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The Gallivant - Camber Sands, East Sussex

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The perfect place to be beside the seaside

When the urge to be beside the seaside becomes too strong to ignore, this newly-opened retreat, less than two hours from London, offers all the fresh, salty air your heart could desire. In its latest reincarnation as The Gallivant, the hotel is fresh, funky and friendly while the bistro serves up fantastic local seafood caught that morning. While the sea views might be hidden by Camber Sands’ famously monumental dunes, there is no escaping the the unmissable tang of ozone in the air.

The one-storey, ranch-like building has been given a New England makeover, with plenty of whitewashed wood panelling, artfully-used driftwood and seaside blues and whites bringing the outdoors in. There are eighteen cosy and very comfy bedrooms, with little extras a-plenty - the home-made shortbread is a winner and particularly welcome after a cold and windswept day on the beach. Flat screen tellies and DVD players keep things hi-tech, while l’Occitane smellies are always a sight for sore eyes (and a relief when your hair is full of sea salt). If you really want to push the boat out, book one of The Gallivant’s studio cottages, all with their own entrances and added comforts - perfect for romantics looking for a bit of seclusion or parents looking for somewhere lovely that will be big enough for car-loads of baby-related paraphernalia.

Eating at The Gallivant is, on the one hand, everything you’d expect for a restaurant by the sea - loads of delicious seafood, with a menu that changes depending on what’s been caught that morning. On the other hand, the standard of the cooking is better than you would ever expect for a small hotel miles outside of London. Head Chef Bruce Wilson, formerly from the Tate Modern restaurant has moved himself and his family down to the coast and you can taste the excitement at having a whole sea of ingredients literally on his doorstep. Other treats include lamb reared on the nearby Romney Marshes and plenty of Sussex-grown fruit and veg. In the summer, the Beach Café serves wonderful grilled fish and juicy home-made burgers al fresco.

Where is it?

The hotel is literally a dune-climb away from the huge expanse of beach that is Camber Sands, seven miles of award-winning sandiness that is far too big to get crowded. Even in the height of summer. It’s all things to all people - a famous destination for holidaymakers (there’s a Pontin’s and several caravan parks further down the beach road), it’s also a wildlife haven and a great place for long, coastal walks, especially in the winter when the light and empty beach more than makes up for the ever-so-slightly nippy sea winds. If you fancy having a go at launching yourself high into the air attached to a surfboard and an enormous kite (and, let’s face it, who wouldn’t), Camber is also one of the best places for kitesurfing in the UK. For one of the best places to learn to kitesurf, or just to pick up tips from some of the most passionate kitesurfers on the South coast, visit The Kitesurf Centre, run by brothers Tristan and Thomas from their offices right on the beach (less than a mile from The Gallivant).

Venture along the coast road in the other direction as it winds inland and you’ll hit the medieval town of Rye. Perched high on a hill looking out over the marsh towards the sea, this famously picturesque little place is heaven for anyone who likes a) a good potter or b) a good pint and a pie. Cobbled streets, a pretty mix of Georgian and medieval houses and cosy old pubs abound and, of course, there’s the obligatory thing to climb up – the clock tower at St Mary’s church offers stunning views towards the sea. For a real taste of ancient Rye though, head for the snug bar at the back of The Mermaid Inn, one of the UK’s oldest pubs – it’s haunted, of course – and the perfect place to hide from wintry weather or elderly tourists.

Back on the eastern side of The Gallivant, the coast road heads past various retro holidaying establishments towards eery Dungeness. A huge swathe of shingle with its very own nuclear power station might not seem the ideal destination for a day trip, but the place has a certain allure that has attracted arty types for years – most famously the director Derek Jarman. Enjoy a brisk walk out to the Grade II listed Dungeness lighthouse for great views over the channel or take a ride on the famous Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, opened in 1927 as ‘The World’s Smallest Railway’ and now covering the 14 miles from Dungeness to Hythe.

If you still have cobwebs that need blowing away, the huge flat expanse that is Romney Marsh is a great (and very easy) place to explore by bike. The marsh can be an eery place - 100 square miles of flat wetlands, much of which sits below sea level and used to be under water - but it has many hidden delights: small villages, their church’s spires sticking up into the vast, empty skies, miles of quiet, winding country lanes and a whole ark of wildlife, some of which can’t be found anywhere else in the UK, including the Hungarian laughing frog and, of course, the marsh mallow. Romney Cycles in New Romney, about 7 miles from The Gallivant, offers cycle hire and lots of advice on where to go once you’re bike-borne.

Where can I eat?

The obvious place to enjoy the local fare is at The Gallivant, and you would be a strange fish indeed if you didn’t make this your first port of call. If you’re staying for longer than one night however and fancy something different, there are some great places to eat nearby.

Rye has plenty of pubs offering hearty grub, but for more wonderful seafood try The Fish Café, a funky, modern restaurant with a menu full of freshly-caught loveliness. They even have their own cookery school if you fancy learning how they do it. The cosy Landgate Bistro is another great bet for local ingredients and fabulous puddings.

For great grub further afield, drive the twelve miles west to Hastings and St Leonards where you can enjoy both traditional fish and chips on the busy promenade – the Blue Dolphin Fish Bar (Tel: 01424 425778) has been named one of the UK’s best chip shops – or fine dining. The fantastic St Clement’s in St Leonards,run by Nick Hales, previously of Le Caprice and L’Odeon in London, is a smart bistro with mouthwatering and unpretentious menus.

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When the urge to be beside the seaside becomes too strong to ignore, this newly-opened retreat offers all the fresh, salty air your heart could desire