Best Thanington Without Hotels

Our family of four spent 3 nights in 2 rooms at the Howfield....and had a great time. The hotel is a few mins drive from Canterbury, off a main road, in lovely grounds with plenty of free parking. Very quiet, you could be in the middle of nowhere. The rooms are large, well equipped and comfortable. They were with their faults but it didn't detract from the stay. In one room, the mattress was very firm which isn't particularly to our liking. In the other room, there was a small leak in the bathroom. In both rooms, the show was temperamental in terms of power. As with so many places during COVID-19, there were only a few staff. The leak wasn't dealt with during our stay but we were informed it was on the list for the handyman the day we left. It didn't detract from our stay... The staff are friendly and accommodating. None of usual indifference that is so often present in hotels these days. The food was EXCELLENT. We had dinner on the first night and it was delicious. Limited options but something for everyone. The breakfast is made to order, plentiful and again, delicious. The venue felt very secure with non obtrusive COVID-19 measures in place. We would have no hesitation staying at Howfield again. They deserve to do well and if they invested just a tiny bit more, the place would be amazing. Thank you for a great weekend! We will be back!

First things first - it is now called the Thanington Hotel. Parking is limited - once you enter there is no room to turn round if it is full and getting in and out of spaces is tricky. We parked on the back roads opposite the hotel for most of our stay. 15 minutes walk to the main shops and cathedral with a few decent pubs on the way. We were in room 9, decent size room with plenty of storage space. It was a bit tight between the bed and the wall. Good bathroom with powerful shower. We had air-con in our room but we couldn’t keep it on as it dripped tons of condensation onto the floor - we half-filled the waste paper bin. We enjoyed the hot and cold buffet breakfast with the occasional wait while they topped up the servers. We tried the bar one evening but there was not much choice and the night manager didn’t have much of a clue on portion sizes. We loved the inner courtyard for a relaxed rest. We’d definitely use again if we were in the area.

I would call this an over priced bed and breakfast not a hotel. Plus = free parking and easy walking into city. We were in a large family room which was light but the hotel is on a busy roundabout so noisy with the window open. Shower had plenty of hot water. Now the negatives! Entering the building the reception desk is so high it's difficult to tell if anyone is behind it. Only a poor continental breakfast. Breakfast room is small and one table is almost in the doorway so constantly leaning from one side or the other enabling other people to pass. Little evidence of staff and noticed one family had to clear their table as no member of staff available. No fresh fruit only tinned, only full fat yoghurts. Cereal came in small boxes and limited choice. Had to ask for toast and think they use the cheapest bread they can find. Paintwork needs redoing as very chipped and an odd assortment of pictures. Not a happy experience

Pros: The room is clean and cleaned up in a timely manner. The breakfast is good, and the steak in the restaurant on the first floor can be slightly expensive. Cons: No elevator. However, there are few old hotels in the UK with elevators.

Having never been to Canterbury before, we were amazed to find this place which is in the very centre of the city with its own parking spaces outside. We didn't eat there, I don't think they do breakfasts, but there is no need as you are about a minute or two's walk from places to eat. There are a lot of stairs but that was no problem to us. Our room was very well appointed and decorated. We had a private bathroom just outside the bedroom. I believe the building is Grade 2 listed. The only minus point was that it could have done with double glazing for sound insulation as it's so centrally situated. I would certainly recommend it. We had 2 nights here.

Room 336 with a view. Bed comfy and huge smart tv. Room very clean and amazing shower. Excellent stay with breakfast included.

Very well appointed, comfortable and easy short walk from the station and the historic centre. Booking was simple, email instructions were very good and made our late arrival and access to our room very easy. Breakfast was cooked fresh to order and staff were very friendly. Couldn’t fault it for comfort and character and will be recommending it to friends.