Tucked away on a charming Victorian Square in a conservation area of Margate, Margate House Hotel offers comfortable elegance away from the beachfront day-trippers. The hotel opened to critical acclaim in 2023 with a warm and modern interpretation of a traditional seaside guest house.
Beyond the main door
The dreamchild of property developer Will Jenkins, who took a derelict building and, working alongside interior designer Charlee Allan Quinton, transformed it into a warm cocoon of plush reds and pink velvets. Envisioned as somewhere guests can feel cared for, well-fed and a sense of belonging.
This theme carries on throughout the building. The bar-cum-reception is stocked with classic favourites but also some surprises, including a range of adult non-alcoholic drinks, and offers a sophisticated cocktail menu with house signature options, like the pomegranate twist Cosmo.
Fitting with the bohemian atmosphere of this side of town, with its Turner Gallery just a short stroll away. The building showcases local artists, allowing you to sip your pre-dinner cocktails in the drawing room by the roaring fire, whilst admiring their work.
Get comfortable
The bedrooms offer a spacious and luxurious getaway with expansive bay windows, from which you can watch the sun sparkling off the sea first thing in the morning as you sip your first brew of the day.
The artwork continues in the bedrooms, which are uncluttered to create a sense of space and tranquillity. The focus of the room is the enormous and deep bed, not just a utilitarian item to sleep on, but something you would want to while away your weekend in.
The bespoke headboards, retro fabrics in stripes and velvets, vintage rugs, and eclectic items from local antique stores are a world away from the generic chain hotels you normally find in such locations. The panelled bathroom has been designed with equal care, showcasing vintage features, a large walk-in rainfall shower and local sustainability brand Dulcie’s toiletries.
A fresh start to your day
Breakfast is served en famille at a large scrubbed pine table in the huge basement kitchen, which can also be rented out for private functions.
While the chef whips up offerings of smoked salmon on homemade Guinness soda bread, Avocado sourdough toast with almond chilli oil and the not-to-be-missed Full English, at the range cooker, guests are invited to help themselves to still warm, freshly baked loaves, and the jars of jams and honey that are spread out along the table, whilst chatting to the other guests – creating an atmosphere that is more of a breakfast in someone’s home than a hotel.
Dine with character
Adding to this already established success of the business is the recently opened Willy’s Restaurant, located on the ground floor, which has created a splash in the Margate restaurant scene.
Described as the kind of spot where good taste doesn’t take itself too seriously, it nevertheless has a quietly confident style and charm. Diners are seated on plush velvet pink banquettes while the strains of Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone weave around them.
The walls are adorned with both family photos and the work of local artist, Clara Frain-Atallah, whose work focuses on the power of food as a storytelling device: A nice touch that compliments rather than over-intellectualises the experience.
Even the choice of crockery, with its hidden messages, contributes to the fun. The kitchen is integrated into the dining area, creating an intimate feel that immerses the diners in the experience and adds to the theatre, especially for those perched on the bar stools.
At 25 covers, the restaurant is lively with young professionals but not overly crowded or noisy. In warmer months, a further 25 covers can be seated outside in the dog-friendly heated terrace.
Head Chef Mark O’Brien, formally of The Dairy and ZRC Birch in London and the award-winning Samphire in Whitstable, brings more than 15 years of high dining experience with him to create refined and accessible dishes.
The menu is short but well-executed and focuses on comfort food with a hint of nostalgia that showcases the best of local Kentish produce. The steak tartare and beef dripping toast is playfully served with crisps, and the scotch egg comes engulfed with earthy black pudding.
. Their signature Willy’s sausage & mash makes the bold claim – but with some justification – to be the best in Margate, while their delicately cooked Chalk Stream Trout with a seaweed butter sauce offers a sensory sensation.
Greener options
Meanwhile, those looking for more plant-based options are treated to a Warm winter vegetable salad with pickled walnuts and a Celeriac Wellington swimming in the umami flavours of a mushroom gravy.
The desserts menu features soul-warming favourites like Rhubarb Crumble and Sticky Toffee Pudding, but accompanied with a twist like a salted toffee sauce or a stem ginger ice cream. The Earl Grey Panna Cotta, accompanied by rosemary shortbread, with its combination of silky texture and hints of herbs and bergamot, transports you to warmer climes in a mouthful.
As well as its regular weekly menu, Willy’s also offers a Sunday Roast menu with a tempting selection of hearty favourites. The restaurant offers the same drinks menu as the bar, so you can continue with your pre-dinner cocktails or choose from their carefully collated wine list with its exciting options from across Europe’s established and up-and-coming vineyards.
The menu changes to make the best use of seasonal offerings, so it’s worth checking to see what other treats appear on the menu throughout the year.
Comfort of body and palate
Dining at Willy’s isn’t about being seen to dine out in refined surroundings, nor is it intended to be.
. It’s about that feeling that we all seek when we can cast off the strictures of the working week to cosy up on the sofa with your friends on a cold winter’s night, whilst eating a bowl of your favourite dessert that only your grandmother knew how to make.
With Margate once again in ascendency as a British seaside destination, Margate House Hotel and Willy’s is set to become a popular spot for locals and visitors alike.
To discover more, visit Margate House Hotel
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All imagery courtesy of Margate House Hotel & Willy’s Restaurant.