A huge bedroom and a heavenly view of one of Britain’s most beautiful cathedrals.
Many would be happy to splurge on a hotel stay during a city break that had these positive points.
But in Canterbury, considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world, you can enjoy them on a budget. Just stay at the Thomas Ingoldsby Wetherspoon hotel, one of the 50 pubs that the chain manages throughout the United Kingdom.
With prices starting from just £60 a night and pints for just £2.11 (£1.49 on a Monday), The Thomas Ingoldsby is cheap, first and foremost.
But when I checked in, I discovered that it’s not just the prices that attract. It’s just seconds away from Canterbury Cathedral and is spectacularly framed by my bedroom window. What a view to wake up to!
Sophie Foster checks into the Thomas Ingoldsby Wetherspoon hotel in Canterbury (above), one of 50 hotels run by the pub chain across the UK.
Sophie points out that The Thomas Ingoldsby has two bars, one on the ground floor and one upstairs. At the latter, enjoy breakfast for £4.99 (above).
Sophie says the hotel is “seconds away from Canterbury Cathedral”, which can be seen here through her bedroom window.
Check-in was straightforward; after taking in the charming exterior of the pub-hotel (named after the pseudonym of author Richard Harris Barham, author of The Ingoldsby Legends), I entered the spacious and somewhat busy ground-floor bar and simply presented myself at the counter like a waiting guest.
I was given the key cards and went up to the second floor, where there was a second, smaller bar and restaurant. The hotel lost points in this regard because the elevator was out of order. A kind local showed me the trick of holding down the buttons to get it going.
But the upstairs dining room was spotless, with gleaming brass fixtures and a window view of the historic, half-timbered Moat Tea Rooms.
My accommodation for the night, room number 10, was upstairs through two closed doors. It was large enough to be classified as a suite, with enough room for a tiger, let alone a cat.
It had a large, comfortable king-size bed with plenty of pillows, plus an armchair, dressing table, plenty of storage space and an en-suite bathroom with a shower over the bath. It also had a carpet with the typical pub print.
However, if you look up instead of down, you’ll see that it’s the aforementioned view from the window that makes the room worthy of writing about. The cathedral’s imposing towers, seen through the window frame, looked like a perfectly placed piece of art.
Sophie’s room (above) “featured a large, comfortable king-size bed with plenty of pillows, plus an armchair and dressing table.”
Here you can see the room’s private bathroom, which comes equipped with a shower over the tub.
Sophie enjoyed a ‘cheap pint’ at Spoons before heading to bed. Here’s a look inside the pub.
The room was clean, well-equipped and, most importantly, there wasn’t a whisper of the bustle going on downstairs. The pub is open from 7am to 1am and I was worried that the noise from the pub-goers would ruin my evening, but it was blissfully quiet.
Another minor snag, however, was the night-time security at the door. If, like me, you forget to bring your ID with you (I’m 29), you may face questioning when trying to re-enter and being closely watched to make sure you go straight to bed rather than to the bar.
The next morning I decided to have breakfast in the upstairs dining room, where the sun was streaming in through the many windows. Breakfast is not included in the room rate (although unlimited tea and coffee are) and a full English breakfast costs an additional £4.99.
Sophie says: ‘I visited the cathedral (above), a 30-second walk away, for free by attending the 5pm evening prayer, where visiting choirs raise their voices to the heavens.’
Sophie “took a tour of the city on a punt” where she saw “beautiful gardens and centuries-old architecture” from the River Stour (pictured)
The surroundings of Canterbury were a pleasure, highlighting the hotel’s top-notch location. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a getaway to a picturesque and historic city.
I visited the cathedral, a 30-second walk away, for free, attending the 5pm evening prayer, when visiting choirs raise their voices to the heavens every evening except Thursday. Entry to the church usually costs £17 for adults.
I took a tour of the city on a punt (a river boat propelled by a tour guide on a long pole) with the Canterbury Punting Company. On the River Stour, I saw beautiful gardens and centuries-old architecture.
Meanwhile, the Roman Museum has recreated a Roman street and lets you try your hand at mosaic making. And the Beany House of Art combines modern and ancient art pieces with a bizarre collection of all sorts of objects, from a lion’s head to ancient jewellery.
I rounded off my day of sightseeing with a drink at Houdini’s Magic bar, where a live magician performs tricks at your table. And of course I treated myself to a cheap pint at ‘Spoons’ (after looking for my ID) before climbing into bed to enjoy the nighttime version of that incredible view, with the cathedral towers enchantingly lit up.