The Falstaff is set opposite the Westgate Towers in Canterbury, a 10-minute walk from the Cathedral. It’s also just an hour inland from the Kentish riviera.
Planes
Most international flights will arrive into Gatwick, which is just over an hour’s drive away; otherwise, Heathrow and Stansted are both a 90-minute drive. Private transfers can be arranged from Gatwick for £100 each way.
Trains
Trains go straight from London’s St Pancras to Canterbury West, a four-minute walk from the hotel, on the line to Ramsgate.
Automobiles
If you’re bringing your own set of wheels, the hotel has a small car park that costs £12 a night and is filled on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Worth getting out of bed for
In a town whose birth predates the Romans, you’re unlikely to struggle finding historic hotspots. Start strong at the famed Canterbury Cathedral, whose tall golden turrets poke through the town centre, and be sure to wander its surrounding gardens. If you’d rather a quick rundown of Canterbury’s past, hop aboard a guided boat tour along the River Stour that floats under the Eastbridge Hospital – or, there’s a walking tour. The Beaney House Art & Knowledge centre has a little bit of everything (exhibitions dedicated to 19th-century artist Thomas Sidney Cooper, wildlife tableaux, traditional Asian art collections, a contemporary gallery, a workshop-fuelled learning lab, library, and the original Bagpuss). Greyfriars Gardens and Westgate Gardens make for scenic strolls, and Sir John Boys House is a must for book buffs.
Local restaurants
Set the 14th-century Westgate Towers that formerly housed Canterbury’s prison, the Pound Bar & Kitchen usually serves tapas-style dishes (crispy patatas bravas, pork belly with ‘nduja sausage and saffron-salted squid are a few favourites), but things take a traditional turn on Sundays (between October and April), when tables are topped with all the trimmings of a family roast. Just down the road, Café du Soleil dishes up wood-fired fare along the canal.
Local cafés
Brunchers will find full fry-ups, breakfast burgers, homemade waffles, buttermilk pancakes, and eggs any which way at Refectory Kitchen on Dunstans Street. And, the Moat Tea Rooms serve scones and sandwiches for those keeping things quintessentially British.
Local bars
Canterbury’s oldest pub, the Parrot, has been pouring traditional tipples and locally-brewed beers since 1370. Or, if you’re searching for something with a bit of a beat, the Lady Luck pairs pints with live music and barside bites.
