The Palm

HOTEL OVERVIEW

You know what struck me first about The Palm? It’s tucked away on Shottendane Road in a way that feels almost accidental – like someone just decided to turn this gorgeous period house into a hotel and forgot to make a big fuss about it. I mean, you’re essentially staying in someone’s beautifully restored home, which is exactly the vibe they’re going for.

The thing about boutique places like this is they either nail the intimate, personal touch or they feel like they’re trying too hard. The Palm honestly gets it right. There’s no marble lobby or uniformed doormen – instead you’ll find yourself checking in through what feels like a friend’s front door, probably chatting with whoever’s running things that day about where to grab the best fish and chips nearby (it’s actually just down toward the seafront, by the way). The rooms have this lived-in elegance that’s hard to fake – think original features mixed with modern comforts, but not in that sterile “we hired a designer” way. More like someone with genuinely good taste just happened to own a beautiful old house.

What really works here is the location, though I suspect a lot of people stumble onto it by accident. You’re close enough to Canterbury that you could easily day-trip there (honestly, the cathedral’s worth the twenty-minute drive), but far enough from the tourist chaos to actually relax. The Thanet area gets overlooked by most visitors rushing between London and Dover, which is kind of perfect if you want to experience a bit of authentic Kent without fighting crowds. Parking’s straightforward – always a relief when you’re hauling luggage – and the neighborhood’s quiet enough that you’ll actually sleep well. I stayed during what must have been peak summer season and still felt like I had the place mostly to myself.

The staff (and I use that term loosely since it feels more like staying with knowledgeable locals) seem to genuinely know the area. They pointed me toward this incredible walk along the coast that I never would have found otherwise, and gave me proper directions to a pub in the next village that doesn’t even have a website but serves the kind of Sunday roast that ruins you for chain restaurants forever. That’s the sort of intel you just can’t get from bigger hotels where the concierge is reading from the same script they give everyone.

Look, The Palm isn’t going to have a spa or room service or those little chocolates on your pillow. What it has is character and a sense of place that makes you feel like you’ve discovered something rather than just booked accommodation. If you’re the type who needs everything standardized and predictable, this probably isn’t your spot. But if you want to stay somewhere that feels connected to where you actually are – not just some generic hotel room that could be anywhere – then it’s pretty much perfect.