The Best Hotels to Book in Kent

Bag a Superior Double at this waterfront hotel and you’ll have French windows opening onto a balcony with limitless views. Situated practically on the sands of Tankerton Beach, its glass-walled restaurant also takes inspiration from the coast – there’s battered cod and chips, of course, but why not try the chorizo, crab and prawn linguine, or the pan-fried sea bass with pasta salad, fresh herbs and a red pepper coulis? Canterbury is a 20-minute drive away.

This perfectly-symmetrical hotel was originally constructed in 1894 as a children’s home. Spread throughout its identical wings (formerly separate wards for boys and girls), rooms and suites feature original fireplaces, black and white photos of local beaches and a coastal colour scheme of cool blues, grey and beige. After a walk on the beach, steam in the sauna or be pampered in the salon, before a seven-course tasting dinner showcasing Kent produce.

Grazing sheep surround this 16th century pub, which offers five double ensuites packed with vintage pieces and found items, such as milk urns, antique gardening equipment and potato sacks. The breakfast menu offers the rarely-seen (in British pubs) option of buttermilk pancakes, served either with vanilla cream and seasonal fruit compote or cowslip butter and maple syrup. Spend summer afternoons in the garden opposite the church, sipping locally produced sparkling wine.

With a history as a 12th-century royal palace, Leeds Castle is one of the finest luxury hotels in Kent. This roving medieval complex consists of 200ha (500 acres) of well-kept gardens, with trees that were first planted in the 18th century, a winding river and a lake. A range of sleeping options are available, from glamping pods to the ultra-luxe Maiden’s Tower. The amenities are fit for royalty – think falconry shows, adventure playgrounds for children, a maze and grotto, as well as punting and an assortment of places to eat. Book in at the oak-beamed Castle View Restaurant to feast on glazed gammon knuckle, with enough trimmings to please Henry VIII. A country bolthole fit for royalty.

Each of the quirkily decorated rooms at the Wife of Bath is named after a character in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Sir Thopas is a plush super king room, featuring a wrought iron bed and stocked with complimentary sherry and nibbles. The low-slung Cook room, which is part of the cottage annexe, is skirted with foliage and farmhouse features. In contrast to the country aesthetic, dining is centred on vibrant tapas dishes from restaurateur Mark Sargeant. Modern-day pilgrims, in the form of foodie Londoners, take the train from the capital to enjoy bream, dressed fennel, kohlrabi and ponzu dashi.

As the name suggests, Rocksalt – which runs along the sailboat-scattered Folkestone harbour – draws influence from the ocean, with sea view rooms and a celebrated waterside restaurant. Antique beds are dressed with Egyptian cotton sheets and within waddling distance of the Rocksalt restaurant, where seasonal dishes are drawn from the coastal waters and local farms. Wild stretches of rolling countryside surround this boutique abode. Explore the surrounding hills with a gourmet picnic hamper prepared by the hotel to keep you fuelled on your trek.

Love wildlife? Some 900 animals (including the almost-extinct northern lynx, leopards, tigers, Barbary lions and Kent’s only spectacled bears) share the leafy 240ha (600-acre) park of Port Lympne Reserve. Profits from the Port Lympne Hotel go back to the Aspinall Foundation, so your stay in this country pile helps the futures of endangered animals. You’ll awaken to the resident big cats who snooze just a few minutes away at this stately Grade II listed property. Expect vivid murals, cascading fountains, a hippo pool, and sweeping views of Romney Marsh and the Channel. A Moroccan courtyard with glowing antique lanterns provides a sanctuary to enjoy an evening cocktail.

If you’re after pampering, check in to the Spa Hotel, an 18th-century country house hotel on the fringe of Royal Tunbridge Wells. After a day of stomping the stately grounds, swimming laps in the pool or a rally on the tennis court, reward yourself at the spa. It offers a range of classic face and body treatments using ESPA products, and includes a lengthy beauty menu to ensure you’re in ship-shape for dinner in the airy Orangery Restaurant. Here, you can feast on time-tested dishes, such as smoked salmon niçoise salad and rib-eye steak from the Surrey Hills farm.

Instagram at the ready: the decadent Roman-inspired interior at the Utopia Spa, with its towering columns, sculptures, hanging ivy and warm lighting, makes for excellent photos. Treatments revolve around Ayurvedic and Mediterranean infusions, plus there are popular skin-tech sessions including microdermabrasion and light therapy. Elsewhere at the Rowhill Grange Hotel, the popular afternoon tea and Bombay Sapphire gin experience comes brimming with candy-coloured confections.

Planted at the foot of the cathedral, ABode Canterbury deals in a kind of low-key elegance that’s at odds with the more medieval touches, such as the wood-beamed champagne bar and labyrinthine layout. Its 72 rooms are charmingly decorated with toffee-toned leather, wooden floors and the odd Chesterfield sofa. Supersize beds come as standard, and are teamed with soft lighting, fluffy robes and deep baths. It’s modern and comfortable, but decidedly echoes Canterbury’s ancient charm.