Places to Stay With Takeaway Food in Kendal

If you'd rather not cook every evening of your break, a stay with takeaway food on site makes things simpler. Six places to stay in the Kendal region of Cumbria offer it on BritStays. That's a small, mixed set, so it's worth knowing what each type of stay is like before you book.

What's available

The six stays include three campsites, two hotels and one holiday park. Each one is in a different place: Staveley, Sedgwick, Penrith, Kendal, Burton-in-Kendal and Alston. There's no single hub, so pick your base by the kind of trip you want rather than expecting a choice of options in one town.

All six offer takeaway food. Beyond that, these are the most common facilities across the set:

• Disabled access, WiFi, parking and a restaurant: four stays each
• A bar, a playground and toilets: three stays each

So most stays give you a sit-down option as well as takeaway, which helps on a wet evening when eating in a tent or caravan doesn't appeal.

Choosing by type of trip

Families with younger children. Three stays have a playground, and two of the examples here list one. Windermere Camping and Caravanning Club in Staveley combines a playground with a bar and takeaway food. Raines Hall in Sedgwick pairs a playground with a cafe and takeaway. A campsite where the children can play while you collect dinner can make an evening much easier.

Families wanting more to do on site. Center Parcs Whinfell Forest, listed under Kendal, is the holiday park in this set. Its listed facilities include a swimming pool, hot tub and gym. Greengill Campsite near Penrith also lists a swimming pool, along with a restaurant and cafe. That's unusual for a campsite and useful if the weather turns.

Couples. Alston House Hotel in Alston has a bar and restaurant as well as takeaway food. It suits a short break where you want a proper meal without driving anywhere afterwards.

Accessible stays and overnight stops. The Travelodge at Burton-in-Kendal lists disabled access alongside a restaurant and takeaway food. Four of the six stays list disabled access, but needs vary a great deal. Ask each stay directly about room layout, step-free routes and parking before you commit.

Dog owners. The information here doesn't tell you which stays accept dogs. Check each stay's own policy, and ask whether dogs are allowed in the bar, cafe or restaurant areas too.

Coast or countryside? The listings don't describe the setting of each stay. If being near water or open hills matters to you, look at the full listing and a map before booking.

What to do once you're there

The region has plenty of history to explore. Within the region you'll find:

• Castles: Kendal Castle, Sizergh Castle, Appleby Castle, Howgill Castle and the site of Burton Castle
• Stately homes: Levens Hall and Acorn Bank, for a slower day out
• Walking country: the Yorkshire Dales National Park is among the landmarks listed for the region

For indoor days, the Heritage Centre in Kendal is an easy choice. Further afield in the Lake District there's Brantwood, Eskdale Mill and The Lakes Aqua Park, which is popular with families. Keswick has Keswick Museum & Art Gallery and The Retro Zone. Morecambe has the Judges' Lodgings Museum and the Laurel and Hardy Museum. Check how far each is from your stay, as they're spread across a wide area.

With takeaway food at your stay, you can plan a full day out and not worry about finding somewhere to eat on the way back.

When to book, and what to check

With only six stays in this set, and each in a different place, there isn't much choice if you've set your heart on one particular base. Book early if you need specific dates, especially for school holidays and bank holiday weekends, when family-friendly campsites and holiday parks tend to fill first.

Before you pay, it's worth checking a few things directly with the stay:

• When the takeaway is open, and whether this changes outside the main season
• Whether you need to order ahead at busy times
• Whether the restaurant, bar or cafe needs a booking
• What the dog policy is, and what accessible facilities are on offer, if either matters to you
• Whether WiFi and parking are included, as only four of the six list each

Finally, have a back-up plan for your first evening, such as some simple food packed in the car. If you arrive late or the takeaway is busy, you won't be stuck.