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Places to stay in the Yorkshire Dales

Looking for a place to stay in the Yorkshire Dales? Compare Skipton, Hawes and Richmond for southern gateway, Wensleydale and eastern Dales stays.

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Choose the part of the Dales first: Skipton for a southern gateway with rail arrival, Hawes for staying in Wensleydale, or Richmond for an eastern town base and planned Swaledale outings. Skipton and Richmond are gateway choices rather than hotels deep inside the park. The three examples here suit different trips, and the Hawes inn is adults-only. For a short stay, one dale and an evening in your chosen town are more useful than a daily cross-Dales circuit.

Wensleydale landscape in the Yorkshire Dales
Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales · Photo credits

FIND YOUR BASE

Choosing your base in Yorkshire Dales

Skipton: use the southern gateway deliberately

Herriots supplies a Skipton hotel comparison for visitors who value a rail-led arrival and town facilities. Plan the onward Dales journey before booking a walking day. Skipton can make an effective short break when the town itself is welcome in the itinerary rather than merely a place to wait for transport.

Good for: Rail arrivals and southern Dales outings.

Before you choose: There are no ground-floor bedrooms and the lift serves only the newer section. Confirm an appropriate room before relying on lift access.

Hawes: stay in Wensleydale

The White Hart gives an adults-only inn example in Hawes. Choose this base when Wensleydale is the main purpose, with time for the town and an appropriate local route. The Dales Countryside Museum is one park-authority suggestion for adding context to the landscape or choosing a less weather-dependent day.

Good for: Adults wanting a Wensleydale town stay.

Before you choose: Guests must be 18 or over. Room bathrooms and dog rules vary, so this particular inn is not a family-accommodation recommendation.

Richmond: a historic eastern gateway

The Kings Head gives a Market Place comparison for travellers who want Richmond’s town evening as well as a planned outing towards Swaledale. Choose it for that balance, then check the route to the walk or village you actually intend to visit.

Good for: Visitors wanting town history and an eastern approach to the Dales.

Before you choose: A Richmond room is not a trailhead for every Swaledale walk. Arrange the outward and return journey, and ask about overnight parking around the square.

EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS

Places to stay in the Yorkshire Dales on the map

Explore accommodation across the Yorkshire Dales. Zoom in on your preferred base, then choose dates to compare your options.

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ROOM FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP

Our researched picks in the Yorkshire Dales

Researched accommodation shortlist

Three bases for different parts of the Dales, with Skipton and Richmond labelled as gateways and the Hawes inn clearly adults-only.

Hotel · Skipton

Herriots Hotel

Skipton as a southern rail gateway, with an onward Dales journey planned.

  • The operator lists onsite guest parking.
  • A lift serves rooms in the newer part of the hotel only.
  • There are no ground-floor bedrooms.

Before you book: If you need a lift-accessible room, confirm allocation with reception before booking. Selected rooms allow dogs by arrangement. This card covers the hotel, not exclusive hire of Herriots House.

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More details and sources

Broughton Road, Skipton, BD23 1RT

A Skipton hotel to consider for a town-based Dales break. Compare a room in the main hotel with your arrival plans and the rural journeys you intend to make.

Sources checked 2026-09-16

Inn · Hawes

The White Hart Inn Hawes

An adults-only Hawes inn for Wensleydale; unsuitable for a family booking with under-18s.

  • Guests must be aged 18 or over.
  • Room 1 has a walk-in shower; other rooms have showers over baths.
  • Breakfast is included in the listed room offering.

Before you book: Room 2 is dog-free while other rooms accept dogs. Confirm stairs and parking; a walk-in shower does not establish a step-free route to the room.

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Main Street, Hawes, North Yorkshire, DL8 3QL

An adults-only inn for a Hawes break centred on the town, meals and Wensleydale outings. It is not a family accommodation option.

Sources checked 2026-09-17

Hotel · Richmond (North Yorkshire)

The King’s Head Hotel

Richmond as an eastern gateway for town history and planned Swaledale outings.

  • The operator lists single and several double-room categories.
  • A restaurant and bar are on site.
  • In-room tea and coffee facilities are listed.

Before you book: Ask about the room floor, market-square outlook, noise and overnight parking. Do not assume a historic building has the entrance or lift arrangements you need.

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More details and sources

Market Place, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL10 4HS

A Georgian coaching inn overlooking Richmond market square, with individually decorated bedrooms, a restaurant and a bar.

Sources checked 2026-09-16

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

Compare these bases

town · North Yorkshire

Skipton

Compare a station-side stay with a canal-side hotel and plan time for Skipton before heading into the Dales.

town · North Yorkshire

Hawes

Compare an adults-only Hawes inn with a Sedbusk country-house hotel for Wensleydale, town time and a manageable Dales break.

town · North Yorkshire

Richmond (North Yorkshire)

Market-square hotel or Frenchgate bed and breakfast for castle visits, town evenings and time above the Swale.

Make it your kind of break

ROMANTIC BREAKS

Stay where you want to finish the day

An adults-only Hawes inn can suit a Wensleydale break, while Skipton or Richmond gives a different town evening. Pick one landscape and a meal, leaving enough time to return without making dinner depend on a final long drive.

FAMILY BREAKS

Do not choose the Hawes example for children

White Hart Hawes does not accept under-18s. Families should compare suitable rooms in the other bases or research a different Hawes property, then select a short walk with an easy return. The region is family-friendly in many ways, but every individual hotel has its own policy.

A LITTLE ROOM TO EXPLORE

Two nights in Yorkshire Dales

A suggested short break with room to enjoy your chosen base.

  1. Arrival: settle into your chosen dale or gateway

    Leave luggage, confirm dinner and check the next day’s route. In Skipton or Richmond, settle the onward journey before assuming a remote walk is convenient from the town.

  2. Full day: one dale, one main outing

    Choose a southern Dales outing from Skipton, a Wensleydale day from Hawes or a Swaledale-focused plan from Richmond. Match the route to weather and ability, with time for a meal and the return.

  3. Departure: avoid a final cross-Dales detour

    Enjoy breakfast and a short local pause. If travelling from Hawes to a railway connection, protect that transfer rather than adding another village because it appears close on the map.

Less time? With one night, choose one town and a modest nearby outing. A longer holiday can split between dales; a two-night stay benefits from keeping one room.

BEFORE YOU CHOOSE

A few useful details

Which base is inside Wensleydale?

Hawes. Skipton and Richmond are included as gateways with different onward journeys, so compare them according to the dale you want to visit.

Does Hawes have a main-line passenger station?

The park authority identifies Garsdale as the rail connection for Hawes. Check the onward service and return for your dates instead of treating Hawes as a direct train arrival.

Are Dales buses frequent every day?

Some services are infrequent, with additional seasonal services mainly on Sundays and bank holidays. Use the current DalesBus information for the complete journey.

Can children stay at White Hart Hawes?

No. The reviewed official policy requires guests to be 18 or over. Select another property if your party includes children.

Is a walk-in shower enough to establish access?

No. Ask about parking, entrance, stairs, bedroom and bathroom together. This is particularly relevant to historic inns and Herriots’ different room sections.

More guides for Yorkshire Dales

Related county and regional guides

How we put this guide together

These base comparisons and suggested plans are our editorial judgement, informed by the linked official sources. We have not stayed at or inspected the properties. Official links earn no commission; confirm current arrangements directly.

Sources checked 2026-09-17. Check current arrangements before travelling.