Sluttery Travels: Arthouse B&B, Canterbury

I recently had to go to Canterbury two consecutive days, and rather than get up at the crack of dawn and take the train, I thought it would be quite fun to bring the BF down and stay overnight. It would have been more fun, had we not booked in to a crappy hotel, and rather stayed at the Arthouse Bed and Breakfast.

It’s situated about five minutes from Canterbury’s high street and just around the corner from several delightful restaurants. The building was once a fabulous looking fire station (pole included, but you'll have to bring your own fireman), and has now been converted into two remarkably spacious-looking bedrooms, each with their own bathroom. The choice of decor is crisp and refreshing, but not sterile. My favourite part is that there are beautiful and contemporary things to look at but it certainly doesn't look like a hotel, but neither does it have that horrible twee-ness that I automatically associate with the words 'bed and breakfast'.


If there is anything travelling has taught me, it's that when you stay away from home you want to feel part of the city, like a local, and if you don't get that feeling here, I get the impression that staying at the Arthouse would at least be like staying with your really very trendy friends. Except in this case, you pay them. If you want to take a little bit of the B&B home, you can buy some of their interior pieces to take home with you.


Coming 'round the the financials, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that the front room rents for £55 per night, and the back room for £60! This is less than I paid for my decidedly average hotel, which was further away from town, and the price includes an organic breakfast. I'd say that's damn good value for money.

As you can see, I'm annoyed at myself for not knowing about this place before my trip, but I can't be anything other than glad that the folks at Arthouse knew they were onto a winner so I can stay here during my next visit.