothing there on any device - signal not the best on mobile data either.
Check in and out was quick and easy - car park had one space left when i got there and was a tight squeeze to get the car in - apparently people who use the spa there also use the car park so spaces can be limited during the day but more spaces become available later in the day.
Overall it was a perfectly good place to stay, if it wasn't for the clubcard vouchers though i would never have paid over £250 to stay there!
4.0 / 10.0
The hotel was generally fine and comfortable , staff at reception were excellent but breakfast service was average
5.0 / 10.0
We had a family rooms.. which was very generously sized, with 3 large,very comfortable beds and good facilities.
Breakfast was very tasty with plenty of choices.
All saff helpful and friendly.
Really handy being so central in Bowness & plenty to do around and about... as always the views were amazing.
Only negative point to make was that the wifi wasnt too great in the hotel & we gave up trying to download anything for our daughter to watch.
Also its an additional £20 to park... so watchbout for that. ...given the price of the stay, we thought it should have been complimentary ... but, hey ho.... it wouldnt put us off staying again
Overall really happy with our stay x
8.0 / 10.0
Good location and good service
3.0 / 10.0
The hotel decor is rather tired, pool/ spa area no jacuzzi, sauna out of order and limited seating. Very expensive comparative to other spa hotels in the lakes with many of the others having better facilities. Location great for exploring Bowness
5.0 / 10.0
Excellent hotel - good location, services, pool, patio and food. Rooms were large and accommodating. It may be tilted towards the lake so you may want to position the bed accordingly.
1.0 / 10.0
The staff was terrible
Bad treatment
No service
8.0 / 10.0
Hotel needs some TLC it’s very tired in parts. Great location. Breakfast a bit chaotic.
8.0 / 10.0
So the hotel itself is an old building lots of character in an excellent place beautiful garden lovely view over the lake bery good breakfast selection and service super soft bed lovely linen however room was not 260 pound a night room very plain coffee facilities not stocked up cracks in walls paint coming off had better room for half price also 20 pound to park car when you pay all that money for a room you should be able to park your car for free disgusting rip off
Eas
5.0 / 10.0
Great stay at the hotel. Lovely scenery around the Lake District. Staff were friendly and helpful.
10.0 / 10.0
Great time thanks
4.0 / 10.0
Lake view rooms are great, bar area and reception need updating.
5.0 / 10.0
Lovely hotel, very clean and great location
4.0 / 10.0
Great location but the property is in need of a big refurb and deep clean. The rooms were ok and clean but the rest of the hotel was awful, especially considering the price they charge. We had breakfast with a window view overlooking the lake, lovely apart from the dirty windowsill full of dead flies. The window area was full of damp. The service was not great, no plates, warm orange juice. When you are paying nearly £300 b&b I expect a lot more. We won’t be staying again unfortunately.
8.0 / 10.0
Staff very polite and helpful. Bed comfortable No wifi in bedroom. This should be sorted out. Wifi is expected to be accessible.
6.0 / 10.0
At the Old England hotel the staff were overall good. I was disappointed in the room in that considering the amount charged it was a room in the far recesses of the hotel and involved a lot of going up and down stairs. This was a problem on leaving with our suitcases and for me as a pensioner there on my 70th birthday. We had paid more for a lake view but this was ruined by big blobs of bird poo ruining the view. Surely the cleaning staff could have informed the outside maintenance staff of this when preparing the room for us. Staff did get the poo removed once we had told them but we should not have had to do so. The poo looked as though it had been there a while ! Not impressed by the breakfast either so much so that we did not bother going after our first day. Hence my overall rating of average but it was average rather than poor due to staff making a good impression.
4.0 / 10.0
Our room was nice. We had a terrace but when you sit down, all you can see is a cream wall ( you have to stand up for the view). The hotel should take a foot or two from the wall and install railings. Complimentary wine was undrinkable. No shampoo or conditioner in the bathroom which I expected for the price ( £730.20 with parking). Hotel needs a power wash as it look rather tatty. Enjoyed breakfast but though a £5 additional charge for eggs Benedict/ eggs Florentine. Great location.
2.0 / 10.0
Despite all the reviews and responses from the hotel we thought we would book here for our stay .
£20 parking is excessive may aswell left car on street .
Room heating broken on very hot ,no flushing toilet .
For the price I’ll stay somewhere quiet next time didn’t get any sleep at all .
The building is very out of date along with the rooms .
The staff are fantastic and very professional and you can see a little embarrassed with what they have to work with .
I guess the worst part was being greeted by 2 pigeons in the room as the windows had been left open with no cover brilliant .
3.0 / 10.0
Staff were helpful and friendly but the room was pretty awful! It’s in desperate need of refurbishment and has patched up damage everywhere. Breakfast was hold, half of the items were missing and my toast and tea arrived after I’d finished and was getting up to leave. The main thing the hotel has going for it is the location. Sitting on the patio, the garden or the restaurant overlooking the view is incredible
2.0 / 10.0
Shower was cold - call me old fashioned but a hot shower is the very least you should expect at this price point .
