Canterbury is one of England’s great cathedral cities — the structure dates from the Anglo-Saxon period, and is World Heritage Listed. Surrounding the cathedral is a picturesque tangle of medieval streets, riverside gardens, and Tudor buildings, all held together by the city’s ancient walls. These days there’s also a lively university population, so instead of just elegant guesthouses and stately B&Bs, our picks for the best places to stay in Canterbury include some more contemporary style hotels.

Famously not bombed badly by WWII — because its cathedral had been an important site for pilgrims since Thomas Becket was martyred here in the 12th century — Canterbury also has England’s oldest parish church, St. Martin’s, a ruined Norman castle, and an abbey founded by the same saint sent from Rome to found the cathedral. Canterbury’s museum, in Westgate, is a good place to start if you’re interested in finding our more about the town's dramatic past. But its charms are not all historic. With the university and large student population, Canterbury is kept up to date when it comes to food, music, and entertainment generally, and the local calendar of events is packed with variety. Canterbury is also just 15 minutes from the coast, and surrounded by glorious Kent countryside.

Canterbury may not be a major pilgrimage centre anymore, but it’s still a year round destination, with its cathedral being one of the most visited sites in England — it’s the mother church of the Anglican religion, and more then three services are held here each day. Because of this, the best places to stay in Canterbury get very busy. So you need to be organised and book well ahead.

The Best Places to Stay in Canterbury

For a City Break

• Abode Canterbury has been stylishly converted from a collection of historic buildings right by the cathedral, and now offers 72 rooms and suites, plus a modern European restaurant, a pub, a champagne and cocktail bar, and a gym. The decor is a mix of the original features the building was blessed with, and sleek, contemporary finish.
• The House of Agnes is an historic B&B just 200 metres from Canterbury West Station, said to have been a popular spot for Charles Dickens, who included it in his novel, “David Copperfield”, as the “house of Agnes Wickfield”. Dating from the 15th century, the building, with its classic black beams and whitewashed exterior, has the largest walled garden in Canterbury. And some of the 17 rooms and suites have a beautiful view of it. Some of the rooms are in the main house, and some have been converted from the stables, which also date from the 15th century. Each of the rooms have been originally designed and decorated, to make the most of the original features, and style. There’s no restaurant, but the breakfasts are hearty, and there’s a comfy lounge with an honesty bar, and a library. Children over six welcome.

For Romance

• The Corner House, Canterbury is a cheerful, and very centrally located restaurant-with-rooms. The five rooms are individually designed, some complete with exposed beams and other original period features. it's stylish and romantic.

For the location

• The Canterbury Cathedral Lodge is a contemporary hotel, which sits just below Canterbury Cathedral. It is surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens, and the best of their 35 rooms and suites are those with views of the gardens and the cathedral. The decor is pleasantly simple, the feature of most rooms being the large windows. Be prepared for birdsong and church bells!

Prefer a Private Apartment or Cottage?

• If you'd prefer the privacy of a self-catering option then browse through the wide variety available online with our partner, Booking.com.

Travel Information

• If you’re hoping to fly into Canterbury’s vicinity, your closest airports will be London’s. London City Airport is on the same side of London as Canterbury, and is around an hour away by rail, or just over half an hour away by car. Gatwick is about an hour away from Canterbury by car or taxi. Heathrow is also two hours away by car or rail. If you’re coming via central London trains leave from St. Pancras and the journey is about an hour.
• If you want to hire a car we recommend you visit our online partner, Rentalcars.
• Canterbury is a year round destination, where the best time of year to visit depends on what you’re hoping to see and do during your trip. If you plan to explore the countryside, and Canterbury’s splendid parks and gardens, we would pick out late spring and early summer, when the days are long and light, and the wildflowers are at their best. Summer is best if you want to explore the Kent coastline as well, but the beaches are beautiful on a blustery autumn or winter day too. The busiest time to visit Canterbury is the summer, but that’s more to do with school holidays than this being a summer destination. Whatever time of year you plan to visit it’s worth packing your wet weather gear, because Canterbury gets rain year round.

Still not sure where to stay?

• Expand your search to include all the best places to stay in Kent
• Refine your search by the kind of accommodation you’re looking for. Consider our Gurus recommendations for the best pubs-with-rooms in Kent, Kent's most romantic hotels, or the best B&Bs in Kent
• You may also want to consider Canterbury’s neighbours, maybe Margate or Whitstable
• Or you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.