KENTSTAYCATION
THERE’ S NOTHING QUITE LIKE A COASTAL HOLIDAY TO FEEL RELAXED, REJUVENATED AND READY TO TAKE ON THE REST OF THE YEAR. LUCKILY, OUR COUNTY IS HOME TO PLENTY OF ACCOMMODATION WITH BUCKETLOADS OF SEASIDE CHARM AND OPPORTUNITIES TO EMBRACE EVERYTHING THAT’ S BEST ABOUT SUMMER BY THE SEA: THE OCEAN BREEZE, ENDLESS ACTIVITIES AND THE WARM EMBRACE OF HIGH-SEASON SUNSHINE. FROM LUXURY HOTELS AND BOUTIQUE B & BS TO CHARMING HOLIDAY COTTAGES WITH SEAFRONT VIEWS, HERE ARE ALL THE PLACES TO KEEP ON YOUR RADAR WHEN BOOKING YOUR SUMMER HOLIDAY IN KENT.
Sea Purse, St Margaret’ s Bay; keeperscottages. co. uk
Just a balcony’ s width from the beach, Sea Purse is an historically significant house that was previously leased by the English playwright and director Noel Coward in the 1950s. Set within a location that clearly inspired Ian Fleming’ s novel Moonraker( 1955), it’ s no surprise that the renowned writer of the Bond series leased the house adjacent to Sea Purse. With uninterrupted views of the English Channel, guests can wake up to the sound of the ocean just a few footsteps from the beach. Completely renovated in 2022, Sea Purse boasts three bedrooms and two bathrooms, making it an ideal base for families to explore the Kentish coast from.
Beyond Sea Purse’ s cosy log burner, courtyard garden and panoramic seaside views, St Margaret’ s Bay has plenty of attractions from its very own museum to The Pines Gardens, a six-acre site with a cascade, luscious ponds and an organic kitchen garden. Frequented by local wildlife as well as those wanting to explore, St Margaret’ s Bay walk offers glorious views of the landscape, opportunities for birdwatching and a direct route to the historic South Foreland Lighthouse. If looking for a bite to eat, The Coastguard restaurant is the country’ s nearest pub to France and a great spot for some quintessentially British fish and chips.
The Rose, Deal; therosedeal. com
A chic seaside destination in the heart of Deal, The Rose is a bar, restaurant and hotel that has been lovingly restored into one of the East Kent coast’ s most luxurious places to stay, making guests feel right at home. Home to eight unique bedrooms decorated with bold colours and vintage furnishings, there are plenty of rooms to choose from for every kind of overnight stay. Room Seven features a plant-filled bathroom and streams of sunshine through the windows, while Room Six is known for its candy-cute artistic charm and record player. Most classical of all is Room One, which features an antique super-king bed, cosy sofa with inspiring coffee-table books to hand, and a spacious walk-in shower and tub with Pelegrims bath products. From £ 160 per night including complimentary breakfast and a brandy nightcap, The Rose is an absolute must-visit when staying overnight in Deal.
SEA PURSE
Situated just up the road is The Pelican Rooms, where both guests and visiting daytrippers can book relaxing treatments such as a Himalayan Salt Stone Massage to exfoliate the body and ease away stored toxins, or a Gua Sha Facial which uses ancient techniques from Chinese and Thai medicine to open pathways for lymphatic drainage and encourage flow between mind and body. www. insidekent. co. uk • 89