England

Margate beach hotels for a serene seaside escape with a twist

Find your slice of seaside nostalgia with a 21st-century spin at one of these Margate beach hotels.

Food-lovers might gravitate towards accommodation with an award-winning restaurant, while those seeking relaxation can look to a boutique spa hotel. Uncover history at a quirky spot that doubles as a love-letter to Margate’s storied past, or trek coastal paths from a dog-friendly hotel next to the beach.

Recently regenerated, this thriving spot has a world-class gallery and an Old Town full of independent shops and eateries. At just over two hours’ drive from the capital, Margate is the perfect spot for a seaside holiday that’s also close to home.

Dine in at a boutique Margate hotel with AA Rosette-awarded restaurant

The contemporary Bay Restaurant at Hotel Sands offers a taste of the local area. Awarded two AA Rosettes, it provides a European-influenced menu that changes to accommodate local seasonal produce. Sit out on the terrace, facing west to catch one of Margate’s famous sunsets, and dine on dishes like locally caught rock oysters with a shallot dressing or red mullet and pickled wild mushrooms. You’ll discover tipples from local producers such as Hush Heath, Nip from the Hip and Chapel Down on the wine menu.

The 20 boutique rooms create no doubt as to the luxurious nature of this hotel. Each one features a king or super-king bed complete with a pocket-sprung mattress that’s deep-filled with a blend of cotton, silk and cashmere. The duvet and pillows contain hypoallergenic pure jasmine silk to help you slip into a deep, uninterrupted slumber. Choose the Superior Sea View room for access to a private balcony with sweeping views across Margate’s bay.

As the name of this hotel suggests, you’re barely a moment’s walk from the sands here. Margate’s Old Town, with its strollable streets, independent shops and coffee stops, is also nearby and you’ll find the start of the Turner and Dickens walk a couple of minutes away. This four-mile coastal path runs from Margate Harbour to the Dickens House Museum, passing installations celebrating both artists.

Hotel Sands

Top rated
Margate
9.8 Excellent (87 reviews)

Stay by the sea with your four-legged companion

Revel in lively walks on the beach with your favourite pet when you stay at Botany Bay in Broadstairs, which welcomes dogs in several of its rooms. The bay, from which the hotel takes its name, is often described as a hidden gem. It’s easy to see why; with imposing white chalk cliffs and stacks, plus caves that appear at low tide, this is a beautiful place to explore. Golden stretches of sand at Joss Bay and Kingsgate Bay are also within easy reach.

You’ll find rooms here decorated in calming neutral tones with classic wooden furniture, featuring award-winning Simba Hybrid Mattresses engineered to keep you cool and comfortable all night. Let the artistic coastal photography hanging on the walls inspire you to get out on the sands with your furry companion in tow. Before or after you head out, be sure to visit the restaurant to sample dishes from the modern menu, which uses locally sourced, seasonal produce. Dishes like crispy salt-and-pepper-dusted whitebait and potted crab pâté give a nod to the hotel’s seaside location.

If golf is your game, practice putting with a coastal view at the North Foreland Golf Club, just five minutes’ drive away. Alternatively, discover literary history at Bleak House, Charles Dickens’ summer home and the place where he wrote many of his novels. Located just along the coast in Broadstairs, Bleak House also contains the fascinating Smuggler’s Museum in its basement.

The Botany Bay Hotel

Top rated
Broadstairs
9.0 Excellent (2131 reviews)

Relax at a hotel on Margate’s seafront with must-see sites on the doorstep

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Set in the heart of Margate, the Crescent Victoria is a peaceful spot to rest after a day of sightseeing. The serene rooms here feature antique furniture and decorations that add to this hotel’s old-world seaside charm – check into a Deluxe Sea View room for vistas of the rolling blue waves and the promenade. Peckish? Take a stroll alongside the grand houses on the Fort Lower Promenade before heading down to the golden sands and tucking into classic seaside fare, like fish and chips covered in crispy, golden batter.

Margate’s most charming spots are within walking distance of the Crescent Victoria, making your seaside escape even easier. Explore the mysterious Shell Grotto, a subterranean passage mosaicked with 4.6 million shells, just a 10-minute walk away. Discovered in the early 1800s, the winding tunnel’s age and origins are unknown. Just opposite the hotel, the Winter Garden is a charming, old-school venue for live music, theatre and comedy.

