There is something wonderfully endless about the rolling sand dunes which make up Camber Sands beach in Sussex, perfect for a scenic coastal stroll or paddle when the weather allows.
This largely unspoilt five-mile stretch of golden sand is also surprisingly easy to reach, being a 1-hour train ride from London’s St Pancras to Rye via Ashford followed by a speedy 10-minute taxi. Which makes the idyllic Gallivant Camber Sands one of our favourite hassle-free mini-break beach escapes. Even during an especially rainy February weekend like when I checked in.
The renovated motel on the south English coast brings a bit of the Hamptons and Scandi-vibe to Sussex. Though the hotel is certainly unassuming from the outside; a renovated low-level motel with potted succulents just across the road from the beach. We arrived on the wintry Friday night with our dog Loki and immediately warmed up by the snug in the mid-century-styled lounge flanked by a toasty log fire, plenty of books and charming vintage swimsuits framed around the space. This is the work of owner Harry Cragoe and his wife Sigrid, an interior stylist and designer who earned her stripes styling in Los Angeles, where a lot of the hotel’s beach house design inspiration came from.
It’s this communal lounge and snug you’ll want to make time for - especially in the early evening. The Friday evening we stayed, complimentary cake was served at 4pm followed by a glass of wine and a more-ish raclette station at 5pm. The rest of the experiences here are all about recharging and relaxing, from a full moon themed Vinyasa flow and hot drinks in the airy yoga studio (or on the beach) to ‘drams on the dunes’ which I opted for. We picked up a picnic box filled with two drams of Talisker whisky and borrowed the hotel's on-hand Hunter raincoats, hats and wellies for our rainy evening dog walk on the dunes across the road.
The bedrooms are equally as relaxing. There are 20 rooms across The Gallivant, each individually designed, and varying in size - from the ‘snug cabin’ to the ‘luxury garden’ where French doors open to a private deck in the garden. Inside, the rooms are decked out with roll top bath tubs with Bamford products, a library wall of books and a delightful selection of teas – including sleepy time tea.
Dinner is served in the recently opened Harry's restaurant led by ex Bibendum chef Matthew Harris highlights the best ingredients of the area with a French twist, from crab salads to braised rabbit and the local catch of the day. The wine list also sways local – and that's especially easy to do as some of the country's most celebrated vineyards including Gusbourne and Tillingham are both less than a 20-minute drive away (which the hotel can organise tours for you to). The breakfast buffet was possibly my favourite of it all though – and certainly not your average British hotel fare - with everything from freshly made madeleines to a ‘Bloody Mary recovery station’ and really delicious Turkish eggs.
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