The Black Bull Hotel sits near Yorkshire Dales, welcoming guests with its garden setting, cozy bar and restaurant serving delightful meals. Visitors appreciate the convenient WiFi and consistently praise the hotel's well-positioned location for exploring the surrounding area.
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. Kennedys Fine Chocolates and Appleby Leisure Centre are also worth visiting. Fishing offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with cycling, mountain biking and horse riding nearby. Visit our Kirkby Stephen travel guide
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
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 are allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Food and water bowls are available
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Payment types at the property
Important information
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
This property is professionally cleaned
We should mention
This property does not have any lifts
This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including stag and hen parties
Property is also known as
Black Bull Hotel Kirkby Stephen
Black Bull Kirkby Stephen
Black Bull Hotel Kirkby Stephen
Black Bull Kirkby Stephen
Hotel The Black Bull Hotel Kirkby Stephen
Kirkby Stephen The Black Bull Hotel Hotel
The Black Bull Hotel Kirkby Stephen
Black Bull Hotel
Hotel The Black Bull Hotel
Black Bull
Black Bull Kirkby Stephen
The Black Bull Hotel Inn
The Black Bull Hotel Kirkby Stephen
The Black Bull Hotel Inn Kirkby Stephen
Frequently asked questions
Is The Black Bull Hotel pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at The Black Bull Hotel?
As of 7 Mar 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Black Bull Hotel on 22 Mar 2026 start from RM380, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at The Black Bull Hotel?
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?
Checkout 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 Kirkby Stephen Library are just steps away.
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Reviews
The Black Bull Hotel Reviews
7.8
Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
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 🌟 😁
Thomas
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024
6/10 Okay
Carol
4 Dec 2023
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
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.
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.
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.
Natalie
Stayed 1 night in May 2025
4/10 Poor
Richard J
20 Aug 2023
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.
Richard J
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
6/10 Okay
Simon
1 Jul 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Amenities
It's very noisy at the weekend. Could use some updates and refresh in the accommodation.
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.
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.
Mark
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023
6/10 Okay
Jason
31 Jul 2024
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.
Jason
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
6/10 Okay
Hollie
26 Jun 2023
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.
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
Verified traveller
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
6/10 Okay
Jayne
3 Oct 2022
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 :(
Jayne
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022
2/10 Terrible
Phil
1 Jun 2023
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.
Phil
Stayed 1 night in May 2023
4/10 Poor
Mr J W
17 Aug 2023
Disliked: Staff & service
Worst hotel breakfast experience ever
Room ok. Wi-Fi needed signing up to Sky and giving name and address and date of birth and accepting ads, which was unacceptable. Filled in breakfast form and put 9am. This was our choice as breakfast was available until later. Came down at 9.20 to find 2 plates of cold cooked breakfast on table. No cereal or toast. Some stewed filter coffee. Only person there was a cleaner who said that she doesn’t speak English. Found chef in kitchen wearing dirty T shirt who said that he wasn’t paid to stay longer and put out food at 9. Left most of my food. No one there when we checked out. Seems like they have some serious staffing problems and would advise anyone else to avoid
I called a few days before to see if we could have early check in or leave our bags somewhere as we were going to a wedding before the usual check in time.
I was told no as the room was in use, I was then told that ‘everyone else from the wedding were staying 2 nights to avoid this’.
We decided to then use a friends room to get changed in and leave our bags in.
When we’re arrived we were met with very slow check in service, this is a pub but the pub was closed and staff were available but no one seemed to know what was going on or who was doing what.
We were eventually told we could have the keys ti our room as no one had stated in it the night before, seems the last in the phone was just being awkward.
The room was small but that was not an issue for our needs.
The room needs serious updating/improvements:
-smelled musty/damp
-mould & damp around window frames
-shower curtain full of mould
-dirty walls and light switches
-stupidly cold or stupidly hot shower, no in between which was crazy as it was a mixer tap
-selection of teas coffee but only one breakfast tea and only decaf coffee provided.
-bed very uncomfortable and creaky
For room only we found £110 to be a lot for what was provided.
Gary
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
6/10 Okay
Elisabeth
13 Apr 2025
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Sehr gute Lage am C2C.
Das Hotel ist etwas heruntergekommen. Das Bett war unbequem.
Das Abendessen war sehr gut, Preis/Leistung stimmte.
Leider gab es kein Frühstück.