Travelodge Kendal

Parking is plentiful, though it costs £3 for 24 hours. You have to enter your registration at the machine outside and again inside the hotel. There’s a bus to Kendal bus station, but reaching the stop means walking along the main road. Coming back involves a long walk unless you try crossing the dual carriageway, which really isn’t advisable. Driving into town is easier, and there are several car parks there. We stayed two nights and enjoyed it. The rooms were spacious, clean and warm, with comfortable beds and a good shower. Despite being close to a busy dual carriageway, our front-facing room was very quiet. It’s a good place to stop for a couple of nights on the way further into the Lake District.

The room opposite ours was very noisy at 2:30am, with a mum and daughter screaming and shouting. We couldn’t find any staff to tell, including when we checked out. It’s the usual Travelodge, cheap and clean, but parking has some catches. The £3 charge was tucked away at the end of the emails. You need to enter your registration on the reception tablet. Paying through the app doesn’t ask for it, so there’s no way to tell whose payment it is. The small print also says a space isn’t guaranteed, so you might not have one when you return if you’ve driven out.

The staff were nice, but I slept terribly. The extra bed in the family room was rock hard and left me waking up in agony. The window was stuck open when we arrived, and the room was noisy. Parking was another £3, and getting to and from the area was awkward. After poor sleep at two different Travelodge locations on this trip, I won’t stay at any of them again.

The breakfast was awful, just a cardboard box of cheap processed food. The room was cold and basic, with no facilities, and the noise from the busy road was almost constant. The double glazing did little to block it. We couldn’t switch our booking to the town centre Travelodge, where we’ve stayed before and had a much better experience.