The Golden Lion Hotel, St Ives, Cambridgeshire - The Coaching Inn Group
Location: Market Hill, St Ives, gb
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Property Type: Hotels
About this Property
Charming 18th Century Coaching Inn
Located in the heart of St Ives, Cambridgeshire, The Golden Lion Hotel is a charming 18th Century Coaching Inn exuding history and character.
Comfortable Accommodation
The bright and airy bedrooms at The Golden Lion Hotel offer en suite bathrooms, tea/coffee facilities, and flat-screen TVs. Perfect for a cozy and relaxing stay.
Delicious Dining Options
Indulge in a full English breakfast and a varied menu of freshly prepared dishes using local seasonal produce. Pair your meal with a selection of wines, spirits, and local ales.
Experience the historic charm and modern comforts at The Golden Lion Hotel, St Ives, Cambridgeshire. Book your stay now for an unforgettable experience.
Important Information
When booking 8 rooms or more, different policies and additional supplements will apply.
Children are allowed on request. Contact property with your requirements. Additional fees apply.
Pets are allowed in the classic rooms upon request. Additional fees apply, please contact property in advance to ensure a pet-friendly room is allocated.
The hotel is a popular venue at weekends with various events and can have live music playing until late, they do their best to ensure this is kept to a minimum.
Policies
Check-in: 03:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Amenities & Facilities
- Non-smoking rooms
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Terrace
- Family rooms
- Pets allowed
- Luggage storage
- Packed lunches
- Non-smoking throughout
- Kid meals
- Outdoor furniture
- Coffee Shop on site
- Pet bowls
- Staff adhere to local safety protocols
- Guest rooms disinfected between stays
- Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
- Physical distancing rules followed
- Cashless payment available
- Fire extinguishers
- First aid kit available
- Sanitized tableware & silverware
- Contactless check-in/check-out
- Guests can opt-out any cleaning services during stay
- Smoke alarms
- Shared stationery like menus, pens are removed
- Physical distancing in dining areas
- Key access
- Food delivered to guest room
- Screens / Barriers between staff and guests for safety
- Security alarm
- Television in common areas
- Front desk (limited hours)
- Free wired internet
- Internet access
- Housekeeping on request
- Wine release events
- Reception hall
- Secured parking
- Vegetarian menu options available
Rooms Available
-
Deluxe Suite
This room features an additional living space, luxury duvets and quilts, WiFi access, TV with Freeview channels, tea/coffee making facilities and an iron and ironing board. Complimentary bottled mineral water and treats are provided. Bathrobe and slippers can be found in the private bathroom.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- TV
- Telephone
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Radio
- Desk
- Seating Area
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Slippers
- Sofa
- Electric kettle
- Wardrobe or closet
- Linen
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Bottle of water
- Chocolate or cookies
- Trash cans
- Cots
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Key access
-
Deluxe Double Room
This large deluxe double room features an additional living space, luxury duvets and quilts, WiFi access, TV with freeview channels, tea/coffee making facilities and an iron and ironing board. Complimentary mineral water are supplied upon arrival. Bathroom and slippers are also provided in the private bathroom.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- TV
- Telephone
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Radio
- Desk
- Seating Area
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Slippers
- Electric kettle
- Wardrobe or closet
- Linen
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Bottle of water
- Chocolate or cookies
- Trash cans
- Cots
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Key access
-
Superior Family Room
The spacious superior family room features a double bed and an additional single bed with luxury duvets and quilts and private bathroom facilities. The room also includes a flat-screen TV with Freeview channels, tea/coffee making facilities, premium arrival treats, an iron and ironing board, bathrobe and slippers, complimentary bottled mineral water and free WiFi.
Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- TV
- Telephone
- Hair dryer
- Radio
- Desk
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Electric kettle
- Wardrobe or closet
- Linen
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Bottle of water
- Trash cans
- Cots
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Key access
-
Classic Single Room
This Classic Single Room is individually styled and provides a single bed with private bathroom facilities, flat-screen TV with Freeview channels, tea and coffee making facilities, an iron and ironing board, complimentary bottled mineral water, and WiFi access.
