postcards from deal, kent

A couple of weeks ago, my mum and I spent the night in Deal at the most gorgeous boutique hotel I’m sure any UK readers are already familiar with - The Rose. I’ve visited nearby seaside towns (Whitstable and Margate) before and I’d say that Deal is the quietest of them all. It’s a small town so you could easily manage a day trip from London but if you are looking to stay, I’d recommend you base yourself at The Rose and explore other nearby towns via train on the same trip.

I didn’t quite appreciate that Sundays were even quieter in a small town like Deal so a lot of shops were either closed on Sundays or closed reasonably early (3pm) so it’s worth checking in advance.

We were disappointed that we’d missed the Saturday market and some of the shops that were closed (on both Sunday and Monday) but we still managed to explore the town. We started by wandering down the high street (aka where all the action is) and there were a few that caught our eye - featured in the same order as the photos:

• Smoke on the Water - for affordable and dreamy homeware picks, including candlesticks in every colour

• Pop Up Cafe - perfect spot for a coffee pit-stop

• Antique store (down the road from Pop Up Cafe) - which may require some patience but worth it if you find yourself a gem

• Dunlin and Diver - a gorgeous selection of colourful homeware and accessories (sadly we could only window shop as it was closed but everything looked v lovely)

• Will and Yates - a beautiful selection of that brings together art and interiors

• The Deal Bookshop (which I believe is owned by Waterstones)

And some others worth a mention are:

• Middle Street - a whole street lined with pastel-toned houses (and also connects to lots of other small roads that lead to the seafront)

• Deal Pier Kitchen - for sea view dining

• McConnell Fine Books - an appointment-only antique bookshop (the shopfront is equally as charming if you’re not planning to go in!)

• Deal Castle

The following day, we had a lazy morning at the hotel, walked by the sea and then headed to Sea View for an obligatory fish and chips lunch before catching a train back to London - it was delicious! Overall, it was a short and sweet trip and is a great option if you’re looking for a quieter alternative to other seaside towns.

Thanks for reading,

T.

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