The Best Hotels in Dover

Dover Hotels

Ever since Vera Lynn sang the iconic WW2 lyrics “they’ll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover”, an air of hope and optimism has drawn visitors to the chalky coast of southeast England. An ever-enduring wartime symbol, the cliffs still provoke feelings of freedom and openness, something to do with all that sea. Meander along the wild flower-filled Heritage Coast trail, allowing the fresh, coastal air to clean out your lungs, watching as France-headed ferries chug across the Channel.

Things to see

You can contemplate the significance of Dover and its coastal area to Britain’s WW2 campaign at the Battle of Britain Memorial – a remembrance spot focused on a statue of a simple lone soldier. Head west out of Dover along the cliff-top Heritage Trail towards Folkestone, passing Shakespeare Cliff – an unmistakeable promontory rising from the shingle beach below – to reach the memorial. Other places highlighting Dover’s history as a crux-point of British defence include the grassy knolls of Western Heights – a vast series of crumbly battlements built into the cliff-top in the 19th century – and imposing Dover Castle, whose cascading turrets tower above the town. The castle holds the remains of a Roman lighthouse built in AD50, as well as a Saxon church and a definitely-don’t-miss rabbit warren of secret tunnels. Kids will be thrilled by the sound and video-filled guided tour through the meandering, musty, chalky passageways.

Hotels in Dover

Check in to one of Dover’s modern convenience hotels – predominantly chain brands – for up-to-the-minute amenities including WiFi, clean en-suite bathrooms and an on-site restaurant or café. Due to the quick turnover of guests transiting through on their way to France, many hotels offer good value short-stay rates year-round, but especially in winter when the ferry terminal is quieter. If you’re looking for a cheap hotel, there are plenty of 2-star rated B&Bs and guesthouses scattered around the town. If you fancy treating yourself, a number of upmarket 4-star hotels and guesthouses provide luxury accommodation with top-quality service.

Where to stay

Severely bombed during WW2, much of Dover’s architecture is post-modern rather than olde-worlde, so if you’re looking for quaint English charm, head to a nearby village. St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe is a perfect choice – just east of Dover – offering sleepy village life by the sea. Relax while the kids run and splash about on the shingle beach, before wandering to nearby South Foreland Lighthouse to take a tour of the Victorian building. Don’t leave without hiring a kite to play on the breezy cliff-top. In Dover, plenty of hotels are dotted throughout the town centre and around the Western Docks Ferry Terminal.

How to get to Dover

With a bustling ferry terminal linking Dover with Calais, the town’s well connected to Europe and the rest of the UK. As well as the ferry, nearby Folkestone is home to the Channel Tunnel offering a quick route from Paris. Trains from London Victoria, St. Pancras and Charing Cross arrive at Dover Priory every half hour or so. The quickest trains take just over an hour from St. Pancras. Inexpensive coach services arrive from London Victoria in just under 3 hours, while local bus routes operate between Dover and Folkestone, Canterbury and Hastings, as well as other Kent towns.