Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Got a question? Browse our list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for quick and speedy answers.

Quicklinks.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT COVID-19 AND YOUR BOOKING

FACILITIES

(1) What’s the difference between a guesthouse and a hotel?
(2) Room sizes
(3) Children
(4) Pets
(5) Smoking rooms
(6) Restaurants
(7) Guest lounge or a bar
(8) Packed Lunch Boxes

HOW ARE YOU GETTING HERE?

(1) Cyclists
(2) Walkers
(3) Train
(4) Car parking
(5) Taxis

TIMES TO REMEMBER

(1) Check-in
(2) Check-out
(3) Breakfast times

PAYMENT

(1) Cancellations, amendments and no shows
(2) Payment

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A B&B OR GUESTHOUSE AND A HOTEL?

B&B’s and Guest houses are mainly family businesses, without staff and no full time receptionist to check you in.

We prefer to ask guests an approximate arrival time, so we can arrange our day to be here, to welcome you. This works better than having a strict 2-3 hour check-in period which may not suit many of our guests. Flights get delayed. Traffic jams happen. Buses break down. We are well aware of the uncertainties of travel. It’s okay if you’re late for check-in, but the important thing is to touch base with us when there’s a change in plans. Before you leave, make sure you have the contact information for your B&B. At B&Bs, as in life, communication and common courtesy are key.

By contrast, hotels are operating around the clock, employing full time staff.

B&B’s and Guest houses are usually smaller than hotels and offer a limited set of amenities, although some of them are prized by guests more than the hotel ones, like a homemade breakfast cooked to order.

WHERE TO PARK?

When you arrive, park within the on-street parking bays in Zone A  (Burneside Road/Cross St/Busher Walk/Union St/Caroline St/Windermere Rd). Only the first hour is free, so when your checked-in, pick up your yellow parking permit (one car per room), which allows you to park on bays at any time 24/7. Also, the next side road ‘Busher Walk’ has plenty of areas with no lines and is therefore safe to park at any time.

Top Tip! On-street parking is always a little easier, during 3pm-5pm. Later arrivals may need to find parking spaces a little further away from the guesthouse.

Note, sorry there is no parking permit for motorcycles but we understand from the Council that motorcycles do not need a permit to park on bays. Please note, that the vehicle displaying the Permit, must not exceed 5.00 metres in length or 2.28 metres in height.

COMING BY TRAIN?

It’s a 10-minute walk from Kendal Station to the Sonata Guest House.

Come out of the station and go down to the main road Longpool/A6 i.e. turn right.
Continue onto Sandes Ave
Turn right onto Stricklandgate/A5284
Turn right onto Burneside Rd

Note – Low rural population density makes viable public transport difficult, so be prepared for poor connections and cancelled services. Keep your mobile charged and keep a few taxi numbers along with the guest house phone no. 01539 732290. This is especially true if your used to City life!

Oxenholme station, located just outside Kendal, is on the West Coast Main Line between London and Glasgow. The Lakes Line connects Oxenholme to Kendal station (a short 5-minute journey). If you wish to use a taxi to get to Kendal, please call Lakeside Taxis 01539 735 331 or Blue Star 01539 723 670.

TAXI?

Try Blue Star Taxis telephone 01539 723670 or Lakeside Taxies 01539 239239. If you prefer us to book for you, just let us know.

HOW BIG ARE THE ROOMS?

Travelling light? Our rooms are ideal for shorter stays or solo trips as they’re compact but designed to make the most of the space with en-suite bathrooms and comfy beds to guarantee a good night’s sleep.

Room size: 10 sq m (All the comfort, half the size. Our compact rooms are designed to give you everything you’d expect in about half the space. Ideal for 1-2 people per room)

Mattress size: 135 x 190 cm standard UK double (or 90 x 190 cm single)

Room capacity: Up to 2 adults

Luggage: The top floor double and twin rooms are accessed by a narrower staircase. This is generally fine, but difficult if you are carrying large or heavy bags. These rooms are not suitable for walkers using luggage carrying services like Sherpa to carry large bags (over 15 kgs).

ARE YOU A LONG DISTANCE WALKER?

Luggage: The top floor double and twin rooms are accessed by a narrower staircase. This is generally fine, but difficult if you are carrying large or heavy bags. This room is not suitable for walkers using luggage carrying services like Sherpa to carry large bags (over 15 kgs).

CAN CHILDREN STAY?

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept children younger than 12 years. Children older than 12 years are welcome. If you look under 12 years old, please prepare to show ID.

CAN I BRING PETS?

Unfortunately, we don’t allow pets to stay at the Sonata.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SMOKING ROOMS? 

We operate a no-smoking policy throughout. Using electronic cigarettes is not permitted inside Sonata Guest House.

DO YOU HAVE SECURE CYCLE STORAGE?

Sorry, but we have no secure bicycle storage, only railings at the front of the guesthouse. It’s not possible to leave cycles inside the bedroom, the stairs are narrow too. There is no access to the back garden, so that’s not an option either. The only option is to secure them onto the railing at the front of the Guest House (See the photo on our website homepage or search postcode LA9 4RL on Google maps to see the railings to assess suitability).

WHAT TIME IS CHECK-IN?

