County · England
Where to stay in Kent
The Garden of England: orchards, white cliffs and Canterbury.
Kent earns its nickname as the Garden of England with orchards, vineyards and the rolling Downs, edged by white cliffs and a string of revived coast towns. Canterbury anchors it with its great cathedral.
Stay for the cathedral city, the vineyards, the coast at Whitstable and a fine country house or two.
The shortlist
Best places to stay in Kent
The Pig at Bridge Place
A red-brick Kentish manor with a rock-n-roll past, garden-to-plate food and the Pig group's quirky charm, near Canterbury.
Eastwell Manor
A grand Jacobean-style manor and spa in Kent parkland, with a 20-metre pool and easy reach of Canterbury and the coast.
Hotel Continental
A relaxed Art Deco seafront hotel in Whitstable, with converted fishermen's huts on the beach.
Best areas to stay in Kent
Canterbury & the Downs. Cathedral city, vineyards and characterful country hotels.
Whitstable & the coast. Oysters, beach huts and an easygoing seaside mood.
The Weald & Ashford. Castles, gardens and spa country houses.
Getting there & around
Train. High Speed 1 from London St Pancras reaches Canterbury and Ashford in under an hour.
Car & transport. High-speed trains make Kent very easy; a car helps in the countryside.
Car-free. Canterbury and Whitstable are easy by high-speed rail, with buses between them.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kent known for?
Canterbury Cathedral, the white cliffs, English vineyards, and the Garden of England's orchards and Downs.
Is Kent easy to reach from London?
Very. High Speed 1 from St Pancras reaches Canterbury and Ashford in under an hour.
Where should you stay?
Around Canterbury and the Downs for the city and vineyards, Whitstable for the coast, the Weald for spa country houses.