Shap Wells Hotel

The hotel’s decline was obvious on this, our third visit and first since the change of ownership. My diabetic husband expected to be able to get a sandwich because light lunches were advertised. At 2pm, the assistant manager told us the chef was lazy and asleep, and said he’d try to wake him. Our two coffees never arrived, and the sandwich took 45 minutes. It was snowing and -2 degrees outside, but the heating went off at 1am and wasn’t back until 3:30 or 4pm. The room was freezing in the morning, and trying to bathe or shower was completely unacceptable. When we asked about the cold, the assistant manager said he’d send maintenance. He didn’t, and we later learned they turned the heating off each day to save money. We also couldn’t get hot water to the bath. Nobody helped when we asked, just fobbed us off again. The bar stayed closed throughout our visit, so there was nowhere to sit and spend the evening with other guests. If you could find someone qualified to open it, they’d bring you a drink since the bar area itself was shut. Dogs were allowed in the restaurant; one barked and growled, which made us very uncomfortable. Wi-Fi was down most of the time. Freeview was the only option in the room, and its signal kept breaking up. There’s no smart TV. We also had to pick our way over ice outside the hotel because nobody had gritted the area. The assistant manager told us February was a bad time to visit because they’d laid off many staff due to it being quiet, and that we should have come in March. Why take our money, then? If February is that difficult, the hotel should close. We paid good money for a truly terrible stay. An awful experience, and we’ll never return.

If possible, I’d ask for a room in the main building when booking. The hotel has lovely Art Deco character, and the buffet breakfast was tasty with plenty to choose from. The owner-manager was friendly and welcoming, and clearly proud of the place. I’d definitely recommend a visit.

The staff were professional and made us feel at ease, and the food and drink were good. We also enjoyed seeing the red squirrels tuck into the bag of seeds the staff had put out. A wonderful old-style hotel, and nothing seemed too much trouble.

This is a 19th-century place with small, a bit tired rooms that have been adapted to include en suites. Unless they start knocking down interior walls, there isn’t much they can do to make the rooms bigger, and to me that’s part of the charm. The public areas are stunning, very Agatha Christie, At Bertrams Hotel, and the food was delicious. There was half a cow in the steak and ale pie! Staff were helpful and friendly, and the location really is in the middle of nowhere. If you’re after a modern Holiday Inn or Travelodge, go there instead. We paid £99 for two people for bed, breakfast and dinner on what I think was a Sunday-night offer running until March, which was an absolute bargain. We didn’t spot the red squirrels, but that’s a good excuse to come back. Thanks for a lovely evening!