Perched on the grassy clifftops of Kingsgate in Broadstairs, the Botany Bay Hotel is a 30-room coastal pub and hotel with direct access to one of Kent’s most talked-about beaches. This review draws on verified data from the official website, major booking platforms, and editorial sources to help you decide if this cliff-top property suits your next seaside stay.
Last checked: 2026-06-19
Location: Broadstairs, Kent, England · Type: Pub and hotel · Owner/operator: Shepherd Neame (inferred from email domain) · Contact: +44 1843 868641 · Website: www.botanybayhotel.co.uk · Unique features: 30 bedrooms, direct beach access, dog-friendly, cliff-top views
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-06-19.
Sources reviewed: official property website, Booking.com listing, TripAdvisor reviews, KAYAK listing, Travel Weekly directory, Google Travel profile, The Telegraph editorial review, Expedia reviews, Hotels.com reviews, Agoda listing, Facebook page.
No on-site visit, no staff interview, no independent price verification.
Botany Bay Hotel at a glance
- 30-bedroom coastal hotel (Travel Weekly)
- Direct access to Botany Bay, a designated naturist beach (Google Travel)
- Dog-friendly — confirmed by multiple guest reviews (Booking.com)
- Cliff-top overlooking the English Channel and North Sea (Official site)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Broadstairs, Kent, England |
| Type | Pub and hotel |
| Owner/operator | Shepherd Neame (inferred from contact email) |
| Contact | +44 1843 868641 |
| Website | www.botanybayhotel.co.uk |
| Unique features | 30 bedrooms, direct beach access, dog-friendly, cliff-top views |
Where Is the Botany Bay Hotel?
The Botany Bay Hotel sits on the clifftop at Kingsgate, in Broadstairs, Kent, with the postcode CT10 3LG (Booking.com). The property overlooks both the English Channel and the North Sea, and the white sands of Botany Bay beach are a short walk down the cliff path (Google Travel).
Broadstairs town centre is about 2 miles away (KAYAK). The hotel offers free parking, which guests frequently mention as a practical advantage given the cliff-top location (TripAdvisor).
The bottom line: The location is the hotel’s strongest asset — verified by a Booking.com location score of 9.5/10 from over 2,100 reviews.
Who Owns the Botany Bay Hotel?
The hotel is owned and operated by Shepherd Neame, Britain’s oldest brewer, according to The Telegraph. The contact email domain (shepherdneame.co.uk) supports this ownership structure. Shepherd Neame runs a portfolio of pubs and hotels across Kent and the South East, and the Botany Bay Hotel operates as both a working pub and a 30-room accommodation.
What this means: Guests can expect a brewery-run operation with a focus on cask ales and pub food, rather than a boutique hotel experience.
What Did the Botany Bay Hotel Used to Be Called?
The property was previously known as “The Fayreness,” a name that still appears in some booking platform URLs (Booking.com). The rebranding to the Botany Bay Hotel aligns with the property’s direct association with the adjacent beach. The exact year of the name change is not confirmed in available sources, but current listings across all major platforms now use the Botany Bay Hotel name.
The pattern: The name change reflects a broader marketing shift to emphasize the beachfront location and the naturalist beach’s fame.
Why Is Botany Bay Famous?
Botany Bay in Kent shares its name with the famous bay in Sydney, Australia, where Captain James Cook first landed in 1770. The Kent beach, however, has carved its own reputation as a designated naturist (nudist) beach (Google Travel). This status is well-documented in local and travel references, making it one of the better-known naturist beaches on the south-east coast of England.
The beach itself is a broad stretch of white sand backed by chalk cliffs, and the hotel’s position directly above it means guests can walk from their room to the sand in about three minutes (Google Travel).
Why this matters: For guests who value direct beach access, the hotel’s location is genuinely unusual — few coastal hotels in Kent sit immediately above a naturist beach with no road between them and the sand.
What Do Guests Say About the Botany Bay Hotel?
Across multiple platforms, a consistent picture emerges. On Booking.com, the hotel scores 8.6/10 from 2,110 reviews, with sub-scores of 9.5 for location, 8.9 for comfort, and 9.2 for staff (Booking.com). TripAdvisor reviews repeatedly praise the “fantastic location,” “spectacular outlook,” and “very clean rooms” (TripAdvisor).
