YHA Coniston Holly How

I recently stayed at YHA Coniston, Holly How for one night. I had originally planned to stay for two nights, but unfortunately couldn’t make it work. Even so, my short stay there was truly wonderful! The atmosphere was so warm and welcoming, everyone at the hostel, from guests to staff, made me feel completely at home. The staff members were especially kind and friendly, always ready to help with a smile. One lady ( with red/ golden hair) , in particular, was incredibly helpful when I missed my bus. She went out of her way to assist me in finding and booking another hostel. Without her help, I would have been in real trouble! I’m deeply grateful for her kindness and support! ❤️ Overall, it was a super experience — cozy, friendly, and memorable. I would definitely love to come back and stay at this hostel again in the future. I’d give it a solid 10 out of 10! 🤗💌

Lovely clean and cosy hostel in Coniston! We booked 3 private rooms for a group trip and it was a great stay. Kitchen was well-stocked although we'd request extra dry tea towels in the kitchen area for drying dishes. The staff members were super friendly for check in from 5pm but there are no staff around before then so I wouldn't recommend arriving any earlier.

I arrived at the property around 8pm with a reservation made via Booking.com, only to realise at check-in that I had accidentally booked the wrong date (two weeks later). I immediately explained the situation and asked whether the reservation could be moved to the correct date, which would have meant bringing it forward rather than cancelling it. Unfortunately, the reception staff showed no flexibility at all and, more importantly, no empathy. Given how frustrating the situation was, a more understanding approach would have gone a long way. I was then charged for the whole room instead of the bed (which they seem to often do according to other reviews). I was also told that it was not possible to change the name on the reservation, meaning I couldn’t even transfer the booking to someone else. Since I will be abroad on the booked dates, the reservation is effectively unusable and a complete waste. As for the property itself, it was fairly clean but felt tired and outdated, and did not really compensate for the poor customer service experience. Overall, I wouldn’t choose to stay here again.