voco The Clifton Folkestone

The breakfast was a self-service buffet, with continental and hot English options plus special orders. I’d found it hard to learn the choices in advance, so I’ve posted a picture of them. The restaurant was good, though the “Marco Pierre White” name led me to expect more, and our food took quite a while to arrive. We came on a Sunday and it was very busy, apparently popular with locals for afternoon tea and evening drinks. The hotel is in a great location and has recently been refurbished. Our room, #206, was very good, though a little small because of the existing building’s limitations, and had a nice sideways sea view. Parking is a limitation: they don’t have their own, and use the council spaces outside for £8 a day. Two nights, leaving by noon, came to £16, and a space isn’t guaranteed because it’s first come, first served. It was fine in March, but might be a problem in warmer weather. I’d recommend the hotel with those caveats, mainly because the owners can’t do anything about the limitations of the building and parking.

The warm welcome and attentive service really impressed us, and made the trip more enjoyable. We spent three nights here, and the service was excellent from beginning to end. The food was very good too, better than I honestly expected. We’d definitely recommend it!

We stayed one night in a King Premium Sea View room, and it was lovely value for money. The hotel has been recently refurbished tastefully and to a very good standard. Our room was large, with high ceilings, tall windows and a full sea view. It had all mod cons: a nespresso machine, kettle, complementary water, safe, good size wardrobe, large TV, and quiet, efficient climate control. The bathroom and shower were spacious and modern, with a large overhead shower head. Service was excellent, and there’s a nice bar and a Marco Pierre White restaurant in the hotel. Parking in front costs £8/24 hours, and the harbour is a 20-minute walk away. There are plenty of restaurants, bars and Tesco nearby.

We stayed for one night over the Ska festival weekend, when demand had pushed room prices quite high. Still, the room and facilities were worth the cost. There were two queen size, very comfortable beds, everything was spotless, and the shower was great. It even had a built in electric toothbrush charger. After the recent refurbishment, everything was in perfect condition. The staff were friendly, smart and professional. Breakfast was amazing and very well priced, with a full continental buffet, hot breakfast and menu items like Eggs Benedict, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and vegetarian options. The coffee was great, as were the smoothies and fruit. The restaurant where breakfast is served looks out onto a beautifully manicured garden. It’s great to finally see a decent hotel in Folkestone. Couldn’t fault it, and we’ll definitely stay again.