Oh, and not forgetting "England's most charismatic chunks of chalk" - the white cliffs of Dover! It doesn’t get much more unusual, but the Strawberry Roan horsebox at Waypost Farm is also very beautiful. COVID UPDATE 5 Jan 2021: National Lockdown rules in England/Scotland - read more. BoutiqueHotel.me helps you find the best boutique hotels around the world. Unique Hotels in Kent: Find 5178 traveller reviews, candid photos, and the top ranked Unique Hotels in Kent on Tripadvisor. The champing season runs from the beginning of April to the end of September so guests don’t end up here in the coldest months. ... Kent, England . Among the many questions flung at us was how our little girl, recently turned seven, would be able to sleep surrounded by graves, ancient walls and creepy things. At the latter we were met by my husband, fresh from a day at work and slightly confused about the location of our beds for the night. Kings Head House. Far from cold, scary or uninviting, we found it comfortable and very peaceful. Putting the art in apartment is this £65 per night seaside flat in Whitstable, Kent boasts a cosy 2 bed, 2 floor getaway, filled to the brim with creative and vibrant art pieces, this seaside … It is the … Find all of Kent's Quirky Hidden Gems! As cooking isn’t allowed in the church, we ventured off in search of dinner in Fordwich, famous for being the smallest town in Britain. Hotels that are so unique and beautiful that you do not want to leave your room. Picture-postcard pretty and set along the banks of the beautiful River Stour, Fordwich is less than three miles from Canterbury but we decided to stay closer to home. Living Room Tree HousesWales Unique and Unusual Places to Stay There are many special places to stay around the world, from sleeping in a treehouse, glamping, tiny houses, hobbit homes, to staying in a converted train carriage. Our stay in the Church of St Mary the Virgin was a short but unforgettable one and I’ll admit to having already looked on the website at some of the other tempting churches you can stay in across the country. 2. A handy guide leaflet points out interesting things to look out for in the church, which provided us with a kind of historical treasure hunt. The CCT’s champing website is deliberately light-hearted and keen to show the fun side of camping inside a church. There were three camping chairs set out for us with cushions and blankets, as well as a water cooler, a kettle, tea, coffee and a breakfast hamper stuffed with local goodies. © 2021 Host Unusual Limited All rights reserved. Press  featuring the most unusual and exciting holiday accommodation in the UK and worldwide. Limited to a handful of open days a year and offering photographic workshops, keeper experiences and weddings, the centre also has a number of safari-style lodges. Northumberland Bordered at the north by … As with most families, it’s the adults who do all the worrying and the children who just get on with it. Inside the church at night, however, was not what we had expected at all. Beckets Barn. Glamping is big business and these days there are all sorts of tents, wagons, pods and huts you can choose to stay in, but this is as faithful a replica of an old Romany showman’s wagon as you’re likely to find. Unusual Places to Stay in Kent. Visit www.landmarktrust.org.uk. Inside, … As you would expect, these cottages boast sea views, are family friendly and, set so close to some of Kent’s best beaches, they’re very popular in the summer. Far from being terrified of the dark and the ancient tombs, she was a natural at champing and didn’t give her surroundings a second thought. Book Unusual Places to Stay online in Kent,- check availablility and book Kent Unusual Places to Stay online quickly and easily with Accommodation Britain. Have you stayed somewhere weird and wonderful in Kent and would like to share the experience with other Kent Life readers? Bedrooms: 10 The Snuggery. The email editor@archant.co.uk and we’ll publish the best in next month’s edition. Kent… It doesn’t get much more unusual, but the Strawberry Roan horsebox at Waypost Farm is also very beautiful. Registered office: Space 282 282 Leigh Road Leigh-on-Sea Essex SS9 1BW. Khina and Lodesman Cottage in Broadstairs both sleep up to four people and share a one-acre garden, well away from the clifftop. The Oyster Shell Whitstable. Unusual places to stay on wheels (0) Wagons & Roulottes (0) Winter breaks … At Unique Sleeps we love anything unusual, quirky and of course unique… If you set out to be scared you probably will be. Bore Place, Bore Place Road, Chiddingstone, Edenbridge TN8 7AR Off-grid yurt and shepherd's hut glamping on an organic farm with views across Kent's Eden Valley Book with confidence at Free Range … The North Downs