Stylish boutique rooms and innovative Spanish fare in the Kent countryside.
The Wife of Bath is one of the best-known of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, and Wye, the location of this restaurant with rooms by the same name, featured in the stories as a place of rest for weary pilgrims en route to Canterbury. The theme continues inside the property – each room is named after a character from Chaucer’s works. In the hands of Mark Sargeant since 2016, it's the third addition to his group – Rocksalt and The Duke of William came first.
There are six stylish bedrooms, four above the restaurant, two in the cottage annexe (these can be booked out together if you're a foursome or a family). A welcome pack, complimentary toiletries, ironing facilities and flat screen TV can be found in each. Exposed timber beams blend with contemporary furniture, colourful works of art and muted tones on the walls. The result? A soothing atmosphere, a relaxing haven.
Food wise, inspiration is taken from Spain, notably Cataluña, the Basque Country, Cantabria and Galicia. Dishes such as rabbit with chorizo, savoy cabbage and romesco, or ox cheek with olive oil potato, spiced carrot, broad beans and peas feature on the a la carte menu in the restaurant, whilst an array of scrummy tapas can be devoured at the bar (think crispy squid with smoked paprika, Iberico ham croquetas, salt cod fritters and morcilla quail egg). To drink, try one of their cocktails (we like the Galician Negroni), a Mahou lager or a glass of sherry. Breakfast is a real delight – choose from a hamper full of goodies delivered direct to your door or head to the restaurant for a Spanish cooked breakfast.
There's much to do in the local area – check out the Nature Reserve in Wye, jump on the train to Canterbury, a city filled with history, or explore the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on foot – the Wye Downs circular walk takes about three hours and offers some spectacular views. If you can drag yourself away from the comfort of The Wife of Bath that is.
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