This is the first time I have stayed in a YHA hostel and I was very impressed with it. We arrived…read moreat 4pm, which was before it opened, but there was a note inviting us to come in and make ourselves a cup of tea. You can buy tea and coffee and homemade cake. The tea and coffee was a little expensive so if you are on a budget I would recommend bring some with you. The hostel has just been refurbished and it really shows. The living area is tidy and comfortable, with a real log stove and the kitchen is big enough for a few people to be cooking in it and is well stocked. You can buy dinner at night £11 for a 3 course meal; we didn't have it as we were cooking for ourselves, but the other guests seemed to enjoy it. You can buy Organic wine and beer, but only alcohol bought on the premises can be drunk. Right next door there is a camping barn which is very basic, but looked really good fun and I plan on giving it a go next time I stay. The access is by car, but there is not a lot of parking. The track coming up to it is not paved so it can look like you are going the wrong way. It is situated in a beautiful area, but it is very cut off so if you are expecting to walk to the pub you will be disapointed! It is on the Coast 2 Coast cycle path and many walks.

From the owner: If you want to get away from it all and catch a true taste of the Lake District, then YHA Ennerdale…read morereally is the hostel for you. Situated in a remote wooded valley and surrounded by fells, ridges and famous peaks, these converted forestry cottages make for a cosy rural retreat. Perfect for outdoor activity breaks, the hostel is surrounded by great terrain for walking and cycling holidays, scaling ridges and scrambling. For the eco-conscious, YHA Ennerdale has an off-grid, hydro-electric power supply and even generates its own drinking water!

It's located smack in the centre with the best bar just beside it the brewery centre that also has…read morethe only cinema in it cool!

For those whose vision of a YHA hostel is as some sort of bleak army barracks set-up for…read moremasochists, an overnight stay at this pace will not only convert you but will show you what you've been missing. Located in a lovely and unspoiled street, rich in Victoriana and with well-preserved Georgian architecture, the hostel is a huge old townhouse, handily placed in front of the famous 'Brewery Arts Centre' venue, so check the listings before you make your booking, you might be pleasantly surprised. Immaculately clean and modern throughout, the hostel provides shared dormitories for the budget-conscious (usually around £13.95 per night) or shared family rooms, for families (naturally) or couples. A well laid out and fully-featured communal kitchen, is ideal for self-catering purposes, but meals (and breakfasts) can be booked in advance, or on arrival. The rooms are warm and comfortable, and the bathrooms are first-rate (although the pressure of the showers could do with being reduced a bit ranging from 'invigorating' to 'dermabrasion'). Plenty of recreational facilities; a well-stocked library, tv, mountain-bike hire at cheap rates. But if you get Room 6, keep the lights on it's haunted.

Staff here is really unfriendly and unhelpful. We stayed here last night and woke up to the fire…read morealarm in our room going off every 5 minutes. We also had to shower in the dark/with the door partly ajar because half the lights in the building were not working. Apparently all this was planned work and they should have told us ahead of time, but were "so busy" when we checked in that they didn't. When we complained they said there was nothing they could do. Though the location and views of the lake are great, the restaurant next door is nothing special. It was also pretty tough to fall asleep because there is no soundproofing and the room was very warm. Rooms are very tight quarters and we didn't know when we booked a triple that 2 of the spots were a double bed. I guess you get what you pay for, but the service here really is lacking.

It is literally right on the lake... if you want you could run out of the front door and go for a…read morequick dip in the lake, but you don't have to take my word for it ;). Seriously, the location alone of this hostel is not only convenient (ok a small walk to the centre of town), but to be right on the lake, makes for spectacular views. Even the dock for the ferry is just outside of the hostel. If you are bringing a car, parking can be a bit tight; if you are bringing a group by coach, there is a car park where the coaches can pull in, drop off, and pick up. The staff have always been really easy to work with. I book our students twice a semester and they make booking and finalizing everything very easy. Packed lunches are available to order, they have maps of walks around the area available for purchase, and the staff are always willing to make recommendations about what to do and see. The hostel always seems to be busy, so it can get rather loud... the staff always manage to let me know when my students are being loud, but they never say anything about the children running around, screaming, jumping on furniture (all of this unattended) to the parents. Can make for a sleepless night. The rooms, however, are kept really well. I have never found cleanliness to be a problem. The only complaint I have are all the spiders and cobwebs all over the room. I have stayed in a couple different rooms, and depending on where you are in the hostel also has an effect on the noise you will hear. The rooms are all quite warm, which is nice after a day outside taking in the great outdoors. Toilets and showers are never far away from any room and I don't think I've ever had to wait for one. The lobby is nice and large. Great to sit and chat, play cards, have a pint from the hostel's bar, check email, etc. The breakfast is really good as well, important when you are headed out for a full day of activities. They also have a drying room, however, when it gets full, the room tends not to work as well. While it isn't the best night's sleep, it is a pretty good value and you can't beat the location.