Holds a reputation as a high class venue worth a visit, but it wasn't on this occasion.
I would first like to point out that I had no wish to write this damning review. We have used Inn on The Lake many times historically and it is a superb location that has previously provided strong service. However, having tried to reach out to the company to highlight these issues, and not even having had the courtesey of a response, I am left with little option than to share my disappointment on this and other ratings forums.
On 1st Of January 2026, we paid for a visit to the Inn on The Lake at Ullswater, for their News Years Days brunch and Jazz morning. The cost was 60 pounds per head, and for the four of us, our total visit exceeded 300 pounds.
As has been the case historically, the venue was beautifully decorated and we were greeted warmly with a glass of sangria. There were other good aspects to the visit, although the event had clearly been downsized from previous years.
The catalogue of woes that we then suffered is too much to include in this review, but they have been reported to the venue, who have not responded.
Some of the issues that we encountered were some abrupt and dismissive staff (others were extremely pleasant), and coffee that we paid five pounds per cup to have, which was less quality than dishwater, was left and returned in entirety, but was not even acknowledged by the team who we tried to raise the concern with.
However, these were small straws on a very broad camels back, and the biggest concern centered on the brunch buffet itself.
Whilst the buffet looked broad, expansive, and a meat eaters dreamat first glance, that only lasted for the first window of service. Areas soon became depleted and the rotation of food appeared very limited. This was especially evident on the deserts, which were served in chafing dishes, on bain maries, and with the lid left off, soon became cold, hard, and inedible.
This was a far cry from the previous year, when the spread was magnificent and would have graced the pages of any culinary magazine, but again we put this down to rising industry costs.
However, we had notified the venue that we had two vegetarians in our party, and the options available to them were so limited that one ended up with a plate of melon, cheese, salad and roast vegetables on their plate, whilst the other had cold scrambled eggs, toast and some fruit.
They tried to get some hot food options from the carvery counter, but other than the vegetables, there was no vegetarian roast option, and even the roast potatoes and the yorkshire puddings were cooked in lard and it was a meat gravy, so there was nothing there to be had.
There were plenty of cheese options available, presented beautifully on a large board, but a plate of cheese and background music seemed a poor return for the high cost of the event, so we returned home feeling cheated, ignored, and very disappointed. We could have literally gone to Brewers Fayre and had better for our guests.
The ignorance in response to our raising of issues has only added to our frustration at the reputational demise of this previously beautiful venue.
We tried to raise things pleasantly and positively with the venue, but as mentioned, that has not received any acknoweldgement. In actuality, our our disappointment on the day goes far wider than this short, terse summary, but our recommendation to others is to be aware that you too may find yourself lost in the masses at big events here.
We hope the venue finds it's feet again. It is a beautiful location and an important asset to the area. On this performance though, that is not enough to sustain the reputation it holds as a high class venue, worth the visit, because it wasn't.
