Shap Wells Hotel

Hotels
7.9 (1398 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 1398 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
S
Susan • solo_traveller • gb
1
2026-08-21 • via Nuitee
C
Catherine • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

Exceptionally helpful staff when we arrived tired and hungry

2026-08-21 • via Nuitee
S
Stewart • solo_traveller • gb
3
Won't be going back!
Pros:

The food was great.

Cons:

The staff weren't the most friendliest bunch, strict 6-8 am breakfast and the same for dinner, 6-8 pm ONLY! We watched guests arrive at 7:45, and we're told they had to leave their bags where they were and go straight into dinner, b4 checking into their room. I booked online and explained i had 2 dogs and was their any issues with this, as website said dog friendly. I got a total cost of our stay sent to me, however when we arrived the bill had jumped up to over £60. When I questioned this they said additional cost was for my small dogs, I explained i contacted the hotel directly and no one replied and told us of the additional charges, as I would have looked else where.
Said I was happy to pay half but not the total amount, staff then spoke to manager who, basically said tough, pay the full amount or leave! We had been driving for over 7 hrs! With 2 children. Eventually the manager came out, said I should have called them directly???? Eventually agreed to me paying the £30.
We were however shoved out in the bath house which isn't as pictured and wasnt part of the hotel at all. Wish I had booked at a Premier Inn,
Went to use their hair dryer which started to smoke and was near to bursting into flames. Thier fire alarms kept going off multiple times. 0 atmosphere in the place, reminded me of a nursing home.

2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
K
KRZYSZTOF • couple • gb
10
Nice
Pros:

A pleasant, clean hotel

2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
B
Brian • couple • gb
5
2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
K
Katie • solo_traveller • gb
10
Fab stay amazing staff
Pros:

we stayed in the bath house just by the river and we really enjoyed the views we walked around the forest up to the queen's moument and up to the waterfall as far as we could. The views are stunning. The owner has lots of knowledge and can't do more for us with our little dog to make our stay enjoyable. The separate dinner room and lounge for dogs and family to be able to eat together was nice touch. The rooms are spacious, quiet, and comfortable.
The food was brilliant we had a meal at the restaurant in the 1st night enjoy fish and chips and peas and cheesecake also steak and ale pie chips and veg followed by fruit stack. All food was taste and good value for the cost. Breakfast was a buffet with a good choice to cater to everybody. They hotel is surrounded by red squirrels. But sadly we didn't see any on our walls with slinky.

Cons:

They only thing is the very narrow road down to the hotel which in the dark is hard to see. But otherwise everything else is good

2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
G
glendinning • solo_traveller • gb
5
2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
J
Jean Margaret • couple • gb
7
A well-placed overnight stay for our visit to the area.
Pros:

Breakfast was very good. Bed comfortable. Staff friendly and efficient. Location good for meeting family doing the Coast to Coast walk.

Cons:

Having a false fire alarm at 00.50, due to some guest deciding to have a shower, apparently, and the steam set it off.!!My husband fell out of bed in the confusion, hurting his knee and hip, both of which are replacements. The knee is still badly bruised. Maybe a notice could be put in rooms telling guests not to shower at anti-social hours?

2026-08-19 • via Nuitee
C
Coleman • solo_traveller • gb
9
Excellent value for money
Pros:

Very nice and excellent staff. Could do with a good overhaul and new carpets but pleasant and good value for money

2026-08-18 • via Nuitee
L
Lady Deborah • couple • gb
10
2026-08-17 • via Nuitee
S
Steve • couple • gb
5
Needs a full refurbishment and the access road to the hotel is the worse I’ve ever seen.
Cons:

Old, tired, run down decor. Not enough staff to offer correct levels of service. Luke warm breakfast and slow to replenish items. Too few staff.

2026-08-17 • via Nuitee
G
George • couple • gb
8
Lovely stay. Would recommend for short term stays.
Pros:

Lovely setting with a small woodland next to it offering walks. Good breakfast and large rooms. Staff very friendly. Quite quiet considering proximity of the M6.

Cons:

As no cold water tap you could not drink from the bathroom taps. Suggest bottled water. May need to consider installing aircon as summers getting hotter. Evening meals a bit expensive, as captive audience.

2026-08-17 • via Nuitee
P
Peter • solo_traveller • gb
6
We think the food could be better particularly Breakfast which was not hot enough.
2026-08-17 • via Nuitee
C
Corinne • couple • gb
8
Pros:

Staff were exceptional

Cons:

Shower was a bit dated

2026-08-17 • via Nuitee
M
Murtaza • family_with_children • gb
7
2026-08-16 • via Nuitee
A
akhil • extended_group • in
10
2026-08-16 • via Nuitee
L
Lane • solo_traveller • gb
8
Pros:

The buffet breakfast was amazing. The location and seeing the red squirrels.

2026-08-14 • via Nuitee
M
Mark • solo_traveller • nl
1
2026-08-14 • via Nuitee
D
Deanna • couple • gb
8
2026-08-13 • via Nuitee
A
Arifur • solo_traveller • gb
7
Nice location near the motorway
Pros:

I have stayed in a couple of hotels before but this was the first time I booked it myself.

There were several nice welcoming emails sent to me during the week before my arrival, which I appreciated.

Good breakfast and dinner options. Food presentation was great.

Room was clean and tidy. Basic amenities all there including kettle, tea, coffee, milk pods, sugar and sweetener. This was important to me as I am a heavy tea/coffee drinker but not a fan of espresso machines.

Staff were welcoming and polite. Made me comfortable and looked after in general.

I stayed during August and coming off the M6, the surrounding areas to the hotel had carpets of purple heather. It was a lovely sight and I stopped to take photographs.

The immediate surroundings to the hotel was nice too. There is a little stream and a pocket of woods just outside, which makes for a nice walk in the morning. Apparently, there are rare red squirrels too but I did not see at the time.

Floors sound creaky in many places but I didn't mind this. I was at the 2nd floor and access was not stair free, since lift only reaches some areas.

Cons:

Please paint on the car park the areas where parking isn't preferred like the coach turning areas / access ways. Feeling comfortable about parking is very important to me when travelling.

I had made a second booking to extend my stay for another night well before my arrival. At the time of booking, I was told that I wouldn't need to check out after the first night since it was the same room. This wasn't the case during my stay and I was asked to check out after the first night, as the receptionist wasn't sure which room I'd be in for the second night. It turned out to be exactly the same room. It would've been nice if they made a bit more effort to coordinate this internally to avoid the unnecessary checkout in the middle.

There was a constant sound if I opened the window, similar to those from a boiler room. I noticed it was turned down during late night.

2026-08-12 • via Nuitee