Family-Friendly Accommodation on the M6 & M5

Ideal for travelling to and from Scotland.

Here are some ideal family friendly stopovers within a range of budgets for those heading from Scotland or to Scotland. All hotels have been personally stayed in and come recommended by JW Patrick, with 2 young children.

This hotel listing starts in the north and moves south. If you know of any more family friendly accommodation, within a short drive of the motorway – in particular independent hotels/inns that aren’t part of the big chains, then please do let us know and we’ll check them out. feedback at familytraveljournal dot co dot uk. Subject: M6 Family Hotels

btw, our family favourite is the Kings Arms.

Westmorland Hotel, M6
Family rooms from:
c. 2hrs from Glasgow/Edinburgh
Tebay Services, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 3SB. Tel: 015396 24351
On Southbound side but with Northbound access via private sliproad
Dogs allowed: Yes.
www.westmorlandhotel.com/
Easy to get to, beautiful views and with a restaurant serving locally produced food to the standards Westmorland Tebay services have long been famous for. Great walking for dogs.

Kings Arms (Burton in Kendal) M6
Family Rooms from £70
c. 2hrs 30mins from Glasgow/Edinburgh
Burton In Kendal, Carnforth
LA6 1LR. Tel: 01524 781409
kingsarmsburton@live.co.uk
Dogs allowed: Yes.
This family run old coaching inn is absolutely ideal if you want a stopover with charm and not some big hotel chain identikit room. It’s about 15 minutes from the motorway but well worth the detour. The pub serves fantastic pub food (including their locally famous Chippy Tea) and a really awesome Full English Breakfast in the morning. Really awesome.

Lancaster House (4*), Lancaster M6
Large Family Room from £129
c. 2hrs 40mins from Glasgow/Edinburgh
Green Lane, Ellel, Lancaster
LA1 4GJ. Tel: 0330 4042 693
Dogs Allowed? Yes.
lancasterhouse@englishlakes.co.uk
http://englishlakes.co.uk/hotels/lancashire-hotels/lancaster-house-hotel/
Good sized rooms and excellent facilities. Spa. Swimming Pool. Kids welcome packs. Excellent restaurant. A quality hotel but with a corporate ambience, understandably so I guess. Nevertheless, its very nice, very easy to find and kids are very welcome. Dogs too.

Macdonald Tickled Trout, near Preston M6
Family Room from: £70
c. 2hrs 50mins from Glasgow/Edinburgh
Stylish, newly renovated accommodation with nice views of the River Ribble. Scottish Steakhouse restaurant. Kids menu. Breakfast buffet is free for kids.
Preston New Rd, Samlesbury, Preston PR5 0UJ. Tel: 0344 879 9053
www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/our-hotels/macdonald-tickled-trout-hotel/

Travelodge Knutsford M6 Hotel
Family rooms from £48
c. 3hrs 40mins from Glasgow/Edinburgh
Knutsford Moto Service Area, J18/J19 M6
On Northbound M6 side but with Southbound access via sliproad
WA16 0TL, Tel: 0871 984 6153
Dogs allowed: Yes. (with surplus)
www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/141/Knutsford-M6-hotel
Very basic indeed but it seemed newly renovated (2014) and is very easy to get to. Room was spotlessly clean. M6 a little loud but not overly so. There is no restaurant but we picked up sandwiches (and a bottle of wine!) from the attached M&S Food in the services.

Premier Inn Birmingham North, Sutton Coldfield (M6 TOLL)
Family Rooms from £52 (Pay in advance rate)
c. 4hrs 30mins from Glasgow
Just off M6 TOLL ROAD. Whitehouse Common Road, Sutton Coldfield.
B75 6HD. Tel: 0871 527 8088
www.premierinn.com/en/hotel/BIRMIL/birmingham-north-sutton-coldfield

As always with Premier Inns, this hotel really is excellent value for money. Good sized, clean family rooms with beds which are surprisingly comfy for the £50 price band. It’s attached to a Flaming Grill Restaurant/Pub for a good evening meal and where you can also have a cooked breakfast for £7 each.
The only problem with this hotel for North/South stopovers is that we ended up paying two times for the M6 Toll Road. It’s about £5, so not the end of the world.

Travelodge Birmingham Hilton Park M6 Southbound Hotel
Family Rooms from £55
c. 4hrs 30mins from Glasgow/Edinburgh
Moto Service Area, Essington, Nr. Wolverhampton
WV11 2AT. Tel: 0871 984 6066
Dogs allowed: Yes. (With a surcharge)
https://www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/112/Birmingham-Hilton-Park-M6-Southbound-hotel
Very basic indeed but perfectly acceptable for the price. We ate in the Burger King in the services -which was a little peculiar as it was almost deserted but for a no-frills, heads down stop over, this hotel does the job.