Overview

Walpole Bay Hotel is unique, it is a an independent family run hotel come museum/ art gallery. As well as accommodation, the hotel also has a bar, restaurant, museum and napery (decorative napkin collection). It also has a wonderful veranda on the front filled with flower baskets. Unfortunately, the hotel does not have step free access or offer accessible room, however, staff are very accommodating and helpful and a toilet frame was provided during my stay. Many visitors just pop in for afternoon tea or look around the communal museum and napery section and have a coffee. We loved our stay of three nights.

Transport & Parking

Margate Train Station is step free and the nearest station, which is about 1.5+ miles away. I always took a taxi as the local bus was a good 5-10 minutes walk away. There is plenty of taxi companies, however, at busy times you may have to wait up to 45 minutes for a taxi, so it is always best to pre-book.

Access

ENTRANCE The hotel has no step free access, as there are 4 -5 steps up to the main entrance, with a handrail in the middle. I am not aware of an alternative step free route. LIFTS Once you are up the steps to the ground floor there is a lift to access all the other floors of the hotel. This is the original lift and requires the manual opening of two RAISED GROUND FLOOR There is a delightful covered veranda which is wonderful to sit out on. The manual front door was open during our visit. On this floor is the reception, restaurant and bar. There are no toilets. BASEMENT Sitting room with record player, snooker room and men's toilets. There was also a function room, which was down a couple of steps. FIRST FLOOR Women's toilets. ALL FLOORS Throughout the hotel there are art work, photographs and ephemera decorating the walls of the corridors and in little alcoves. It's a treasure trove. Walking round the hotel and discovering its art, museum and napery is fascinating. During our stay we kept noticing new things. BEDROOMS We had a family suite on the third floor (top floor), rooms 311-312, with a balcony, see photos. This was interconnecting rooms with a shared bathroom. There was a double and a twin bedroom. The bathroom had a corner bath and on request they installed a toilet frame (which was waiting for me when we arrived). The hotel is built sideways on to the sea, so every room has a sea view.

Toilets

The public women's toilets are on the first floor and the men's in the basement (lift available). There is also a bathroom on the third floor available to anyone who requires the toilet. There are no accessible toilet. On the day we were checking out the toilet frame was moved to the third floor bathroom so I could use it. I was unable to get into the bath with shower over, so it was three days of washing in the sink. There is a communal bathroom on the third floor with a modern walk in shower but it has a plastic base, no grab rails or shower seat so was unsuitable for my access needs.

Staff

Staff are amazing, very friendly and helpful, they all have excellent customer service skills. Food and drink was served promptly in the restaurant and bar.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

We were staying at the hotel on a bed and breakfast basis. Breakfast is served until 10am. Guests are taken to their table and waiter service provides you with hot drinks. There is a self service breakfast buffet offering continental or cooked breakfast. During the day and evening a snack menu is offered. The hotel are also famous for their afternoon/ cream teas, which can be served in the restaurant or on the veranda. The restaurant does not cater for evening meals, but guests can with assistance from staff order a range of takeaways and the hotel with provide plates and cutlery. We had a lovely very relaxing time at the Walpole Bay. It is old fashioned and traditional in a wonderful Agatha Christie style way but it is also contemporary with its art work, including some covered over Tracey Emin images which some people may find offensive. The tidal pool which is popular with hotel guest and locals is just at the end of the road. It does not have step free access so I did not visit. This is a lovely hotel, which worked for me with my crutch for a short stay. Our rooms were lovely and the highlight for me was sitting out on the veranda. Would definitely go back either to stay or for afternoon tea.

Photos