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The Black Bull Hotel

Property class: 3

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Photo gallery for The Black Bull Hotel

A building with two signs reading "Black Bull Hotel" and a sign for "National Food Rooms Garden". - The Black Bull Hotel (Kirkby Stephen)
A chef preparing food in a professional kitchen with stainless steel appliances and a clock on the wall. - The Black Bull Hotel (Kirkby Stephen)
A group of people dining at a restaurant with a fireplace in the background. - The Black Bull Hotel (Kirkby Stephen)
A bar area with a tap display and a sign reading "BLACK BULL." - The Black Bull Hotel (Kirkby Stephen)
A hotel room with two single beds, a television on the wall, and a window with curtains. - The Black Bull Hotel (Kirkby Stephen)
You can look forward to a coffee shop/cafe, a garden, and a bar at The Black Bull Hotel. Stay connected with free WiFi in public areas, and guests can find other amenities such as a restaurant.

Reviews

7.8 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Pet friendly
  • Parking included
  • Restaurant
  • Bar
  • Housekeeping

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Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 4 of 4 rooms

Room

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Twin Bed and 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Double Room, Ensuite

A neatly made bed with white linens, a wooden headboard, and a bedside lamp.

Double Room, Ensuite

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Twin Room, Ensuite

A bedroom with two single beds, a window with curtains, a bedside table with a lamp, and a patterned carpet.

Twin Room, Ensuite

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Superior Suite, Ensuite (Sleeps 3)

A bedroom with two beds, a nightstand with a lamp, and floral wallpaper.

Superior Suite, Ensuite (Sleeps 3)

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Twin Bed and 1 Double Bed

About the neighborhood

Kirkby Stephen is home to The Black Bull Hotel. Yorkshire Dales National Park and Smardale Gill National Nature Reserve reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Stainmore Railway Company Ltd. and Eden Valley Railway. Appleby Leisure Centre and Kennedys Fine Chocolates are also worth visiting. Fishing offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with horse riding, cycling, and mountain biking nearby. Visit our Kirkby Stephen travel guide
Map
38 Market Street, Kirkby Stephen, England, CA17 4QW

What's nearby

  • A historic church with a large arch, a river with people stepping on stepping stones, and a park with trees and people in the background.
    Yorkshire Dales National Park
    2 min drive - 1.0 mile
  • Kirkby Stephen Library
    3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Lesley Rowe
    3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Frank's Bridge
    3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Stainmore Railway Company Ltd.
    17 min walk - 0.9 miles

Getting around

  • Kirkby Stephen Station
    6 min drive
  • Durham (MME-Teesside Intl.)
    64 min drive

Restaurants

  • Bay Horse Inn
    2 min drive
  • The Old Forge
    3 min walk
  • The Taggy Man
    2 min walk
  • Brough Castle Ice Cream & Tearoom
    6 min drive
  • The Black Swan
    7 min drive

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  • Breakfast included
  • Pet friendly
  • Parking included
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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • A bar/lounge
  • A coffee shop/cafe
  • A restaurant

Family friendly

  • High chair

Conveniences

  • Luggage storage

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Outdoors

  • Garden

Accessibility

  • No elevator

More

  • Smoking not allowed

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 11:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

There is no front desk at this property
The host will greet guests on arrival
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Host will greet you

Pets

Pets allowed for an extra charge of GBP 20 per pet, per day
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

MastercardVisa

Important information

Optional extras

  • Pet fee: GBP 20 per pet, per day
  • Service animals are exempt from fees

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit/debit cards

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including pre-wedding stag/bachelor and hen/bachelorette parties
This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly)

Frequently asked questions

Is The Black Bull Hotel pet-friendly?

Yes, dogs are allowed at this property. There's a fee of GBP 20 per pet, per day. Service animals are exempt from fees.

How much is parking?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at The Black Bull Hotel?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 11:00 PM.

What time is check-out at The Black Bull Hotel?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is The Black Bull Hotel located?

Situated in Kirkby Stephen, this hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of Eden Valley and Yorkshire Dales National Park. Lesley Rowe and Frank's Bridge are just steps away.

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Reviews

The Black Bull Hotel Reviews

7.8

Good

8.2

Cleanliness

9.0

Location

8.2

Staff & service

7.4

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 47 out of 139 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 48 out of 139 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 26 out of 139 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 14 out of 139 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 4 out of 139 reviews

Reviews

Verified review

8/10 Good

Pearl

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely hotel in the heart of Kirkby Stephen. No breakfast, but could be arranged albeit for an extra fee, and a bit too late for walkers. Comfortable bed and bedding. TV and wifi worked well.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2026
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Christopher

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Traditional hotel in the centre of town. Large bedroom and en-suite bathroom, but both rather run-down and tired. Example: plenty of space in the bedroom but no chair to sit on. Potential for a “window seat“, but no cushion there. Staff were great, though.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2026
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Carol

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Quite pricey for a small double room (bed up against the wall) with no breakfast, bed was comfortable room lovely and warm
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023
Verified review

8/10 Good

Thomas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Made to feel welcome

Overnight stay, check in seamless comfortable room can’t comment on the breakfast as had to leave early Can’t fault the staff and Full on Fran is a star 🌟 😁
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Cold couple ❄️

