Hotels in Canterbury

Canterbury is small enough that almost anywhere inside the ring road counts as central, so the real question is not how far you will be from the cathedral but what kind of stay you want. The walled city itself - the Precincts, Burgate, the High Street and the Kings Mile - puts the cathedral, the Marlowe Theatre and the best restaurants on your doorstep, and staying there means you can leave the car behind entirely. The trade-off is price, and at weekends a certain amount of late-night noise drifting up from the bars.

Step outside the Westgate into St Dunstan's and the character shifts. This was the old approach road for pilgrims coming from London, and the Georgian and Victorian houses along it have made unusually good conversions into guest houses and small boutique hotels. You are still five minutes from the centre on foot and three from Canterbury West station, and parking becomes a realistic proposition rather than a daily negotiation. Several of the city's most characterful independent places sit on this short stretch.

Drivers and families often do better on New Dover Road, where larger villas standing in their own grounds offer parking, gardens and more space for the money, with a fifteen-minute walk into town past the Kent county cricket ground. Wincheap, on the opposite side, is where the budget chains cluster; it is unlovely but convenient for the A2 and sits beside the largest park and ride.

Book well ahead for the Canterbury Festival in October, university graduation weeks in the summer, and the run-up to Christmas, when the city fills quickly. If everything central looks gone or overpriced, widen the search to Whitstable, Herne Bay, Chilham or Bridge, all within twenty minutes and all served by bus or train, where the inns and bed and breakfasts are often better value than their city equivalents. Whichever you choose, confirm the parking arrangement before you arrive, because many historic properties offer nothing more than a resident permit scheme or directions to the nearest car park.