Lake District Kendal
The Old Garage Apartments
Independent pet-friendly review by Four Legged Guests · updated August 2026 · paw rating built from 5 verified guest reviews mentioning pets
Bring your dog if
- You want a whole-property rental - no shared lobbies or corridors to navigate with your dog
- You're basing yourself in Kendal / the Lake District and want a pet-friendly anchor for day trips
- The wider guest experience is strong - guests rate this 9.3/10 overall on booking platforms
Worth knowing
- Pet fee: £0 (max 2 pets) - the amount is published but not what it covers, so confirm the terms when you book
How this review was built Evidence, sources, refresh cadence
- Evidence: 5 pet-mention guest reviews sourced from major booking platforms - guests who explicitly mentioned travelling with a dog. Each review is screened for pet-relevance, then judged for sentiment to compute the paw rating.
- Not a personal visit. We don't stay at every hotel we cover - we summarise patterns from real guest reviews, paraphrased and never quoted verbatim. Full standard on our editorial policy page.
- Wider context: The property has 44 guest reviews overall across booking platforms, averaging 9.3/10 - the paw rating reflects only the pet-mentioning subset.
- Last refreshed: August 2026. Policies and pricing drift; we re-check on a rolling basis. Confirm specifics with the property at the moment you book.
- How the paw rating works: Full detail on the methodology page, including the three verification gates and known limitations.
Pet policy at a glance
- Up to two dogs stay at no extra cost.
- Dogs must be house trained and well behaved.
- Dogs are the only pets accepted, so other animals cannot be brought along.
- Both apartments are on one level with underfloor heating throughout.
Pet-friendly summary
The Old Garage Apartments sit at Selside, on the A6 a few miles north of Kendal, and they are one of the more thoughtfully run dog-friendly stays at this end of the Lake District. Up to two dogs stay at no extra cost, which is rare enough to be worth stating plainly, and guests arriving with a dog regularly find treats laid out alongside the welcome tray and fresh milk.
Both apartments are on one level with underfloor heating throughout, a combination that counts for more than it sounds when you have a stiff old dog or a wet one that needs drying off. There is a secure outdoor area where a dog can spend time off the lead, private parking, a full kitchen and a washing machine, and the flats earn steady praise for being spotlessly clean and comfortable. The host is quick to answer messages.
The honest caveat is the road. The apartments front onto the A6 and the pavement alongside is narrow, and dog owners say plainly that walking straight from the door feels exposed, which is unnerving with a dog that pulls or startles at traffic. It is not the owners' doing and it is easily worked around by driving a couple of minutes to quieter lanes and open fell, but it should shape how you plan the first walk of the day rather than being discovered on arrival. Beds and sofas draw the odd complaint for comfort too.
What you get in return is position, with Kendal minutes away for shops and supplies, Windermere and the southern fells a short drive, and long views from the property itself. Only dogs are accepted, and they need to be house trained and well behaved. For owners who want a clean, warm, single-level flat with secure outdoor space and no pet supplement, and who are happy to drive the short distance to the walking, The Old Garage Apartments earn a 4.4/5 paw rating.
Highlights from pet-mentioning reviews
What reviewers travelling with dogs consistently noted about staying here.
- Two dogs stay at no extra cost
- Treats laid out for arriving dogs
- Secure outdoor area for off-lead time
- Single level with underfloor heating
- Main road makes doorstep walks tricky
- Dogs only, house trained and well behaved
About this hotel
The Old Garage Apartments are a pair of three-and-a-half-star, single-level self-catering flats at Selside, on the A6 a few miles north of Kendal, at the southern edge of the Lake District. Each has a full kitchen, washing machine, underfloor heating and private parking, with a secure outdoor area and quick access to Windermere and the southern fells.
Hotel facts
Photos
Location
Windy Ridge Selside, Kendal, LA8 9LE