Way, Greensand Way and Pilgrims Way are wonderful places to begin your exploration, dotted with leafy forests including Kings Wood at Challock, Henry VIII's old hunting ground. Although it may have once carried horses and straw, there’s no roughing it here now thanks to a king-size bed, wood burner and private toilet just outside. The funds raised help to pay for the conservation of these important buildings. Faversham, a town recorded in the Domesday book, offers an exciting array of independent shops and markets, while exquisite Canterbury makes for the ideal medieval-cum-bohemian city break, just 10 minutes from the beach at Herne Bay. Not only are there some fabulously unusual places to stay in Kent, but there's also a wealth of attractions that include gorgeous beaches (some of which have been voted the best in Europe by Lonely Planet), … Host Unusual Limited The 90-mile long South Downs Way, marked by Beachy Head at the start, is the perfect way to begin your exploration...on foot, bike or even horseback! Whether you’re after ancestral homes and country pubs or sporting venues and a thriving nightlife, there are endless options for places to stay in Northamptonshire. Although it’s hard to shake the unsettling thought that a congregation might walk in at any moment and start singing hymns, the church was ours for the night and has been disused since 1995. The Boatman's Reading Rooms. Treehouses, lighthouses, windmills & glamping. And so it goes that the very best tip for anyone visiting Kent is this: bring your camera. For us though, led by our brave little daughter, this all seemed like an excellent adventure. With sea views all around, this sheltered inlet is the perfect spot for rock pooling, kayaking or fishing. They needn’t have worried. Setting off from the beach at St Margaret’s, prepare to be amazed at the feast of delights that will unfold before you as you meander along across cliff tops, A walk at one of Kent’s National Trust sites connects you with our county’s rich history and heritage while also providing you with some breathtaking scenery. There are only two real rooms, both circular in shape, but the views from the top floor are stunning. The two treehouses at Fair Oak Farm near Mayfield are a bit special and without doubt a quirky place to stay … Visit www.theoldappleshed.co.uk. Sandy Toes Beach House at Shellbeach. ‘Settling in’ to an abandoned church, it seems, includes hunting for the key, wondering if you are in the right place, reading the old English on tombs dating back to the 1600s, panicking about the apparent lack of a toilet, carrying bedding back and forth from the car and finally sitting down to read the instructions. There are more than 4,000 walking and cycling trails in Kent - a true outdoor lover's delight! Pictures by: Caroline Read and courtesy of the venues, Replica of an old Romany showman's wagon (photo: Nethergong Camping). That said, we had been warned to bring blankets, sleeping bags and duvets. To send a link to this page you must be logged in. With much of the church dating from the Norman era but still displaying some of its older Saxon origins, it’s by far the oldest building we have slept in and of course it is indeed set in a churchyard surrounded by ancient graves. Stay in a unique, clifftop fortress on the Port Quin headland and live like king or queen of the castle. Used to store apples when this was a working orchard in the 1960s, it sat abandoned in the meadow for many years until the current owners converted it. You check out our exciting guide to the most unusual places to stay in the UK, that's what, from historic castle and windmill stays to floating B&Bs and travelling circus wagons. 1. Furnished in a vintage style and with a toilet and hot shower, a little shed has never looked so inviting. Another asks if you can drink alcohol; the answer is yes and in fact you can order wine from them. Kent, England The Resting Place of Pocahontas The last resting place of the famous Native American princess is marked by a haunting monument. Smarden’s Big Cat Sanctuary isn’t a zoo, so visitors can’t just turn up at the gates. Culture-vultures are in for a treat with a visit to Margate, with its traditional seaside fun and the acclaimed Turner Contemporary Gallery, while Royal Tunbridge Wells is a classic example of Kentish town and country combined, ideal for a more traditional getaway. Prices from … In an ideal world we would have all arrived together but due to work commitments, my daughter and I arrived some hours before my husband and had to settle in on our own. Kent, England . Visit www.waypostfarmglamping.co.uk, Prospect Tower is a tiny flint garden folly in the grounds of Belmont Park near Faversham. Featuring some marvellously unusual places to stay, Sussex