Crown Inn (The Cherry Brandy House)

Our wildlife trip was cancelled that very morning, so we couldn’t use the two rooms I’d booked. Emma-Louise was incredibly polite and kindly offered us credit to rebook. Since it was Saturday night, the Inn may have lost out financially, as I’m sure those rooms could have gone to other customers. I’ll update this after we’ve stayed, but her customer service alone deserves five stars.

We stayed for one night and added breakfast at a great price. Dinner and breakfast were good value too, and all the staff were friendly and helpful. The room was spacious, more than adequate, with an en suite and tea-making facilities. I expected a cold night in an old building, but the radiator warmed the room faster than I thought it would. The beds were very comfortable, and there were clean towels and spare blankets if needed. I’d definitely try to stay again if I’m in the area.

I was curious to stay here because of its history, but the decor and furnishings really spoil the look the place could have had. The room was very pink and the furnishings didn’t go together. It made me feel like I was 15 again in my then-girlfriend’s bedroom. When I arrived, there were no lights on, the bar and restaurant were closed, and nobody was around. I had to use the doorbell to get someone to let me in. The room had dead bugs, dirty mugs and unchanged sheets. The bar never opened during my stay, the restaurant wasn’t serving food, and the lights stayed off everywhere, even when I left my room. I didn’t see anyone for the whole visit and had to leave my keys outside the door. It was a very strange and unpleasant stay, just awful. I honestly don’t know how they pay the bills if they don’t try to open the bar or restaurant, which were advertised as open from 12, and have no guests. This keeps getting unpublished for some reason.

Dee and Emma-Louise made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived at the Crown Inn. They were friendly and professional, and treated us as if we were locals who’d stayed many times. We were there from Friday to Sunday and couldn’t have asked for better hosts. Room 4 was spacious, quiet and relaxing, with tasteful modern decor. It was clean, tidy and well presented. The bed was extremely soft and comfortable, though some people may prefer a firmer one. There was a large flat-screen TV, a small sofa, a built-in cupboard with room for hanging clothes and some luggage, and a kettle with plenty of tea, coffee, sugar, sweetener and UHT milk. The building seems well insulated. By the second night the room was so warm we didn’t use the duvet, even though my wife feels the cold. We heard no traffic apart from an emergency vehicle passing. The bathroom and bath were a decent size, and there was a shower as an alternative. The water had good pressure and temperature, and I’m 5ft 10in and could stretch out comfortably in the bath. Body wash, shampoo and conditioner were supplied, and the towels were soft. We had dinner and one breakfast at the hotel. The food was tasty, well priced and served in good portions. For £10, breakfast included toast, cereal, tea, coffee, OJ and a fry-up, which was a bargain. They asked about breakfast at check-in and passed on the information that my wife was vegetarian. The fry-up was delicious too, so no complaints there. The car park is behind the Inn, right beside the accommodation, with adequate space. The rooms are in a separate building to the rear, not in the main Inn. We had almost no Giffgaff mobile signal during our stay, but the free Wi-Fi was very fast. It’s a clean, friendly place with a lot of history, and a great base for Canterbury, Margate and Ramsgate, all 8 miles away, or Herne Bay, 9 miles away. The Inn is a lovely hidden gem in Kent, and we’d definitely return.