We prefer to ask guests an approximate arrival time, so we can arrange our day to be here, to welcome you. Also if you are coming early we can give priority to clean your room. Guests seem to prefer this too, since we do not have to be strict about check-in times.

We will text your mobile on arrival day, so you can give us an approximate time. If you are coming by train, please let us know your train timing. PS. Rooms are ready by 3pm.

WHAT TIME DO I HAVE TO CHECK-OUT?

Before 10am

WHAT TIME CAN I HAVE BREAKFAST?

Breakfast is served between 7.00-09.00 am.

Breakfast is cooked fresh to order; this does however mean that we must take breakfast timings from guests, booking each room a table with 30-minute gaps between rooms so we have time to cook and serve promptly. If you have a preferred time, please let us know.

WHAT IS THE CANCELLATIONS, AMENDMENTS AND NO SHOW POLICY?

There will be no cancellation charge if a booking is cancelled 7 days before your date of arrival.

In the event of a cancellation less than 7 days before arrival, the total cost of the first night will become payable. (Please note that for group booking i.e. 3 rooms or more, in the event of a cancellation less than 14 days before arrival, the total cost of the first night will become payable).

On minimum stay periods the full amount will be liable for payment. A 2 night minimum stay applies some weekends. A 3 night minimum stay applies at event or bank holiday weekends.
In the event of a No-show/Non arrival, the whole amount of total stay booked will be charged.

All amendments must be completed 7 days before the day of your original check-in date.You cannot amend a booking after this time.

HOW DO I PAY?

Sonata Guest House reserves the right to pre-authorise your card for the full amount of your reservation, 7 days prior to arrival. A pre-authorisation is a temporary hold on the available balance on a credit or debit card. The pre-authorisation, is not a charge and no funds will have been debited from your account.

You’ll be asked to pay before arrival securely online, so you can be sure of a quick and easy departure on the day you leave.

Note – if you have booked a non-refundable room rate(s), payment in full is taken at the time of booking and because room(s) are made available at a discounted rate, these room(s) bookings cannot be amended or refunded.

DO YOU HAVE A GUEST LOUNGE OR BAR?

Please note that we do not have a guest lounge or a bar. Guests are welcome however, to use the dining room to read and work.

Packed lunch boxes?

Kendal has a M&S food court, Tesco express open 7-11 and Booths supermarket in town within walking distance selling sandwiches, snacks and drinks. Please note we do not provide lunch packs, since there are so many options, offering good value.

RESTAURANTS (opening times may vary, we advise you check the websites, recent reviews and call to reserve a table before you go)

Local Pub
The New Union, 159 Stricklandgate, Kendal LA9 4RF (1 minute walk!)
Telephone 01539 726 019
Craft keg and real ales – Westmorland CAMRA Pub of the Year 2019
food available Mon-Thurs 5-8pm

Inspired by Lisbon, Barcelona, Seville and Lyon 
Corner 124, 124 Stricklandgate, Kendal LA9 4QG (3 minutes walk)
Telephone 01539 724843
Opening Mon-Sat 5.30 – 9.00pm. Sunday closed.

Spanish, Mexican & Italian influences 
Pedro’s Casa, 128 Stricklandgate, Kendal LA9 4QG (3 minute walk)
Phone 01539 722332
Open 5.00pm – 09.30pm (Mon-Wed), 05.00pm-10.00pm (Thurs-Sat). Closed Sunday.

Pizza Express, 6 Wainwright’s Yard, Kendal LA9 4AP (9 minute walk)
Telephone 01539 728 598
Open 11.30am-10.00pm (Sunday-Thurs) and 11.30am-10.00pm (Fri/Sat)

Asian
Bangkok 7 Thai Restaurant, 24 Finkle St, Kendal LA9 4AB (9 minute walk)
Telephone 01539 733733
Open 5-10pm (Mon-Thurs), 5-10.30 (Fri/Sat). Sunday closed.

Town Pubs (food & drink)
Masons Yard 24, Yard 24, 18 Stramongate, Kendal LA9 4BD (10 minute walk)
Telephone 01539 727979
Open Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sunday 12-3pm, 5-9.30pm (last evening food orders at 7.30pm)

J D Wetherspoon, Allhallows Ln, Kendal LA9 4JH (10 minute walk)
Phone 01539 815710
Open 8-11pm

The Shakespeare Inn, 78 Highgate, Kendal LA9 4HE (11 minute walk)
Phone 01539 724069

Fish and Chips
Fish Express, 70 Highgate, Kendal LA9 4HE (12 minute walk)
Phone  01539 739657
Open 7 days       11:30am–8pm

British Food
The Moon Highgate
129 Highgate, Kendal LA9 4EN (13 minute walk)
Telephone 01539 729254
Open Thurs/Fri 5.00pm – 09.00 and Saturday 5.00pm – 09.30pm. Sunday lunch 12-4pm.

Tebay Services. A motorway services?
Yes, but Tebay just north of J38 on the M6 has evolved into a showcase for Cumbrian produce. Probably the freshest, most flavoursome motorway food you will ever eat!.

ONLINE PAYMENTS

To limit contact points, we are asking all guests to kindly pay the full amount to credit our account seven days prior to arrival.

SPA

Please note, Gym and Spa facilities are no longer available to guests.