Lovely old Kent inn with great food and comfy rooms
You’d be hard pushed to find a nicer country pub than the Five Bells, a sixteenth-century inn idyllically located just footsteps from the Pilgrims Way in the tiny North Downs village of Brabourne. The pretty garden, strewn with coloured lights, its tables set with checked cloths and fresh flowers, evokes the easy panache and joie de vivre of a French village hotel, while inside the comfortable, well-worn space is filled with quirky bits and bobs and offbeat rustic accoutrements, warmed by fragrant log fires.
This isn’t style over substance, however; it’s a refreshingly modern place but with a profoundly traditional heart. Come for a quiet pint in the early evening, or join the local crowds on weekend afternoons when convivial hours are spent eating, supping and enjoying occasional live music.The food is great, taking in burgers, hot dogs and lots of yummy pub grub items done with a contemporary twist. They also serve flavoursome local ales, still, chilled local cider and fruity Kentish wines – all of which provide a cue for the 4 sumptuous, individually designed suites, named after local hops and grapes.
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