Max Occupancy: 1 (1 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- TV
- Telephone
- Hair dryer
- Radio
- Desk
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Electric kettle
- Wardrobe or closet
- Linen
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Bottle of water
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Key access
-
Classic Double Room
Each room features private bathrooms, flat-screen TV with Freeview channels and free WiFi. Additional benefits include complimentary bottled water, tea/coffee making facilities and ironing facilities. A double bed is in the room.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- TV
- Telephone
- Hair dryer
- Radio
- Desk
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Electric kettle
- Wardrobe or closet
- Linen
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Bottle of water
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Key access
-
Superior Double Room
Each room features private bathrooms, flat-screen TV with Freeview channels and free WiFi. Additional benefits include complimentary bottled water, tea/coffee making facilities and ironing facilities, premium arrival treats, bathrobes and slippers, and luxury duvets and quilts.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- TV
- Telephone
- Hair dryer
- Radio
- Desk
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Electric kettle
- Wardrobe or closet
- Linen
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Bottle of water
- Trash cans
- Cots
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Key access
-
Classic Twin Room
Each room features private bathrooms, flat-screen TV with Freeview channels and free WiFi. Additional benefits include complimentary bottled water, tea/coffee making facilities and ironing facilities. There are 2 single beds in the room.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Shower
- TV
- Telephone
- Hair dryer
- Radio
- Desk
- Toilet
- Private bathroom
- Heating
- Electric kettle
- Wardrobe or closet
- Linen
- Upper floors accessible by stairs only
- Clothes rack
- Toilet paper
- Bottle of water
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Key access
Guest Reviews
- Colin (8/5): Not Bad. - Very clean rooms. Draught beer selection: Poor.
Feedback from my last stay: London Pride available but staff happy to serve pints when oxidation has occurred.☹️
Also, while you’re asking for feedback (which never see’s the light of day anyway) Shame!
Why is Brixton always out of stock?
Breakfast staff very good but please manage the bar, especially when Wetherspoons is not only 30 metres away. They can serve a pint properly. My advise to the GL is take pride in the bar. Manage it properly. Parking outside this hotel for guest is confusing. Why? ‘Loading Only’. Perhaps HDC could help the Golden Lion?
- Colin (7/5): - Dynamic pricing makes it expensive when full
- Gareth (9/5): Great hotel. Will come back - Very warm welcome. Decent ale and a good menu. Lovely breakfast. Room was clean and the housekeeping left a written note welcoming me to the hotel. Nice touch. The parking is Ok but, you have to keep an eye on the time. Parking in the square is fine from6pm but charge period starts at 7am
- Catherine (7/5): - Loved the location, hotel was nice bar area good The walls are paper thin, we could hear everything the next room where saying first night heard someone on the phone till 1.30am the 2nd night just people talking shouting until 2am so not the best night's sleep.
Im abit picking on cleanliness, little things like grout could just do with a good clean with toothbrush .
Tiny blood stain on bed cover!!!
The food is well over priced we only ate there the first night, I had the sea bass which was lovely but what came with it was just tiny pieces of veg probably no more than a table spoon, hassle back potato's had been microwaved.
My husband had the rib eye steak which I know is a fatty steak but only half of it was steak the rest fat, again not alot came with it.
We enjoyed the area alot great base.
- Elizabeth (10/5): - Hotel was clean tidy and very friendly staff No lift in the hotel
- Jamie (9/5): value for money i would stay here again - clean , friendly lovle😄y hotel perfect stay
- David (10/5): - All of it
- Beverley (10/5): -
- Cary-Ann (8/5): Great Team and lovely stay as always! - Great Team! N/A
- Joanne (10/5): Excellent - staff was so friendly. Great location great value for money Going home
- Tricia (10/5): Saint Ives, Cambridgeshire is delightful. - Great character and location. Pure luxury of the room and bathroom accessories. Windows that opened fully so no claustrophobic feeling..
