Travelodge Kendal

Travelodge Kendal sits at Prizet on the A591 just south of the town, and it is best understood as a stopover rather than a destination: the place you book to break the drive up to the Lakes with a dog in the back. For that job it does well, and the pet policy is clear enough that you know the cost before you book.

Dogs stay for £25 per pet, per stay, with up to two pets allowed on a booking and assistance dogs travelling free. Pets cannot be left alone in the room, which matters more on a stopover than it sounds: if you were planning to head out for dinner, the dog comes with you or you eat in. Guests arriving with a dog have found the staff genuinely helpful, and there is a path around the back of the hotel for a leg-stretch on arrival, plus a filling station shop next door if you have left the food or the poo bags at home.

Rooms are clean and quiet, and Kendal itself is five minutes away by car with Bowness and Windermere a short drive on, so an early start puts you on a proper Lakeland walk before most people have had breakfast. Two practical notes. The hotel sits on a busy road and rooms at the back are noticeably quieter than those at the front, so ask when you book. And the approach from the dual carriageway is awkward from one direction, which is easy to get wrong in the dark.

Parking is on site but charged at a few pounds for the night, which surprises some guests given the semi-rural setting. Best suited to overnight stops on the way to or from the Lakes with a dog who settles happily in the room. Less suited to anyone wanting a Lake District base with grounds, in-house pet facilities, or somewhere to leave the dog while they explore. It earns a 4.4 out of 5 paw rating.