Hotel in Dover, England

[alidor]

We are on the Quest next August departing from Dover.   Would you spend 2 days there?   Where would you stay?  Looking for some advice...

Thank you!

[PORT ROYAL]

If for two nights would never stay in Dover as it’s a working port with all that entails.  Also Dover is a long ride from Heathrow.

Consider a very pleasant stay in Canterbury, with it’s history, decent bars and restaurants.  You can’t go wrong with the Cathedral Lodge as it’s in the middle of Canterbury with everything within walking distance.

Others in CC will have input 

[Fletcher]

I wouldn't spend two minutes in Dover.  It has a great castle, the famous Vera Lynn cliffs and 1000s of migrants  but you will see all that from the ship.  The train station is quite a long walk from the port.  We landed back here on the Ovation and organised a car to take us to Heathrow where we had left our car.  

 

You might be better off staying in London but the best sort-of-nearby hotel choice would be Gravetye Manor - the perfect classic country house hotel and ideal for a pre-cruise stay, especially if you fly in to Gatwick.  It's still an hour's drive from Dover.  However, a taxi would be easy to arrange.  Canterbury is another dump and in August overrun with tourists assuming we are back to normal by then. 

Edited September 21, 2021 by Fletcher

[rl787]

I agree with Fletch.........2 minutes is far too long in Dover. This question has been asked a few times before over the years, the probably answer is that there is no ideal place for a pre cruise stay. If you fancy a lovely country cottage upmarket B&B which is a 30 minute Taxi ride, is Solley Farm House in Worth. The village is lovely and Sandy is a fabulous hostess..............typically British, when you arrived tea is served with her home made Lemon drizzle cake. We have stayed 3 times now and have never been disappointed. It is at least worth a look.............

[Isklaar]

In case the message isn't clear, I'll add to the previous posts. Avoid staying in Dover.

 

rl787, thanks for the B&B recommendation. Pre-Covid I used to spend time in a Premier Inn in Folkestone before and after frequent Eurotunnel trips. It was clean and preferable to Dover. If my business life ever gets back to normal, the B&B sounds much more suitable.

[Hlitner]

Wow, I cannot believe all the "2 minute" comments from Brits :).   We once had a few hours (we are talking several hundred minutes) to kill in Dover and actually enjoyed Dover Castle.  In fact it was a lot more enjoyable then some of the neighborhoods in London :).

 

Hank

[Hlitner]

Just now, Hlitner said:

Wow, I cannot believe all the "2 minute" comments from Brits :).   We once had a few hours (we are talking several hundred minutes) to kill in Dover and actually enjoyed Dover Castle.  In fact it was a lot more enjoyable then some of the neighborhoods in London :).  But I will confess that I would not want to spend an evening in Dover..

 

Hank

 

[Fletcher]

I seem to remember that James Bond once spent the night in Dover . . . in the novel Goldfinger.

[claranda]

If you stay in or near Canterbury, do try to have lunch or dinner at Reads down the road near Faversham. It’s a bit out of the way to stay at if you don’t have a car, but the food is excellent….. . 

www.reads.co.uk

[dalliowner]

Hi Fletcher.

James Bond played Golf at Sandwich in the book but do not remember a hotel in Dover 

[alidor]

I was kind of surprised, too, about the negative comments about Dover.  I know very little about the area and I must admit that the comments made us book a few nights in London before the cruise, rather than in Dover…

[Grand Cru]

On 9/21/2021 at 4:25 PM, Fletcher said:

I wouldn't spend two minutes in Dover.  It has a great castle, the famous Vera Lynn cliffs and 1000s of migrants  but you will see all that from the ship.  The train station is quite a long walk from the port.  We landed back here on the Ovation and organised a car to take us to Heathrow where we had left our car.  

 

You might be better off staying in London but the best sort-of-nearby hotel choice would be Gravetye Manor - the perfect classic country house hotel and ideal for a pre-cruise stay, especially if you fly in to Gatwick.  It's still an hour's drive from Dover.  However, a taxi would be easy to arrange.  Canterbury is another dump and in August overrun with tourists assuming we are back to normal by then. 

 

[Grand Cru]

Canterbury is full of historical buildings  and history  also good hotels and restaurants.Also has a very beautiful cathedral.

Edited October 20, 2021 by Grand Cru
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