Shap Wells Hotel

Hotels
7.9 (1431 reviews)
Shap , Shap , gb

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Fitness center
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Room service
Heating
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly, helpful staff
Excellent location for walks and Red Squirrels
Strong food and breakfast / talented chef
Good value for money
Characterful historic/Edwardian atmosphere
Comfortable beds and ample parking
Cons:
Occasional staffing shortages and slow service
Dated bathrooms / need for improvements
No in-room cooling (fan/AC) during heat
Pot-holed driveway / entrance condition
Limited evening menu at times / expectations mismatch

Categories

Cleanliness
7.2
Mixed comments: several guests praised clean rooms and public areas, but a few reviews noted cleanliness issues (e.g. 'a bit to improve', no toilet brush) and a slightly tired bathroom.
Service
8.4
Generally praised: multiple reviews note very friendly, helpful and attentive staff; however a notable stay reported a staffing shortage with slow service and room changes, producing some inconsistency.
Location
9
Strong positive: repeatedly highlighted as excellent for walks, near woodland and Red Squirrels, convenient for M6 and attractive surroundings.
Room Quality
7.4
Mostly positive: rooms described as comfortable, clean and characterful; some comments mention dated bathrooms and lack of cooling (no fan/AC) during heat spells.
Amenities
7.2
Decent basic amenities: lift, plenty of parking and bar noted positively, but guests missed cooling in rooms and reported a pot-holed driveway and dated bathroom fittings.
Value for Money
8.6
Frequently praised as good value: several guests said the hotel represented great value compared with other Lake District options and food was good value.
Food and Beverage
7.5
Generally strong: many compliments to the chef, excellent breakfasts and tasty evening meals; isolated notes about limited evening menu choices and some buffet/self-service arrangements.
Overall Experience
7.9
Overall view is positive but mixed: most stays were enjoyable with charming character, friendly staff and good food, while occasional poor staffing/service incidents led to notably worse individual experiences.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-08-13 06:49

Property Description

Spacious Rooms with Countryside Views:
Experience the tranquility of the Lake District from our spacious rooms at Shap Wells, each offering free Wi-Fi and picturesque countryside views.

Diverse Dining Options:
Indulge in light meals at the Riverside Lounge and Bar, or enjoy river views while dining at the Birkbeck Restaurant. For a cozy evening, head to the Fell Lounge with a 50-inch flat-screen TV and log fires.

Surrounded by Nature:
Nestled between Penrith and Kendal, our hotel is enveloped by 30 acres of woodland and wildlife. Conveniently located just 5 minutes from the M6 motorway, Shap Wells Hotel offers the perfect blend of serenity and accessibility.

Book your stay at Shap Wells Hotel now to immerse yourself in nature's beauty and enjoy a relaxing getaway.

Important information:

Maximum capacity of extra beds is 2 and some rooms cannot accommodate any.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: MME

Location

Guest Reviews

7.9
Based on 1431 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.2
Service: 8.4
Location: 9
Room Quality: 7.4
Amenities: 7.2
Value for Money: 8.6
Food and Beverage: 7.5
Overall Experience: 7.9
J
Jacqueline • couple • gb
8
2026-08-29 • via Nuitee
Z
ZDZISLAW LEON • couple • gb
10
2026-08-29 • via Nuitee
S
Sheila • couple • gb
9
A comfortable place to stop over on the way to Scotland.
Pros:

It is a short distance from the M6 and convenient for. Retaking a journey to Scotland in an area not well served with hotels. It is quiet. We had a spacious room. The decor is art nouveau

Cons:

No fault of the hotel, but access from the motorway is via heavily potholed lanes.

2026-08-28 • via Nuitee
C
Chris • solo_traveller • gb
8
2026-08-28 • via Nuitee
N
Neil • solo_traveller • gb
1
Pros:

Fine old building.

Cons:

Awful manager and overall treatment. Felt very unvalued as a customer.