The hotel’s Theatre View Bar and Steak House is the ideal spot for a pre-show meal. Alongside juicy steaks, you’ll find tempting tapas dishes like salt and pepper calamari or Spanish tortilla served up in this cosy, low-lit space. If you prefer, walk just a few minutes to Margate’s Old Town to hop between independent bars and restaurants.

Crescent Victoria

Margate
8.3 Very good (104 reviews)

Unwind at a beach view guest house near Margate with a spa and salon

Find a little slice of zen on the Kentish coast at Hotel Yarrow. Built in 1894, the hotel offers Jacobethan charm alongside modern amenities like the fully equipped spa. Book in for a calming facial or be pampered with a manicure, pedicure, tinting or tanning treatment. Masseurs are on hand to ease your muscles with Indian head and full-body massages, and you can finish your spa afternoon with a wind-down session in the Jacuzzi.

Continue your journey of relaxation with a delectable seven-course tasting menu in the restaurant. Sample fine-dining dishes such as pan-fried salmon and buttered kale followed up by zesty citrus meringue. Quirky details like chandeliers made from wine glasses bring a playful atmosphere to the elegant setting. The hotel’s afternoon tea, served in the delightfully warm solarium or cosy lounge, also shouldn’t be missed. You’ll find a tempting selection of freshly made sandwiches, cakes and scones for instant indulgence – just add champagne to toast a special occasion.

Sea-view rooms overlooking the bay at Broadstairs are perfectly appointed to help you unwind. Heighten a romantic occasion by running a bubble bath in your deep freestanding tub – all Master Suites have them. Fancy a refreshing swim in the morning? There are seven beaches in the local area that are Blue Flag certified and safe for a dip.

Hotel Yarrow

Broadstairs
9.4 Excellent (949 reviews)

Gaze over waves at this Margate beach hotel just steps from the sea

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Fresh sea air and idyllic views come as standard at Premier Inn Margate. Here, located moments from the sandy curve of Margate beach, you don’t need to go far to hear the crash of waves and the cry of seagulls overhead. But with miles of coastal trails waiting to be explored, you might want to. Pop on your walking boots or hire a bike from the town and set off, perhaps exploring Broadstairs or Ramsgate along the way.

On days when you want to stay closer to home, your central location means all of Margate’s must-sees are within easy reach. View works by Romantic painter, JMW Turner at the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery and be sure to take a stroll around the newly regenerated Harbour Arm while you’re there.

The wonderfully soft Hypnos bed in your room is a welcome respite after an active day. You’ll have a choice of pillows, too, to help customise your comfort. Need to revive tired muscles? Step into your invigorating power shower. You can replenish your energy at the hotel’s Brewers Fayre restaurant. Mornings mean buttery pastries fresh from the oven, or a full English complete with heaps of baked beans and black pudding. Treats like juicy stacked burgers will tempt you back for dinner.

Premier Inn Margate hotel

Margate
8.0 Very good (2285 reviews)

Get a glimpse of the past at a historic Margate beach hotel

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Walpole Bay invites you to step back in time to Margate’s glamorous heyday. Built in 1914, this family-run hotel is being lovingly restored and displays mementos of its illustrious past all around. From the exhibits on all five floors to the original trellis-gated lift in the lobby – installed in 1927 and still in use – this place is a living museum with plenty to explore.

The elegant Edwardian-style restaurant serves up a choice of cream teas, with fresh scones, strawberries, cakes, sandwiches and prosecco all a delicious possibility. Visit on a Sunday afternoon to listen to live music as you dine – the hotel invites a pianist to play its 1908 pianola. Evenings in the ballroom, which saw raucous parties in the Roaring Twenties, are perhaps a little quieter now but no less musical thanks to the dulcet tones of a jazz duo.

Charming guest rooms feature old-world touches like gilded mirrors, damask bedspreads and velvet-covered furniture. Each eclectic space is different and there are options for all kinds of groups, from family rooms to four-poster suites with balconies. Located just off Queen’s Promenade, which runs along the coast, Walpole Bay offers easy access to the beach and the nearby Walpole Tidal Pool. This four-acre expanse of water is an excellent spot to take a bracing dip in the North Sea.

Walpole Bay

Top rated
Margate
8.8 Excellent (92 reviews)

Feature image courtesy of Pavla Zakova / Fotolia