The best hotels in Canterbury

This is the obvious choice and the right one. High Street, Burgate, and the lanes around St Margaret's Street put you within 5 minutes of the Cathedral, the Beaney on High Street, and the Roman Museum on Butchery Lane. Abode Canterbury and The County Hotel both sit on High Street itself.

Canterbury Cathedral Lodge is the crown jewel here. Staying inside the Cathedral Precincts on Burgate is a different experience entirely. The grounds are locked to the public at night, and you'll have them to yourself. Rates run $160-230/night, which is honestly fair for that level of access.

Prices in this area are the highest in Canterbury, typically $115-230/night for a solid hotel. But you save on transport and you're never more than a 10-minute walk from anywhere worth going. It's the trade-off that makes sense for a short city break.

Westgate is the part of Canterbury most visitors walk through but fewer choose to stay in. That's a mistake. St Dunstans Street and St Peters Street have independent cafes, wine bars, and some of the city's best-looking medieval streetscapes. The Westgate Towers are literally at the end of the road.

The Falstaff Hotel on St Dunstans Street has been here in some form since the 15th century. It's 7 minutes' walk from the Cathedral and the rooms have actual character, not just the word 'characterful' in the listing. The Goods Shed Hotel nearby on Station Road West is the luxury pick of the city.

The Goods Shed itself runs $265-360/night and earns it. The adjacent Saturday farmers market is a Canterbury institution. Stay here on a Friday night and you can buy your breakfast directly from the producers the next morning.

Wincheap sits just south of the city ring road, about 10-12 minutes' walk from the Cathedral. It's a mostly residential area with a handful of small hotels and guesthouses that are noticeably cheaper than High Street equivalents. The Tudor House Hotel here runs $72-95/night.

It's not a destination in itself but it works fine as a base. You're close enough to walk in, and the area doesn't have the noise or congestion of the city centre. Wincheap retail park is nearby if that matters, though it won't be the reason anyone books Canterbury.

Best suited to visitors who want a private room on a tight budget and don't mind a 15-minute walk morning and evening. Don't expect much nightlife or dining options within immediate walking distance.

The A28 Sturry Road corridor is where you end up when you book last-minute or prioritise parking over location. Innkeeper's Lodge is the standout here, at $105-155/night with free parking and family-friendly room sizes that city-centre hotels simply can't match.

It's about 25-30 minutes' walk to the Cathedral from this area, which is too far for most people to do twice a day. Drive or take a bus into the centre. The no.4 Stagecoach bus runs frequently and gets you to High Street in under 15 minutes.

Good for families with young kids who need the car for day trips to Howletts near Bekesbourne or the coast. Not the right choice if you're doing a walking city break.

Chartham Hatch and Boughton Lees are where Canterbury's most atmospheric rural hotels sit. Howfield Manor Hotel in Chartham Hatch runs $140-210/night and offers a proper country house experience: grounds, a beamed bar, and none of the city-centre noise. It's 3 miles southwest of Canterbury.

Eastwell Manor in Boughton Lees is in a different league entirely. The estate sits on 62 acres near Eastwell Park, about 10 miles from Canterbury on the A251. At $310-520/night, it's the most expensive hotel on our list and probably the most impressive property in the whole county.

You need a car or a willing taxi driver to stay out here. Budget around £15-25 for a cab into Canterbury centre. But if the point of your trip is relaxation rather than sightseeing, these rural hotels make more sense than the city options.