Thanet Hotels: Where to Stay in Kent

Thanet is a district on the Kent coast, not a single town. Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate each have their own harbour, beach and character. This guide covers hotels in Thanet we could confirm from two or more sources, flags the places we could not confirm, and shows how to choose a base. Rates change daily, so we do not quote them. Always call to confirm before you travel.

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Where to Stay in Thanet, Kent

How to Choose Hotels in Thanet

Thanet sits at the eastern tip of Kent. The three main towns are Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate. The district tourist board lists 16 sandy beaches and bays across the Isle of Thanet, so a seaside stay is easy to find.

Pick your town first. Margate suits art lovers and families who want Turner Contemporary and Dreamland close by. Broadstairs suits quiet beach days and Dickens fans. Ramsgate suits visitors who like a Royal Harbour and Regency streets.

Then pick the type of stay. Thanet has boutique hotels, a traditional seafront hotel, a budget chain hotel, and many guesthouses. Larger resort-style hotels are rare here. We list only the places we could check.

Hotels in Margate

Margate has the most variety. The old town, the Cliftonville seafront and the retail area outside town all offer different stays.

Walpole Bay Hotel in Cliftonville

The Walpole Bay Hotel stands on Fifth Avenue, Cliftonville, Margate, CT9 2JJ. Call 01843 221703 to ask about rooms.

Visit Kent lists sea views from all rooms and balconies on most. En suite rooms are available. The hotel runs tearooms and bars, serves cream teas on a flower-decked veranda, and has a resident pianist. A museum and the Napery art gallery sit inside the building and open daily. The hotel also has a ballroom and a snooker room.

Pets and assistance dogs are welcome, and cots are available. Accessible toilets and step-free access are listed. A 2023 hotel round-up also describes sea views and access to the Walpole Bay tidal pool. We could not find check-in or check-out times, so ask when you call.

Other Margate Hotels We Could Not Confirm

A 2023 round-up of Margate hotels names several more places. They include The Albion Rooms and Fort Road Hotel in the old town and Cliftonville area, The Reading Rooms on Hawley Square, and Selina Margate in Cliftonville. We found these in one source only. Treat them as unconfirmed. Check each official website or phone before you book.

The same round-up says a hotel called No. 42 Margate was set to replace the Sands Hotel on Marina Drive. We could not confirm the opening, so do not rely on either name until you see a current booking page.

Hotels in Broadstairs

Broadstairs is a small, calm town with a sandy bay. Two stays stand out for the guest who wants a hotel rather than a chain.

The Yarrow Hotel

The Yarrow stands on Ramsgate Road, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 1PN. Call 01843 460100 or email enquiries@yarrowhotel.co.uk.

Visit Thanet lists 23 bedrooms and five suites, all en suite. The hotel has a restaurant, a bar, an enclosed garden and parking. A hair and beauty salon offers spa packages, and the hotel lists a gym and leisure facilities. The listing mentions accessible parking, accessible toilets and step-free access. Cots are available, and guide, hearing and registered assistance dogs are welcome. Wi-Fi is listed and credit cards are accepted.

The official site lists restaurant hours. Lunch runs on Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 12:00 to 14:00. Dinner runs Tuesday to Saturday from 18:00 to 20:30. Hours can change, so call before you plan a meal. We could not find check-in or check-out times or a pet policy for guests with ordinary pets. Ask the hotel.

The old version of this guide called the Yarrow a luxury escape with balconies over the English Channel. We could not verify the balcony or sea view claim, so we dropped the claim.

The Bay Tree on Eastern Esplanade

The Bay Tree stands at 12 Eastern Esplanade, Broadstairs, CT10 1DR. Visit Kent says the hotel reopened after a major refurbishment. All bedrooms are en suite with a flat-screen TV and tea-making facilities. Many rooms have a sea view, and one has a balcony. The hotel has a licensed bar, a terrace over the bay, a lounge with an open fire, and a restaurant.

Our status check found a warning. A local news report from January 2024 says the owners put the hotel up for sale after the death of a co-owner. The report says the hotel was still trading then. We found no later report of a sale, a closure or new owners. We also found no phone number we could trust. Treat the Bay Tree as unconfirmed. Search for the current booking page before you plan around the hotel.

The old guide called the Bay Tree a guesthouse. Local sources describe a boutique hotel with a restaurant, so we corrected the description.

Hotels in Ramsgate

Ramsgate centres on its Royal Harbour. The town has fewer big hotels than Margate, but one boutique stay stands out.

The House at Ramsgate, Formerly Albion House

The old guide listed Albion House as a Victorian hotel with a pub. We found no source for the pub, and the building is not Victorian. Albion House is a Georgian terrace house on Albion Place. Kent County Council heritage records list Albion House at 27 Albion Place as a Grade II listed building. The hotel at Albion Place now trades as The House at Ramsgate, also called The House Hotel. The phone number 01843 606630 appears on both the old Albion House listing and the current hotel site. Older review sites still use the Albion House name.