Restaurant and bar snacks very good and available most hours. Expensive breakfast as we only wanted a coffee and toast.
- Stephen (9/5): - The noise from people leaving the bar late at night and revellers in the street below the room at 3am
- Thomas (10/5): -
- SUSAN (8/5): -
- Keith (10/5): One word - Faultless! - I simply can't fault this hotel! We were attending a wedding at a different venue, and we're allowed to check-in early -without paying a fee for the privilege - so that we could drop our bags off and access the hotel late at night.
The staff were genuinely friendly, our room was spotless, the bed comfortable and breakfast was superb! There was nothing we didn't like. I'm just sorry that we're unlikely to stay in St. Ives again so that we could stay there again...
- Mike (8/5): On this occasion it was ok. Previous occasions have been 10/10 - Stayed here many times but this occasion we had room 20 which was very small and no bath. We had not asked for a room with a bath, which we should have done. Shower was very dated and in poor condition. Given us an alternative room but claimed you were fully booked. Web site said otherwise.
- june (9/5): - Beautiful hotel, very stylish, lovely breakfast and friendly, helpful staff. Comfortable bed and stylish bedroom One tiny thing but just to let you know, as everything else was perfect - the quilt on the bed was very thick and heavy and felt like it was too big for the cover, meaning it was bunched at the edges. On a fairly warm evening in May it was much too hot
- Linda (8/5): -
- craig (9/5): -
- Rupert (3/5): Inadequate - Location. The room had only a skylight for a window and was extremely hot when we arrived at about 8pm. There was no AC. Even with the skylight open for several hours the room remained very hot, and this was an April evening. We tried to change rooms but apparently the hotel was full. I don't think the hotel should let out a room such as this until it can control the heat.
- Stewart (10/5): -
- Ian (8/5): Not bad at all - Lovely decor welcoming Room one mattress was uncomfortable not a good sleep
- Dave Little (10/5): -
- Wanda (9/5): Feedback - Location staa were very friendly and helpful Some dust noted in room and bathroom but overall very clean.
- Mary (7/5): -
- Colin (9/5): -
- Wendy (10/5): Clean, trendy in the middle of town - It was clean, modern and the artwork was funky It was a bit expensive for one night , one small room and my blind was broken so I didn’t want to touch it. The view was a brick wall.
- Tracey (10/5): Would highly recommend staying here for comfort and such good value - Room was small but it had everything I needed including a lovely bath and comfortable bed. Room was warm even with the window open.
- Sarah (10/5): Fantastic stay in a beautiful location - Room was spacious, clean & well equipped. Staff were friendly & helpful. Food was absolutely delicious. And best of all the hotel was dog friendly! Nothing
- Tereza (8/5): - Typical English hotel. Something cute about that. The morning staff wasn’t really good, helpful nor on top of her job unfortunately. That was shame. We and the others had to constantly get up and ask her for bits like/ top up coffee, honey, marmalade…. They all had it, it just wasn’t out there for grabs. She wasn’t much on the floor circulating, because it was quiet, but there was still 4-5 tables busy.
Our corners of room were dusty and the shower had a mold along side the door, but that happens on old hotels.
- ANNA (9/5): -
- Cartwright (9/5): A very friendly hotel, delivering excellent service and good value - Breakfast was excellent value for money. The location was ideal The shower unit needed decorating
- Nigel (10/5): Inviting & welcoming on entry. Comfortable furnishing. Well appointed bedrooms with Well equipped ba - The staff were excellent. The hotel is well run. The restaurant excellent.. Excellent value for money. I will be back & advise my friends to stay. The town is a little gem & well worth visiting. I liked everything !
