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Margate House: A Design Lover's Delight
This stylish townhouse in Cliftonville is Margate's best-value boutique hotel. As Margate House gets a new look, Hayley Spencer makes herself at home and samples its comforting restaurant.
Margate House's three large suites have views over the Victorian Dalby Square, all the way to the sea. This Margate bolthole is a design lover's delight with carefully curated interiors that celebrate local creatives. It's also home to one of the area's favourite new restaurants, with an elevated menu of British classics.
Location
In the 2010s, Margate earned itself the nickname of "Shoreditch-on-Sea" when Londoners flocked to the Kent coast seeking sea air in a creative corner of the country. In recent years, enduring demand for a taste of south coast life has seen a slew of hotels open in zhuzhed-up townhouses. Among them is Margate House in Cliftonville.
Located to the east of the Old Town, which is around a 15-minute stroll from Margate rail station or a swift five-minute taxi ride, the area was a popular seaside resort in Victorian times and is undergoing something of a revival. The guest house benefits from views of the historic Dalby Square, a conservation area, and is also crawling distance to the promenade of Main Sands beach and the iconic Lido tower (for those obligatory Instagram pics). It's a 10-minute stroll to the chic interiors and fashion shops around King Street, and a similar distance to the Harbour Arm where you'll find the Turner Contemporary gallery and destination restaurant Sargasso. Bear in mind the town is sleepy on weekdays, and most small businesses operate Thursday to Sunday.
The Vibe
As well as being relatively affordable for a boutique hotel (rooms start from £200), Margate House stands out from the crowd for its cool, eclectic decor by property developer-owner Will Jenkins. As the name suggests, it has a home-from-home feel. The door is almost always open, and a Moroccan-inspired Vyrao candle lights the hallway all day, meaning you may smell the hotel before you see it.
Recently given a new custom colour scheme of plaster-pinks, maroons and taupes in collaboration with trendy London paint company Coat, the hotel's five floors feel cohesive and cosy, yet each room has a distinct look. There's no reception; instead, guests are welcomed into the lounge area which looks out over the square and has sink-in velvet sofas poised before an open brick fireplace. Behind it, there's a stylish bar from which keys are dispensed as well as drinks. You can also help yourself to spoils from the sweetie jars opposite.
Service
At times I couldn't tell if staff were kindly fellow guests or at work (in the best way), as we struck up easy conversation when passing in the halls. There was always someone on hand at the bar-reception in case of questions or for local recommendations. Service was pleasingly anticipatory: on being helped to my top-floor room, I mentioned I might make a coffee with the in-room Nespresso machine, and within minutes the maitre d' had brought me some milk.
Bed and Bath
There are just nine rooms across three floors at Margate House. All are individually designed with colourful Polish prints, local design finds, and mid-century style, two-tone wooden furniture. Every room (even the smallest) features a king-sized bed with a wavy velvet headboard. You'll feel as though you're staying in a very stylish friend's bedroom over a cookie-cutter hotel room.
Bathrooms aren't super spacious but are stylish and practical, continuing the same design aesthetic with bobbin mirrors and Victorian suites. They come with powerful rainfall showers and Le Labo Santal 33 toiletries. I stayed in the spacious, top-floor "Large" bedroom. With views that extend out to the sea, it feels worthy of a special occasion. There are all the chi-chi boutique hotel touches you'd expect: a Roberts radio playing classical music on your arrival, a selection of mini bar snacks including Kettle Chips and tea cakes, and a guide to the area.
Food and Drink
The hotel gained a restaurant named Willy's in the owner's honour in late 2025. The ground-floor space (open to the public) is decked out with sculptural tables and smart velvet booths. It opens onto a light-filled terrace with striped squishy sofas, which is perfect for long summer dinners.
Celebrating British comfort food classics and giving them a playful spin, it's headed up by Mark O'Brien (previously of the foodie-loved Samphire in Whitstable). The micro menu includes snacks such as devils on horseback, a beef rump tartare starter, an elevated sausage and mash main, and chalk stream trout served with cavolo nero. Desserts include a perfect sticky toffee pudding with stem ginger ice cream. There are vegan alternatives for every course which don't feel like an afterthought, such as spiced cauliflower, braised lentils, and celeriac remoulade. Wine is low-intervention and includes bottles from local Kent producers.
If you want to follow up dinner with a nightcap, head to the speakeasy-style reception bar where staff will whip you up one of their takes on the classics, such as the Willy's cosmo, made with pomegranate. Breakfast can be ordered at check-in and taken in your room or the downstairs workspace, which has a farmhouse-style communal kitchen. The a la carte menu spans a full English and pan con tomate, which are served with tea or coffee and juice. Dietary requirements and allergens should be shared in advance with the team, who will try to accommodate them.
Facilities
The guest house has kept its residential bones, so there's no space for a spa or gym, though the lounge invites lingering with a book by the fire. The downstairs workspace is an ideal place to work away from home, with a huge table, more comfy sofas, and tea and coffee-making facilities.
Family Friendly?
No, the hotel is adults-only.
Accessibility
Spanning five floors and having largely retained its original layout, there are no lifts or adapted rooms at Margate House, so it's not best suited to those with accessibility needs.
Pet Policy
Owner Will Jenkins loves dogs, so they're welcome to dine with their owners on the terrace at Willy's restaurant and stay with you in your room.
Check-in/Check-out
Check-in is from 4pm to 10pm; check-out is a generous 12pm. Staff are happy to look after your luggage if you arrive in town early or on the day of your check-out so you can continue exploring.
At a Glance
- Best thing: The interiors, which strike a perfect balance between being elevated and feeling homey.
- Perfect for: The "down from London" crowd; from style-orientated couples to pairs of friends who want a foodie-orientated mini break.
- Not right for: Those who don't want to tackle several flights of stairs to reach their room.
- Instagram from: The fireside, cocktail in hand. Make your city pals jealous of how blissed out you are down by the sea.
Hayley was a guest of Margate House. Address: 6 Dalby Square, Cliftonville, Margate CT9 2ER. Phone: 01843 299982. Website: margatehouse.co.uk
