CHRISTMASINKENT
A COSY STAY WITH KEEPERS COTTAGES AT
OLD CHELSEA
LOCATED IN DEAL ’ S MOST SOUGHT AFTER STREET , A STAY AT OLD CHELSEA PROVED TO BE THE SWEETEST TREAT FOR insideKENT ’ S OLIVIA RICCINI .
COSY CHRISTMAS COTTAGES
Having been a frequent visitor to Deal for well over a decade , the trendiness and rising popularity of Middle Street had failed to escape me . Set back from the sea with only the promenade , road and a grand row of houses separating it from the ocean , this ancient street meanders in a sweeping serpentine shape from the high street to Deal ’ s polished North End .
An assortment of residences from elegant Georgian townhouses to tiny fishermen ’ s terraces , this hotpotch of architectural allsorts is a delight to the eye . In the same way that anyone could point a camera anywhere in Italy ’ s Venice and capture a photographic work of art , point a camera anywhere along Middle Street and you will capture an Instagram story worth uploading . Every twist , turn , doorknob and windowpane cries out to be admired , each lovingly restored home revelling in its own individual and unique glory . In December last year I found myself wandering down Middle Street just to admire the Christmas wreaths , each its own stunning entry into an unspoken competition . However , it wasn ’ t until I found myself on a date with a Middle Street homeowner that I became seething with jealousy . It was at that moment I realised that this street may just well be one of the most sought after in Kent , and I too wanted a piece of it for myself .
Providing me with that exact opportunity came Keepers Cottages , who , with many properties on Middle Street , suggested Old Chelsea . I couldn ’ t have picked a more perfect day to stay . The early October heatwave soaked across Deal and its beaches like a warm bath and after a refreshing swim in the ocean ( my wetsuit making the autumn dip all the more enjoyable ), I headed to Old Chelsea with three of my best friends in tow . Much of Middle Street and North Deal is a protected conservation area , and Old Chelsea sits at its heart . A prime example of a petite little fisherman ’ s cottage , Old Chelsea can be found in a tiny ‘ court ’ of just four other doors that juts off Middle Street . Arriving at said court , luggage holdalls in hand , we gasp and drop our bags to the floor , the sight before us postcard-perfect . The court is festooned with blossoming flower pots and creeping climbers , bright pops of pinks , reds and green stand out against the whitewashed walls . After taking several pictures , we venture forward to the sweetest powder-blue door in the middle .
Check in is simple . I now have my very own keys to a gorgeous little home on Middle Street ( if only for one night ) – a mere saunter away from the sea and all the delights of Deal town . We step down into the property , its sunken stone floor the first attribute that makes this place cosy . Before us is the sitting room , and here Old Chelsea ’ s pièce de résistance takes centre stage : a beautiful original brick fireplace . Complete with a small coal-burning stove , it is clear that Old Chelsea is the perfect cottage for cosy nights in after days spent at the beach . After brewing four cups of hot tea to savour alongside a plate of complimentary Zingiberi Bakery cookies that have been left by our host , we settle in for an evening snuggled by the fire , candles lit , chatting and playing board games .
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