- Holton (4/5): -
- David (3/5): Sadly the bed, where I spent most of my stay seemed to have been in place since WW2 - Lovely staff and location, breakfast was great. When was the last time the mattress was replaced!!! There were no springs, I could feel every peice of the metal structure of the mattress and The laterals of the divan caused waves in the bed!!!
The worst mattress and bed I’ve slept on since the 1980’s when I stayed at an awful B&B in Scotland….
- Hazel (10/5): Perfect as always! - I love the welcome message the staff always leave in our room, the rooms are always clean & comfy, the staff in the bar & restaurant are always friendly too, the food is very good & we just love staying there & will be back again!!! Nothing at all!!!
- Deborah (10/5): Staff were very accommodating, food was lovely and the room was excellent value for money. We have stayed in more expens - We had a family room, it was warm comfortable and clean. The bed was wonderfully comfortable.
The hotel was excellent value for me. Will definitely stay again The only downside was that we pre ordered our evening meal days in advance and when we went for the meal the starter I had ordered was unavailable, everything else was great.
- 60665654baab7021b4df828bde6e701b (10/5): -
- b51ccda52b3f7030b7d02aa5d9962361 (8/5): - Clean,tidy and relaxing in town centre. Evening meal was disappointing.
Fish and chips very poor.
- 14cb17b502f870795d4f59b0edc442f2 (8/5): A decent hotel which is reasonably priced. - Conveniently situated on the market square.
Parking is unavailable at the hotel but public car parks are close by and comparatively inexpensive.
The hotel was clean and the staff were lovely.
We didn’t have breakfast included in our stay as I felt it was expensive at £13 per person - Wetherspoons a couple of doors away is a great alternative - but otherwise it was good value for money. Our room (17) was too warm, even in April without any heating on, which made it difficult to sleep. Also pillows weren’t particularly comfortable.
- 006c7546b6d070ed83cac62115fd0576 (6/5): Stayed here loads of times this time was not nice due to room and loud extractor - Was put on small double room20 where the restaurant extractor is located and runs from 7.30 till 10.30 loud humming throughly See above
- 3fe7bde9876172ad3702b64e8e2bbcf4 (8/5): -
- a3d52963eb707282240cf66b0a53eddc (10/5): Wonderful staff, fabulous breakfast and super comfortable - Ideally placed for our visit to our son. Very clean, super friendly staff and our room was extremely well presented and comfortable. N/a
- 49ec25832d4870444a207aeca8b7ffce (6/5): St Ives April 10th - 13th 2026 - Great location
Staff
Good breakfast and choice No free on site parking or parking voucher
Room wasn't very big and not enough room to put 2 small suitcases on a shelf
Toilet wasn't easy to flush
Was noisy just outside room on wall I think due to extractor fans going on for hours
- 9d4ca299cc6371ff89db433e2be580df (9/5): Best staff ever!!! Nothing to much trouble - Quirky….amazing staff so lovely nothing was too much trouble The room needs a good detailed clean..the window area needs attention and the pigeon dropping on the outside needs cleaning.
A good deep clean and this room would by 11/10…great view and lovely space
- 2ad1643745ba73f210acb067f48ede00 (10/5): Excellent accommodation, good service, great location - Beautiful room. Spacious. Nice and clean. Big comfortable bed. Big bathroom. Clean. Nice hand written notes about enjoying the room off house keeping. Right on the high street. Parking easy and cheap £4 for 23 hours car park two minutes away Nothing
- Gareth (9/5): Great place to stay - Friendly and helpful staff. Relaxed atmosphere. Fantastic value. No issues at all.
- Chris (9/5): - Very comfortable room. Clean, warm and well stocked with toiletries. Only downside was our view, but we were only there overnight The view
- Sharon (9/5): -
- J3nkins (10/5): - Extremely comfortable room that was clean. Very friendly and helpful staff. N/A
- Karen (10/5): -
- Vivienne (10/5): Great value for money and spotlessly clean. - Good value for money, really comfortable bed, spotless room, lovely fluffy white towels.
