Make like a rock star in this one-of-a-kind seaside crash pad, where the cuisine is local and the cocktails, dirty.
05 November, 2021
Pete
Doherty is a bit like Marmite: people seem to love him or
hate him. And we rather think his seafront townhouse hotel in
modish Margate will provoke the same reaction.
Daubed in black with a red neon sign à la Tracey Emin in the
window, it feels like the kind of place where you’re just meant to
do bad things. In your room you’ll find a blindfold on the bed, a
vape and Pete’s Margate “bingo” card, which involves checking off
tasks such as spotting a seagull, eating vegan food and getting
publicly arrested.
The thing is, you’re not meant to take the place too seriously.
Gilt is used in abundance, there’s pop art on the walls, random
quotes here and there, velveteen cushions, somewhat naff
chandeliers and chipped paint. It’s tongue-in-cheek, fun and like
nowhere we’ve stayed before.
We hate Marmite. We’re ambivalent about Pete. We love The Albion
Rooms.
Seven seductive rooms are gaudily gorgeous. We stayed in the
William Blake, where a gold ceiling and walls meet black faux
snakeskin wallpaper – a detail we’re now working out how to
incorporate into our home. Throw in some black-leather armchairs,
leopard-print cushions and you get the picture.
Other rooms are trussed up in red, the paint shade of choice an
ode to the famous Libertines jacket. Some rooms have sea views and
balconies, while dark bathrooms are stocked with Haeckels
products.
An à la carte breakfast is included in all room rates. The full
English is done properly, as you’d expect with owners who are no
stranger to hangovers.
Tuck into local food from executive chef Tim Ross-Watson, who’s
worked at The Goring Hotel and Restaurant Gordon Ramsey.
British dishes with an Asian twist arrive in small and large
sharing plates in the moodily lit Arcady Lounge. The intimate
hang-out has become a popular destination for Margate locals.
Of course. The Waste Land is wonderfully grungy, featuring
indoor and outdoor spaces and offering various pub bites including
burgers and Korean fried chicken. Expect comedy nights, poetry
events and live music, too.
GHD hairdryers, Apple Beats sound system, tea- and coffee-making
facilities.
Hmm. We couldn’t find anything on the website, bar the food
being locally sourced.
It’s a five-storey Victorian townhouse, so it’s not the most
accessible, no…
There’s an on-site, state-of-the-art recording studio.
Take a dip in the freshwater pool, win a souvenir in the
arcades, enjoy a spot of culture in the Turner Contemporary art
gallery, catch a ride in Dreamland, then go for a knees-up in one
of the many seaside pubs.