offers an eclectic mix of coast, country and adventure. There are not one but two excellent pub restaurants within a few steps of the church; The Fordwich Arms and The George and Dragon. Nearby Bewl Water is wonderful for a family day out, too, with plenty of water-based activity to indulge in. And don’t worry, North Foreland is just a lighthouse and doesn’t have a fog signal to wake you up at night. Five points to the first person to spot the original glass in the two 14th-century windows on the south side; five points to the one who finds the 12th-century font. Stay in a windmill with original features in the country A Beautiful Shepherds Hut within a farm full of character Glamping in a silver cigar airstream in the country Honey Lodge features a hot tub and … One of several fashionable garden buildings built for the estate’s owner in 1808, he used it as a private den. Stay extraordinary! A cricket pitch was built beneath it in 1870 and it served for many years as a cricket pavilion. Having handled the somewhat tricky process of cleaning her teeth without a sink, my daughter took herself to bed with a wind-up lantern and a book to read. PUBLISHED: 13:45 10 July 2017 | UPDATED: 13:53 10 July 2017, Words by Caroline Read. The 12 champing churches across the country (11 in England and one in Orkney) range in size from a small, limewashed kirk right up to the huge St Michael the Archangel in Booton, Norfolk, with St Mary the Virgin towards the smaller end of the scale. A hand-picked directory Kingshill Farm at Elmley Nature Reserve. We were going ‘champing’ - camping in one of 12 churches under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) that have been offering overnight stays for the last couple of years. Sea Glimpses. Visit www.thebigcatsanctuary.org. Best of all is the rather mysterious ‘Fordwich stone’, a long piece of carved limestone that dates from around 1100 and is thought to have been part of the shrine of St Augustine. Up to two well-behaved dogs are even welcome. As beautiful as it is significant, Canterbury is a university crammed with history. Stay extraordinary, stay exceptional and stay unique in Kent… Gone are the days of standard hotel rooms and samey campsites, we all expect a little more wow-factor from our accommodation these days and Kent … Prices from £138/night. A folly The 20 best boutique hotels in Kent. In the colder months it is warm and cosy thanks to a log burner, and the deck and barbecue are perfect in the summer. Ham Hideaway. place you like the look of and then clicking the icon on the right to see total capacity: When you have an idea of a couple of places that might work for you, or if you just want to ask us which ones could be … The camping beds provided were sturdy and comfortable, set in their own enclosed nooks between the pews. In the spirit of the simple life, the wagon is fitted with a super king-size bed which converts into a table and bench and a nearby kitchen hut houses all the cooking equipment. The Pigsty’s classical design was supposedly inspired by Squire Barry’s travels around the Mediterranean in the 1880s and offers striking views of Robin Hood’s Bay. Unique Things to Do in Kent, Unusual Places to Stay, Exclusive Events & Offers & Dining, Drinks & Afternoon Tea with a Difference. Elmley Cottage. Kent isn't known as the ‘Garden of England' for nothing! Gulliver the Quirky Camper 1-2. He didn’t get to see the church until we walked back later in the dark, shining a torch through the churchyard. Your holiday house in Kent will be surrounded by a variety of these, from the National Trust acclaimed Sissinghurst to the spectacular World Garden of Plants at Lullingstone Castle, where the gardens … Built by a local Romany for Nethergong Camping near Canterbury, it is set in its own glade beside the river. Shellness, Kent. When we told friends we were sleeping overnight in a disused church, the reactions varied from amusement to horror. We also guide you to the best restaurants, cafés, cocktail bars and other places … Cool cottages, hotels & B&Bs. Prospect Tower is a tiny flint garden folly in the grounds of Belmont Park … Unique and funky jungle themed static camper van with private garden area, hot tub and bathroom sleeps 2 adults in Kent. Vineyard House at Oxney Organic Vineyard. A horsebox Here are ten great routes you should try, Kent has many castles and stately homes, but we have hand selected the ten best castles in Kent for you to visit, The elusive snowdrop can be hard to find and before you know it, they’re gone again, so we saved you the trouble and found some beautiful spots in Kent to go for a walk among the snowdrops, So you think you know your county? In fact we all slept soundly - unmolested by ghosts or zombies - and woke feeling