For the price, you can't fault it.
The Golden Lion has been done up quite nicely. The many "lion" portraits are a quirky, fun touch. Two tiny things - bottled water would have been great. It seems to be a hard water area, so a bottle of water to drink / make a cuppa would have been welcome. However I popped over to Waitrose and got myself the water.
Bathroom drains - occasionally whiffy.
- Kate (10/5): -
- Nicola (8/5): Nice hotel, good location, breakfast could do with basic improvements - Lovely old historical coaching inn in a central location, nicely presented. This chain of hotel include a Roberts radio playing classical music when you enter your room which is a nice touch. Beds on the softer side but comfortable. Nice lounge and bar area which was relaxed and nicely lit. Shower worked well and fortunately no problems with noise overnight. Friendly staff for check in and service. The breakfast was disappointing especially for the extra cost. Pre ordered vegan breakfasts but no reply to my request on booking and on ordering food they arrived with no sausage as they’d ran out. No alternative offered and no flora/similar for toast. Very little food to help yourself to and you had to ask for toast with one small slice.
We sat at a table and were told to move and had to sit squeezed between tables which was too close to others and seemed a bit silly not letting you choose where to sit.
Somewhat grumpy or offhand service over breakfast.
No parking onsite - only 23 hr long stay pay and display at Cattle mkt nearby, so had to leave breakfast to move the car (but you can’t repark at the same place).
- Andrea (8/5): Very nice hotel. - Location, comfort, food, staff Nothing
- michael (7/5): - was nice room only problem was above the kitchen with air vent from the kitchen under my windows went off 10pm and came back on 630am was very load had to sleep with closed windows if on even then was still load
- Mo (9/5): Lovely comfortable, clean and calm. Thank you! - Was very comfy and clean and nice little details such as radio playing gentle classical music as we walked in, everything was lovely, nice decor, calm and perfect for our stay. I can’t fault it really, I have stayed in other hotels with premium rooms where they have had the best tiles in the bathroom, pillow sprays, coffee machines (I might have scored and extra point for a coffee machine) but I have still found them to be noisy, smelly, dirty or something not quite right, but honestly, aside from perhaps could have had more milk and coffee in the room, I could not fault it and would definitely stay again and would thoroughly recommend.
- Gunn (8/5): -
- Kerry (8/5): -
- David (6/5): - On the fist day some items on the breakfast were just warm.
- Erika (9/5): -
- Ann (8/5): -
- judith (7/5): Great locay - Lovation
great Only skylight, hot room, noise during night when skylight open
- Liz (10/5): -
- Liz (10/5): Came to see grand daughter dance, I’d now the lion is like part of my family - Have stayed here a lot and never found fault Stairs, getting on a bit in life and stairs take it out of us
- Patrick (9/5): the hotel, bar & restaurant are very nice, single room a little small but good value, location excel -
- Thomson (8/5): - Room was well sized and had plenty of amenities, quiet from traffic in corridors and other areas of hotel. Breakfast was great with lots of continental choices and the cooked breakfast had amazing choice. Poached eggs were Perfect!!
- Michael (9/5): -
- Pip Johnson (5/5): - Central location The bar area wasn't cleaned for several hours, leaving dirty glasses and tables.
- David (8/5): Great business stop over. - Good location. Comfy room. Staff all friendly and helpful. Breakfast was lovely & price was competitive. Room was very hot. Radiator in bathroom was seemingly on full and difficult to turn down.
- Neil (8/5): -
- Cheryl (9/5): Stay was very nice. Room a little small but fine for what we needed. Clean and all facilities needed - Location is fab, but can’t comment on parking as parked by my family’s home. Didn’t do breakfast as went to family. Hotel was busy on arrival so had to wait at reception for a member of staff. They did acknowledge us, but still had a wait. No problem as we were not in a hurry.