The address is Albion Place, Ramsgate, Kent, CT11 8HQ. Call 01843 606630 or email enquiries@thehouseatramsgate.co.uk.

The hotel site describes a restored Georgian townhouse above the Royal Harbour with 14 bedrooms. Rooms have king-size beds, en suite bathrooms, a flat-screen TV and Wi-Fi. Some rooms face the sea or the harbour. The hotel has no lift, so ask about the ground floor if stairs are a problem.

Check-in starts at 3:00 PM and check-out ends at 11:00 AM. A late check-out until 1:00 PM may be available for an extra charge if agreed in advance. Small dogs up to 15 kg are allowed in selected rooms only. Approval is needed in advance and a charge applies. Pay-and-display parking sits next to the hotel.

The House Restaurant serves breakfast, seafood, steaks, a Sunday roast and afternoon tea, according to the Visit Thanet listing. The restaurant offer may have changed since, so confirm by phone.

Budget Hotels and Motel-Style Stays Near Westwood Cross

Thanet has no true roadside motels in the American sense. Visitors who want a motel-style stay with a car park and a simple room usually pick a chain hotel on a retail park.

Travelodge Margate Westwood

The hotel stands at Unit 53, Westwood Cross Retail Park, Kent, CT10 2BF. Visit Kent places the hotel just outside the seaside town of Margate, with shops, restaurants and bars nearby. The official Travelodge page lists a phone number of 08719 846341 for bookings, and a group bookings email at groupbookings@travelodge.co.uk.

Rooms are en suite with a king-size bed, four pillows and a duvet. Twin rooms have a sofa bed or a pull-out bed made up before arrival. Double rooms are on the first floor and the hotel has no lift. The Travelodge page mentions no restaurant or bar on site and points to food and drink within a short walk. The Visit Kent listing mentions Wi-Fi. Neither page mentions parking, so ask before you drive.

The old guide said the hotel has a bar and on-site parking. We could not confirm either claim, so we dropped both.

Where to Stay in Thanet Near the Main Attractions

Your choice of town should follow your plans. Here are the attractions we confirmed and the towns beside them.

Hotels Near Turner Contemporary and Dreamland in Margate

Turner Contemporary stands in Margate, CT9 1HG. The gallery opens Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and admission is free. Check the current schedule around Christmas and New Year.

Dreamland is an amusement park at Hall by the Sea Road, Margate, CT9 1XJ. The park site says the 2026 season has ended and the park returns in spring 2027. Indoor events run through the winter, so check the event list for your dates.

The Shell Grotto sits on Grotto Hill, Margate, CT9 2BU. The grotto site lists opening Thursday to Sunday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with different hours around the new year. Confirm before you visit.

Walpole Bay Hotel suits visitors who want to stay in Cliftonville near the sea. Travelodge Westwood suits visitors who drive.

Where to Stay Near Pegwell Bay in Ramsgate

Pegwell Bay Country Park is run by Kent County Council. The park has chalk cliffs, mud flats, saltmarsh and sand dunes. Winter brings thousands of wading birds, and summer brings wildflowers such as orchids. A public bird hide is accessible to disabled visitors. The main coast path from the car park is flat and suits wheelchairs. Dogs are welcome on leads in the car park and under close control elsewhere.

A weekly parkrun starts at 9:00 AM on Saturdays. Cycling is not permitted on the park footpaths. The House at Ramsgate is the confirmed hotel nearest Ramsgate town.

Getting to Hotels in Thanet

Southeastern runs trains from London. Visit Thanet gives these times from London St Pancras International on the high speed line. Ramsgate takes about 75 minutes, Broadstairs about 85 minutes and Margate about 90 minutes. Thanet Parkway, near Minster, takes about 70 minutes. London Victoria takes about 1 hour 50 minutes. Charing Cross and Waterloo East take about 2 hours.

By road, the tourist board says to use the M20 and M2. Gatwick is about 1 hour 40 minutes by car. Heathrow is about 2 hours by car.

A car helps if you stay at Westwood Cross or visit Pegwell Bay. If you stay in a town centre, you can often skip the car.

What We Checked and What We Could Not

We checked each property against at least two sources, such as the official site, Visit Thanet, Visit Kent and local news. We checked attractions on their official sites.

We confirmed Walpole Bay Hotel, The Yarrow, The House at Ramsgate and Travelodge Margate Westwood exist and list current contact details. We could not confirm the current status of The Bay Tree. We could not confirm the Margate hotels from the single round-up. We found no price we could trust, so we quote none.

We dropped the old holiday cottages entry. The guide gave no named property, so we could not verify any. We also dropped a village trip to St Margaret’s at Cliffe, because the village lies outside the Thanet district. The old Margate Museum and Botany Bay claims were not checked, so we left both out.

Check-in times, pet rules and parking change often. Call the hotel to confirm each detail before you book.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Hotels in Thanet range from a traditional seafront hotel in Margate to a Georgian boutique stay above Ramsgate harbour. Pick your town, call the hotel, and confirm rooms, parking and policies before you book. Use the Expedia link above to compare current options.

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