This hotel was nice and clean with everything you could need for a night away. The only issue was that we were on the top room and the heating wasn’t working on our room. Once we came in the room was freezing this impacted my asthma the next day and we had to leave quickly in the morning. The room and service was great however.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great stay for two night break on the coast to Coast trail. Staff was friendly and helpful. Friday nights are very loud with karaoke so be prepared! Food was good, but basic pub food. Breakfast had several choices and the avocado and poached egg was especially good. There's an awesome Indian restaurant called the mango tree just a few buildings down. Laundromat behind the Black Bull hotel which was very convenient. About 6 pounds to run the washer and one or two for the dryer. There's a tourist info place in the same area also and they have taxi information if you want to bypass the boggy part of the hike from Kirkby Steven to Keld. No buses on Sunday.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Natalie

Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The member of staff checking us in was brusque and unwelcoming. The first thing she said was that there was no kitchen tonight. She didn’t say sorry or advise other places locally. She practically threw the key at us and told us to fill in the breakfast order form as soon as possible as she wanted to finish her shift. Her attitude made us think we wouldn’t be having a drink there either so we went to the Pennine Inn a few doors down where they had polite staff and decent food. The member of staff that provided breakfast was polite and pleasant. Our room (1) on the top floor was next to the airing cupboard and boiler tank so was stifling hot all night. We were the only guests staying there so have no idea why we were put in that room. We only stayed one night as we were doing the C2C. Wouldn’t stay there again even if desperate. I would advise the manager that it may be courteous to advise a potential guest in an email that the kitchen isn’t open when they are staying.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Richard J

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

Disappointing.

Check in was via the bar staff, and although there were only two of them, this was ok and we were taken to our rooms. I was in Room 1. I was disappointed to find no light bulbs in the reading lights over the bed. In the bathroom, the towel rail was loose on the wall, and only just held by two screws. It had a rail missing as well. Also, there was no toilet roll holder. In addition, for the double bed there was only one bedside table, but there would have been no room for one anyway. The cooked breakfast was fine, but I had to ask for marmalade/ jam to go on toast. In general, breakfast service was poor. And to check out, we had to search the property for someone to hand over the keys to. For the price I paid -£144 - I felt it was very bad value. The saving grace was the location, which was excellent.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Verified review

8/10 Good

Andy

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Good value base

Worked well as an overnight stop for a wedding.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Verified review

8/10 Good

lindsay

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Comfortable stay

Lovely bed, linen, pillows, very clean Only minor niggle was no bedside table or lamp
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Simon

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Amenities
It's very noisy at the weekend. Could use some updates and refresh in the accommodation.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Cornelius

Okay for hijers

Just right for our needs, hiking the Coast to Coast. Could have done with a bit more breakfast but hey…..
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Tired building
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Colin G

Central location, but in need of updating and tidying up.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

David

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The room wasn’t big or fancy, but we didn't need big or fancy. We needed a good night's sleep and a welcome from a brilliant human. We got both, and Fran was a multi-tasking, dart-offering smiley force of happiness, which I really neded. We visited Kirkby Stephen for sad reasons, but we left with a smile.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Joseph

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Old!

Very run down and old!!! Staff were lovely
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Scott

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Room was freezing with no heating, both radiators not working. No bedside table, kettle just on the floor. Bedside lamp not working. No lampshade just a solitary bulb. Single pane glass window which was broken. Wooden toilet seat was warped and dirty due to excessive moisture intake.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We were up for a wedding and The Black Bull Hotel was a convenient place to stay. The landlady was very friendly and bed comfortable. We were a bit chilly during an April cold snap and couldn't work out how to get the heating on. No breakfast at the moment but there are plenty of great cafes in Kirkby Stephen and we had a chance to explore the area before we left. Would defintley stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Jason

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service

I wouldn’t stay again

It was ok but I wouldn’t stay again, I went down for food at 7pm and they stopped serving not sure why it wasn’t busy. In the morning I didn’t know where to go for breakfast and the second morning I came down at 7:45 no one there apart from me.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Robert

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Impossible to contact from the time of our booking (Jan) until close to arrival
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Hollie

Liked: Cleanliness
Lady that checked us in was friendly but I spoke to a man on the phone before arrival to query parking and how we could get the key if we are attending a wedding - he was miserable and complained about how annoying it is that people stay for weddings and are out all day (I queried if it’s so annoying why there hasn’t been a solution implemented). The room was basic but it was comfortable and the location was lovely. Average stay overall, would stay again if attending another wedding in the area but wouldn’t go out of my way to stay here.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023
Verified review

6/10 Okay

John

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Very tied property need updating
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Very tired, dirty floor and walls no staff to accommodate in the morning of checkout and only person that works in morning didn’t speak English so not helpful when needing to ask questions
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Jayne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Nice welcome, no food available :(

The Black Bull is a lovely looking hotel. The bar looked fairly newly refurbished. The bedroom had been partially repainted, but there were bits missed, some peeling paint, and in the ensuite bathroom, some of the paper on the ceiling (approx 18") was peeling off too. Most disappointing was the fact that when we arrived, we were told there was no chef so no evening meal or breakfast available .... if we'd known this beforehand, we probably wouldn't have made the booking :(
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Phil

Disliked: Staff & service

We had to sleep in our car.

I couldn't answer many of the questions because, despite telling them we were going to arrive late and being told to call them so that they could tell us how to access the property, they failed to respond to multiple calls and an email. Consequently, we had to spend the night sleeping in our car! The fact that they were far more interested in getting our money than actually accommodating us is the thing that is so terrible.
Stayed 1 night in May 2023