- Donald (10/5): Superb stay - The whole building, rooms, bar and restaurant, was spotless and the staff brilliant. Poor phone signal.
- Bryan (10/5): It couldn’t have been better. Staff are so friendly and facilities were absolutely brilliant and the location also I cou - Everything? Nothing
- Gary (9/5): Enjoyed overnight B and B at the hotel. - Comfortable room and good breakfast.
- Jason (6/5): Okay - The staff and breakfast is always great. As a repeat and frequent guest, on this occasion the room was not up to expectations. The bathroom floor was damaged due to ongoing room improvements and it still had dust and dirt from the building works to make improvements. Additionally the hotel's policy on bottled water in the rooms has changed. It just seems all the small details that make a great stay are slowly disappearing. The staff and breakfast is always great. As a repeat and frequent guest, on this occasion the room was not up to expectations. The bathroom floor was damaged due to ongoing room improvements and it still had dust and dirt from the building works to make improvements. Additionally the hotel's policy on bottled water in the rooms has changed. It just seems all the small details that make a great stay are slowly disappearing.
- Jordi (9/5): Good location ang fantastic team - Wonderfull location for a weekend. Excelent team very helpfully.
Room is good, clean and comfortable No free public parking near. Is a cheap parking quite close
- Paul Richard (6/5): Adequate - Good location, nice staff Food sent back on numerous occasions for being cold. Arranged evening meal 20.30/20.45 arrived 20.10 and told we have stopped serving!!
- David (8/5): 2nd time we have stayed here and will be staying again, the location is great - Great The quality of the steak meal was not very good for our evening meal
- Karen (10/5): Had a fabulous weekend , everything was perfect - The staff where friendly and efficient Nothing ,
- Jess (6/5): Lovely room & staff- shame about the noise late at night! - Lovely spacious room, friendly staff Unsure if my room was situated right above the bar or restaurant area, but almost constant slamming door late at night when trying to get to sleep. I could also hear people speaking really loudly until almost 1am - it was like they were in the room with me! Safe to say I struggled to sleep and didn’t have the best night.
- Susannah (9/5): Enjoyable - Great location
Slept well
Nice building Our room had a constant buzzing noise no 17.
Would have been nice to have bottled water.
The lion pictures, please take some down 😊far far too many and not in keeping with the building
- Elizabeth (5/5): -
- Yvonne (8/5): Excellent breakfast and a comfortable bed - Right in the town centre The room was a little dusty
- Nadim (10/5): - Style and location.
- Cornelia (9/5): -
- Michael (9/5): -
- Chris (10/5): -
- Morgan (9/5): -
- Anne (9/5): -
- Christina (1/5): - Poor cleanliness
- Guido (7/5): Würde ich wieder übernachten. - Schöne Atmosphäre.Zentraler Standort in St.Ives.Parkplatz( Gebührenpflichtig) fußläufig zu erreichen.
Freundliche Mitarbeiter im Hotel.Frühstück gute Auswahl auf der Karte für extra Bestellung.Matratze beim Doppelbett schön groß daher genügend Platz für zwei Personen. Leider keine getrennte Bettdecke und war etwas dünn.
- Scott (8/5): Overall a pleasant stay - Bed was very comfortbale and clean, staff were very friendly, food in tge restaurant was excellent WiFi was not very good, would lile a mini fridge in the room to keep snacks and drinks in.
- Sian (8/5): -
- Stenly (10/5): -
- Nicki (10/5): -
- Jason (6/5): - good breakfast, room clean
- Olivia (8/5): very comfortable stay, conveneint for town ammenities - didn't have breakfast
- p (8/5): -
- Carole (7/5): Good location and meal, small room - The location in St Ives is perfect for our trip
This is the second time we’ve stayed here. The room was very small and could hear some noise from a fan of some kind well into the night. I didn’t complain about it, but mentioned it to the man when I checked out, his response wasn’t how I expected and quite unprofessional. I would stay again but make sure it was a different room.
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