Margate has been home to writers, poets and artists across the decades, and it was our home for a couple of nights on mid-week winter break by the sea. The town boasts myriad accommodation options, but we chose the Fort Road Hotel, with its stature and history, for our stay on the Kent coast.
Margate first rose to prominence as a tourist destination in the mid-18th century, developing from a small fishing village into a high-end resort. Wealthy patrons came from the stifling confines of London to bathe and take in the healing sea air, placing the region firmly on the tourist map.
Fort Road Hotel, originally known as Fort Castle Public House, stands in a prominent location, on a slight hill overlooking the sea. This enviable location is within easy reach of the main sands of Margate, the old town and the Turner Contemporary gallery. It was built in 1820 during the boom, offering lodgings to travellers. It seems to have continued as a boarding house or hotel until at least the 1960s, after which it slowly fell into disrepair.
The dishevelled building was bought by the current owners in 2018 and underwent extensive renovation before finally reopening to the public in 2022.
The rooms
Check-in at the four-star hotel
takes place at a small desk located in the bar and restaurant area. We were warmly greeted upon arrival, and once checked in, we were directed to the lifts and stairs to head up to our room.
This charming, boutique hotel has 14 rooms across three floors. Accommodation options include king rooms, sea view rooms (with restricted views), superior sea view rooms and a top-floor sea view suite.
We stayed in a superior sea-view room with a bay window featuring a cushioned window seat on one side and a sash window looking towards the beach on the other.
The room wasn’t particularly large and was simply decorated, but it had ample space around the beds, which were configured as twins rather than a double. The window seat was a nice touch and, if the January weather had allowed, would have been a lovely place to sit and watch a beautiful Turner-inspiring sunset.
The downside is that the seat took up a good amount of the limited space, leaving very few options for stashing bags if you’re staying for more than a couple of nights. There is a small open wardrobe area with some hanging space and bag storage at the bottom, but it is a little limited.
Each room has tea and coffee-making facilities, including a small teapot. There’s a mini fridge, too, with fresh milk for your hot drinks, as well as a large bottle of water and a small selection of delicious fruit drinks, which were complimentary.
The bathroom was a good size with a fabulous rainfall shower in a well-sized shower cubicle. The mirror behind the sink extended to cover most of the wall, flooding the room with natural light from the window and making it feel wonderfully bright and airy.
Amenities at Fort Road Hotel
Aside from the 14 rooms, Fort Road Hotel has a bar and restaurant area as you enter, which also acts as reception and the breakfast room. The room, with exposed brick walls and parquet flooring, has been thoughtfully restored to retain its historic charm, and the natural materials give it a sense of warmth and comfort.
The restaurant, known as Colina, serves breakfast until 11am, and grazing boards and sandwiches during the day and into the evening.
We didn’t eat at Colina in the evening, but we did enjoy the complimentary continental breakfast included with the room rate. On our final morning, we opted to upgrade that to the full English breakfast before we travelled home, and it was fresh and delicious, just as the continental breakfast had been.
Another great selling point for Fort Road Hotel, although perhaps not on a rainy evening in January, is the rooftop terrace. It’s the perfect excuse to grab a drink from the bar and head up to enjoy the views as the sun sets.
Fort Road Hotel: the verdict
Margate is a town full of history and character, which is reflected within Fort Road Hotel. So much care has been put into restoring the building, with wooden floors and heritage colours used throughout, giving it a modern yet classic feel. The stairwells are decorated with old Margate images, postcards and Victorian portraits, which give a fitting nod to Margate’s past.
One minor downside is that if you’re driving, there isn’t any parking at the hotel, but Trinity Square car park is just a few minutes’ walk away, and during quieter periods, there is some roadside parking available.
The rooms are well-appointed and very comfortable, providing everything needed, albeit in a snug package. This boutique hotel has a grown-up, stylish feel that’s perfect for a romantic getaway, a mini-break or a solo retreat. Fort Road Hotel isn’t the best choice for families, as the largest rooms sleep only three and, with limited space, things could feel a little cramped.
It’s in a great spot for accessing the beach and the old town, with such an illustrious history, you might well be having breakfast in the exact spot where Turner could have been enjoying a pint while absorbing the inspiration for his next great seascape painting. That really is food for thought.
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