Boys Hall Hotel Review, Kent, UK | Hotels Above Par

"Set in a 17th-century, Grade II–listed manor surrounded by hydrangea and rose gardens, this cozy pub-with-rooms was reopened in early 2023 by Brad and Kristie Lomas and has become a book-ahead weekend escape for Londoners about 40 minutes from the capital. Inside is an ode to Jacobean living — huge sofas, tiled fireplaces and portraiture — with relaxed, no-fuss provincial service from a locally knowledgeable team. There are nine individually styled rooms reached up creaky stairs; the largest, the Bishop’s Quarter, features period wood panelling (rumoured to have been gifted by Charles I from Windsor Castle), grand period windows, a huge bed beneath a gold-leaf chandelier and a decadent roll-top golden tub, plus a bottle of Kentish apple brandy on the desk. Dinner in the conservatory is farm-to-table British from head chef Alfie Calie, sourcing as locally as possible from Kent’s farms and coast; standout plates include cakey focaccia with raspberry oil, heritage tomato and burrata, cider mussels, veggie schnitzel and big steaks, though the food can run salty at times (zesty cocktails help). Breakfast is a generous Full English with notably melt-in-your-mouth sausages and beans; skip the uninspiring buffet. Practical details: four-star rating, nine rooms from about $240/night including breakfast, on-site bar and restaurant, gardens, and easy access to nearby vineyards and the Kentish coast (a car is recommended; nearest airports Gatwick or Heathrow)."