When I fist visited The Gallivant back in 2013, I was amazed to find such a dreamy beach destination just over an hour’s train ride from London.
My first stay was for the Rye Scallop Festival and I was delighted to head back there for a more romantic getaway and check out the hotel’s brand new look.
Nestled in the seaside village of Camber, The Gallivant is inspired by the coastal motels you might find in California, but with a very British feel. This tranquil 20-room retreat has become a popular bolthole for weekending Londoners and with Camber Sands on the doorstep, there are plenty of pooches in residence.
We arrived on a cold and wet Saturday (not like the photos above suggest) after exploring the nearby town of Rye and were shown to our gorgeous Garden Room. These newly-renovated rooms outside of the main building are super-deluxe with design features that you might not expect in a beach hotel.
Our spacious wood-panelled room was designed in Maine-style colours with accents of teal, soft grey, marble and gold. It felt so homely with travel-inspired ornaments and interesting books adorning the shelves, free streaming wifi, a Nespresso machine and a kettle with a selection of Luponde teas and fresh milk.
I remembered from my first stay at The Gallivant how heavenly the bed was and this Hypnos king-size bed covered in 300-count linen sheets didn’t disappoint.
One of the best thing about the Garden Rooms are the open-plan bathroom with a fabulous roll-top bath, marble sink, walk-in rainfall shower, luxurious towels, bathrobes and a set of full-size Noble Isle bathroom products to use during your stay. It was a treat to watch TV and listen to music on the blue-tooth speaker from the comfort of an enormous bathtub.
In the evening we dined in The Restaurant – a stylish dining room with a Scandinavian/New England feel, overseen by Oliver Joyce and Kevin Bennett (previously at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Chapter One and Buckingham Palace). The tempting menu features ingredients locally sourced within 10 miles of the hotel, so it’s the perfect place to enjoy fresh seafood and Romney Marsh lamb.
I started with Scallops, cauliflower purée & beignets, cumin and coriander, which were perfectly cooked with complementary flavours. Steven tried Confit chicken terrine with pickled mushrooms, a satisfying dish with rich notes of prunes.
I followed with Venison loin, glazed chestnuts, brussels sprouts and quince purée. The medium-cooked venison was tender and juicy with a meaty jus and I loved the wintry accompaniments of sweet chestnuts, colourful sprout petals and crispy silvers of parsnip.
Steven also enjoyed his Braised Romney Marsh lamb rump and braised shoulder, rarebit, cauliflower cheese and beets. The succulent local lamb was served in a creative way with many different textures at play – the crispy croquettes were particularly tasty.
Both dishes were very accomplished and a joy to eat, but with petite portion sizes, you’ll want to add a side dish or two. We shared a side of yummy Butternut squash and sage mash and it went very well with both dishes.
Because the starter and main courses were quite light, I had some room left to indulge in the Dark chocolate fondant, honeycomb and malt ice cream. The fondant arrived freshly from the oven and it was simply divine – warm cake on the outside with a molten, oozing centre. I loved the velvety malt ice cream and the honeycomb and chocolate pebbles added a delicious flourish.
Steven finished with the Banana and caramel parfait, lime curd, coconut cream and rum jelly. It was a lovely, exotic dessert that added a bit of sunshine to a rainy evening. We accompanied our desserts with a glass of sticky, honeyed Moscato d’Ochoa (Spain) and had the luxury of rolling back to our room.
Breakfast at The Gallivant is a leisurely affair, so leave plenty of time to graze on all of the morning delights. The high quality breakfast buffet is full of sweet bites including home-made granola bars, natural yoghurt with fruit compote, sticky cinnamon buns, home-baked madeleines and even blueberry panna cotta.
If you’re in the mood for something heart before a day at the beach, there is a good selection of cooked dishes such as Eggs Benedict, The Full Gallivant and waffles.
A trip to The Gallivant wouldn’t be complete without a wander around the nearby historic town of Rye. Stroll around its cobbled streets, shop for unique pieces at its independent boutiques or refuel over lunch at The George or a gourmet hot chocolate at Knoops.
I’d been raving to Steven about the beautiful Camber Sands beach, but unfortunately the continually wet weather kept us away from the dunes. However, that cloud has a silver lining, as it means another excuse to revisit The Gallivant on a guaranteed warm day in the summer!
For more information and booking, visit: www.thegallivant.co.uk
Chérie City was a guest of The Gallivant
Photos by Chérie City and The Gallivant