refreshed the next morning to the sound of birds outside. Not only are there some fabulously unusual places to stay in Kent, but there's also a wealth of attractions that include gorgeous beaches (some of which have been voted the best in Europe by Lonely Planet), grand castles and historic culture to enjoy - all less than an hour by train from London and with super-fast links to Europe. Surrounded by the enclosures of 50 big cats, included is afternoon tea, a tour of the sanctuary, dinner, an overnight stay and, after breakfast, you may be allowed to hand feed some of the feline residents. Set in rural marshland near Tenterden, this vintage Bedford TK horse lorry has been lovingly transformed into a quirky, romantic place to stay. Subscribe to our newsletter for latest news & offers. The fact that some of the headstones by the entrance are decorated in the ‘momento mori’ style didn’t go unnoticed - carvings of skulls and bones surrounded us as we fumbled for the keys. A modest rustic building thoughtfully converted into cosy accommodation, The Old Apple Shed in Bethersden is exactly what it claims to be. The only one offering champing in Kent is the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Fordwich, near Canterbury. Unique and funky jungle themed static camper van with private garden area, hot tub and bathroom sleeps 2 adults in Kent. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Search our collection of amazing places and book online. Discover and book the most unique and unusual places to stay. Without plumbing in the church, the CCT has cleverly fitted a camping loo in the vestry - built inside an indoor shed and topped with a gargoyle, naturally. Romantic Boutique Hotels in Kent: Find 5078 traveller reviews, candid photos, and the top ranked Romantic Boutique Hotels in Kent on Tripadvisor. A special place to stay can make a holiday – but also break the bank. Host Unusual works with associate sites and may earn commission when you book via certain property links. Head for any of these 10 peaceful spots in Kent to help you find that much-needed bubble of calm | Words: Holly Louise Eells, From rambles through the Kent Downs to pretty village walks and urban strolls, this guide to some of Kent’s prettiest walking routes is essential for the intrepid adventurer, Here are five of the best spots in Kent for a stroll by coast, canal and river, We have selected 12 of the grandest historic stately homes with stunning gardens in Kent to visit, Kent is not only home to many stunning beaches but also has some of the safest and cleanest in the country, many with prestigious Blue Flag status, 10 of the best walks at National Trust sites in Kent, Where to see snowdrops in Kent: Pretty gardens to visit, 10 peaceful places in Kent where you can escape the crowds, Beautiful stately homes with gardens in Kent, 5 things to do in Kent this week: Secret locations to discover. Take our New Year quiz and put that local knowledge to the test | Words: Adam Jacot de Boinod, Is life still feeling a bit overwhelming? With 350 redundant churches in the CCT’s care across the country, it was a very bright spark indeed who came up with the idea of offering basic camping inside a few of them. Visit www.champing.co.uk for details of the champing churches and www.visitchurches.org.uk to read about the work being done by the Churches Conservation Trust. An inspected and selected collection of quirky outdoor places in Kent. Canterbury. While you can’t actually sleep in the North Foreland Lighthouse, as it’s still in use, you can sleep in either of the two whitewashed cottages at its foot. Visit www.ruralretreats.co.uk. Unusual Places to Stay - No Booking Fees. Unusual Places to Stay - No Booking Fees. Magnificent sea views from huge windows or the deck of this beach house on the Isle of Sheppey - only an hour from London - perfect for … Take your weekend break up a level with stay in an eco-lodge treehouse. One of its FAQs asks if you have to be a Christian to stay here; the answer is no. We’ve found 40 unique spots with bags of personality for £100 a room a night or less Blue Point. Quirky Kent! Hideaway horsebox, Napoleonic fort, Elizabethan manor house, railway carriage or Victorian abbey … Visit www.nethergongcamping.co.uk. But you'd be mistaken for thinking those delicious Kentish apples, pears and cherries were all this eclectic county had to offer. Order wine from them in Fordwich, near Canterbury, it is set in its own beside! Railway carriage or Victorian abbey … unusual Places to stay here ; the answer is yes and fact. Kent - a true outdoor lover 's delight camping near Canterbury, it is,! Family day out, too, with plenty of water-based activity to indulge in offer... 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