Oakside Lodge B&B

The great thing about Oakside Lodge is its location, location, location. We say it three times, not just because tradition dictates it, but because there are at least three location-related reasons that make this guest house a fantastic place to stay. Firstly, it’s less than three miles from historic Canterbury. Secondly, despite its proximity to the city, it has a rural setting on the edge of an ancient woodland. And, thirdly, it’s easily accessed from the A2 which provides a direct link to London in one direction (60 miles) and to Dover in the other (20 miles). All this is not to mention that it’s also less than 10 miles from the charming seaside town of Whitstable.

This small independent hotel’s place in the world makes it as good for stopovers on long journeys south or to Europe as it is for city breaks and weekends away. Sitting within grounds owned by hosts Stuart and Georgiana, rooms offer comfy beds, en-suite bathrooms, Freeview TVs and tea and coffee-making facilities. Easily equal to the big-brand hotel rooms you might find in the city centre, but with just five rooms in a timber-clad lodge building, it has a pleasing intimacy that more commercial places lack. Indeed Stuart and Georgiana's personal touch is present everywhere – from the welcome you’ll receive to the hearty English breakfast they cook you each morning, featuring their own home-reared bacon and sausages.

It’s also a tranquil place to escape to after your day’s exploring and a great place to start your day. The breakfast room and its deck looks over Oakside’s treehouse room – Tree Tops – and a back garden that stretches for five acres into the trees of Blean Woods, which you’re welcome to wander through, making sure to say hello to Stuart and Georgiana’s pigs as you pass.

This green and rural setting belies just how close Oakside Lodge is to Canterbury’s historic sights, little more than a five-minute drive away. Plus there’s a bus stop about 30 metres down the road. Stuart has plenty of tips on where to go, although they hardly need explaining. People have been making pilgrimages to Canterbury for well over a thousand years, and its ancient centre, museums and of course its cathedral could keep you busy for longer than you’re likely to be staying for. So you might just have to plan a return.