2026-08-27 • via Nuitee
K
Kate • solo_traveller • gb
8
Pros:

all be it out away from penrith etc it was a lovely setting .breakfast was good

Cons:

there could be more choice in food we ate out both nights if there had more we would have ate there we were travelling with 2 children and table du hote wasn't suitable

2026-08-27 • via Nuitee
O
O Donnell • family_with_children • ie
3
Pros:

Dinner was excellent high quality

Cons:

Dogs allowed all over hotel not only in annex as described but in hotel rooms
This is ok if you are a dog owner but definatly not otherwise. Revolting

2026-08-26 • via Nuitee
R
Robert • extended_group • gb
10
Fantastic stay again for me and relatives we will be back. Food bed and staff first class and all amenities perfect. A b
Pros:

Used this hotel as a coach driver since the early 90.s. Have used it as a paying guest for the last 3/4 years always excellent

Cons:

No squirrels. Not the hotel fault though . We brought my wife’s cousins from Lincoln to see red squirrels in as they had never seen any. Unfortunately a disease has nearly desimated the squid so never saw any. Still it’s an excuse to bring them back to the hotel

2026-08-26 • via Nuitee
J
Jo • solo_traveller • gb
7
Quirky accomodation in remote location
Pros:

Remote location. Friendly staff. Traditional features in the building

Cons:

Poor quality entry road on one side. Very slow dinner service. Our room needed updating and more thorough cleaning

2026-08-26 • via Nuitee
S
Simon • solo_traveller • gb
6
Pros:

Breakfast. Comfy beds.

Cons:

Games room was in a shocking state. Missing snooker balls, darts board was a joke. Carpet tiles were loose pretty much everywhere. Gym was equally shoddy.

2026-08-26 • via Nuitee
B
bogdan • solo_traveller • ro
10
2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
D
Dane • couple • gb
10
All staff did their best to meet our needs
Pros:

Ample with good quality

Cons:

Nil

2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
M
Martin • family_with_children • gb
9
Fun, quirky and like living in the 1930s.
Pros:

We loved the art-deco/regency styling especially in the bar area reception and dining room. The quirky nature of the whole place. The room was perfectly adequate and comfortable and the food was excellent. The prices including the rooms,food and drinks were very reasonable. The hotel is very isolated which we wanted but is within easy access of the M6. And quiet, complete silence at night. Highly recommended.

Cons:

Not a lot really.

2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
C
Clive • couple • gb
10
Lovely stay at the beautiful Shap Wells Hotel.
Pros:

The staff were outstanding. Friendly, helpful and funny! The location is stunning. Our rooms were comfortable and very clean. Dinner was excellent and we had a lovely breakfast too. The forest with the red squirrels is enchanting and we saw a squirrel which was a real bonus. Also, dog friendly!

Cons:

Really, I am struggling here to think of anything meaningful for us as a family. It is remote so if you want a place where you can walk, for example, to another pub, that would not be easy.

2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
A
Audrey • solo_traveller • gb
6
2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
G
Gary • solo_traveller • gb
6
Pros:

Excellent location, beautiful scenery. Very much in sticks would need to drive to most locations. Staff were very helpful and friendly. Beautiful history to the hotel.

Cons:

If not busy the bat shut early at approximately 9.30. The Garden shown on booking.com doesn't exist and nor does the bridge shown. We did enquire about this and was told improvements were going to be done. No entertainment while we were there. I can't say enough how wonderful, kind and caring the staff were. If a question was asked they tried there hardest to find the answer.

2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
L
Laine • solo_traveller • gb
10
Peace and tranquility
Pros:

Perfect location for those who values peace and tranquility.
Beautiful landscapes surrounding the hotel, waterfall, creek and mountain river, just beautiful. Hotel staff was exceptionally nice and helpful.

2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
C
Catherine • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

Exceptionally helpful staff when we arrived tired and hungry

2026-08-21 • via Nuitee
S
Susan • solo_traveller • gb
1
2026-08-21 • via Nuitee
G
glendinning • solo_traveller • gb
5
2026-08-20 • via Nuitee