4.0 / 10.0
Liked - spacious room
Did not like - car park 200 yds away, separate charge for car park, front very congested, dirty carpets, poor room temperature control, poor toilet flush, shauna did not work, internet connection very poor & it's not secure, poor staff support.
4.0 / 10.0
Wonderful return visit to the hotel, excellent room overlooking lake, friendly and helpful staff. Noted that breakfast was now a standard hotel self service buffet , (with cold plates ! ), not served to order as in the past..
10.0 / 10.0
A bit tired but still charming with good service and fine food.
10.0 / 10.0
This is usually an expensive 4 star hotel but through a booking site, with discount it was very reasonable. Staff on arrival were very welcoming and friendly and the room was really well appointed (loose tap in bathroom reported at reception, but hardly a negative) Excellent buffet breakfast with good quality food and plenty of it. Very enjoyable stay.
5.0 / 10.0
Friendly and a stunning room thank you so much. Room 19 highly recommended, nothing was too much trouble
5.0 / 10.0
An enoyable stay. Staff were friendly and ready to help when needed. Room was spacious and clean.
8.0 / 10.0
We love the position of the hotel and staff. But the property and rooms are now dated. They need a lick of paint and an upgrade
4.0 / 10.0
Amazing hotel in a stunning location. Breakfast service was a bit hit and miss with toast and coffees arriving after we had finished eating (25mins after ordered) on the first day all the food was tepid, the pool was excellent for the kids, shame the sauna was not working. Views were stunning, bar staff and porters fantastic, 1 or two maintenance issues but other that that great. Avoid ordering wine in the hotel at £12 - £15 per glass its extremely overpriced.
5.0 / 10.0
Excellent service, lovely staff. Given an upgraded room without any issues. Amazing views. Food beautiful!
2.0 / 10.0
Hotel is expensive and dated. Decor is tired. Bed was two singles joined together with a gap in the mattress. Room was ok, TV was tiny by modern standards. Shower room only no bath. Breakfast buffet was good but service was slow for tea and coffee. A bottle of Malbec was £56 for an unheard of brand. The cheapest was a South African red blend at £30. Probably £4.99 in a supermarket. We wish we had researched it more and we probably would have gone elsewhere. Car parking was £20 a night which is ridiculous given what are you supposed to do with the car! No congeire service and the night porter turned off the lights in the main bar despite 2 couples still sitting in there. Shower was lukewarm at best and whilst purporting to be an overhead waterfall shower it lacked power. The hotel is rated as a 4 star and whilst the friendly staff are trying their best the hotel is probably a 2 or 3 star at best. Hypnos beds at other hotels are better. We will not be going back!
10.0 / 10.0
Very welcoming staff. Good quality hotel but rather faded. Lovely breakfast.
Parking limited.
5.0 / 10.0
Lovely room with great views. Good location in town. Very nice staff.
Nobody helped with the cases from the car on arrival. They need valet parking. Earlier check in than 4pm as most hotels are 3pm. Also most good hotels have Umbrellas at reception. The positives outweighed the negatives but room for improvement.
3.0 / 10.0
Breakfast was very average, hot food was tepid at best, sauna not working
4.0 / 10.0
Hotel is in a great location with views of the lake from rear terrace, parking could be an issue as hotel charges £20.00 a night to park in a car park a short walk away so drop your bags off before heading to the car park. Staff helpful and chatty but some seemed inexperienced. Overall great stay.
3.0 / 10.0
Excellent location. Lovely pool. Fantastic views from our room. Furnishings dated and a bit shabby. Total lack of information provided about facilities, location, opening hours etc. When I asked if they had an information pack I was told it was all in my booking email. It was not.
6.0 / 10.0
Booked a deluxe room. The window was a velux window so despite being allocated a lake view, you can’t see this as the window is in the roof.. Thick layer of dust on top of the bed. No amenities other than shower gel in bathroom. Breakfast was rather chaotic. Have to wait for server to seat you at your table which took a while. We ordered drinks which never came. Telephone for room service/ reception didn’t work. As others have mentioned, you would assume that it would be documented that the car park is not actually on site, you have to park on double yellows outside the hotel, run in through the tourists to give your details and pay then drive off site to the car park. £20 a day for parking on top of paying for a deluxe room is poor in my opinion especially when said car park is just gravel. Wi-Fi poor. I think the above shouldn’t be overlooked just because of the location / view.
FAQs
How much does this hotel cost compared to others in Bowness-on-Windermere?
The average price for a rental in Bowness-on-Windermere is $135 per night. This rental is $74 above the average.
Is parking included with this hotel?
Parking is not specified as an available amenity at Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this hotel?
Yes, a swimming pool is available for use at Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa. Enjoy the water!
Is Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this hotel is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa?
We found 8 amenities for this rental. This includes pool, internet / wifi, laundry, balcony or patio, and hot tub or spa.
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