Expedia reviewers mention “lovely food, friendly staff, and a good range of teas, coffee, and sweets in the room” (Expedia). Hotels.com guests describe the property as “very quiet, with a big twin room and very comfortable beds” (Hotels.com).
One recurring criticism across TripAdvisor reviews is the lack of lifts — the hotel is spread over multiple floors with no elevator access (TripAdvisor). This is an important consideration for guests with mobility issues.
The trade-off: The hotel delivers strong scores on location, cleanliness, and staff friendliness, but the absence of a lift and the pub-hotel format mean it prioritises setting over luxury amenities.
“A family-friendly hotel perched on grassy cliffs where the road ends and the white sands of Botany Bay begin.”
— The Telegraph travel reviewer (source)
Room Features and Amenities
KAYAK describes the hotel as a 3-star property with air-conditioned rooms that have undergone recent refurbishment (KAYAK). Standard in-room amenities include tea and coffee making facilities, a refrigerator, a radio, cable/satellite channels, a hair dryer, and a telephone. The hotel also offers free Wi-Fi and free parking.
The on-site restaurant and lounge bar serve food and drinks, and the property has two meeting rooms with a combined capacity of 125 people (Travel Weekly). Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out is before 11:00 (KAYAK).
Timeline: Key Points in the Hotel’s History
- Current listing era (2026): The Botany Bay Hotel is listed across all major platforms as a 30-room property operated by Shepherd Neame (Travel Weekly).
- Current review snapshot (2026): Booking.com shows 2,110 reviews with an 8.6/10 overall score (Booking.com).
- Editorial review era (2026): The Telegraph publishes a review describing the hotel as owned by Shepherd Neame (The Telegraph).
- September 2024: A TripAdvisor guest review praises the location and free parking (TripAdvisor).
- Recent pre-2026: KAYAK states the hotel has undergone recent refurbishment (KAYAK).
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Direct access to Botany Bay beach — a three-minute walk from the hotel
- High guest satisfaction scores: 8.6/10 on Booking.com, 9.5/10 for location
- Dog-friendly, with multiple guest reviews confirming the policy
- Free parking and free Wi-Fi
- On-site restaurant and lounge bar serving food and drinks
Cons
- No lift — guests with mobility issues may struggle with stairs
- 3-star rating — rooms are comfortable but not luxurious
- Located 2 miles from Broadstairs town centre — a car or taxi is needed for dining and shopping options beyond the hotel
- Check-in/check-out times vary across booking platforms, which can cause confusion
Pricing Band
No specific room rates appear in the verified research data. As a 3-star coastal pub-hotel with 30 rooms and direct beach access, the Botany Bay Hotel typically falls into the mid-range pricing band for seaside accommodation in Kent. For current rates, check the official website or major booking platforms.
Our Pick: Who Should Stay Here
The Botany Bay Hotel is best suited for:
- Couples seeking a coastal retreat — the cliff-top setting and direct beach access create a genuinely scenic base for a short break.
- Dog owners — the dog-friendly policy and immediate access to cliff walks and the beach make this a practical choice.
- History enthusiasts — the connection to Captain Cook’s Botany Bay and the property’s own rebranding story add layers of interest.
- Solo travellers wanting a quiet getaway — the hotel’s position at the end of the road, away from Broadstairs’ main strip, offers genuine peace.
If you need a lift, expect luxury amenities, or prefer to be in the centre of town, this is not the right choice.
Location and Getting There
The Botany Bay Hotel is at Kingsgate, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 3LG. By car, it’s about 2 miles from Broadstairs town centre and roughly 20 minutes from the M2/A299 junction. Free parking is available on site.
By train, Broadstairs station is served by Southeastern services from London St Pancras (about 1 hour 45 minutes) and London Victoria (about 2 hours). From the station, a taxi to the hotel takes about 10 minutes.
Related reading: British Hotel Guide · Hotel vs Motel vs Inn: Key Differences and Which to Choose
For travelers who enjoy this style of coastal accommodation, other cliff-top hotels in the UK like The Pines Hotel in Swanage offer a similar experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many rooms does the Botany Bay Hotel have?
The hotel has 30 bedrooms, according to Travel Weekly and the hotel’s Facebook page.
Is the Botany Bay Hotel dog-friendly?
Yes. Multiple guest reviews on Booking.com confirm the hotel welcomes dogs, with one reviewer describing it as “super dog friendly.”
What is the phone number of the Botany Bay Hotel?
The hotel’s contact number is +44 1843 868641.
Does the Botany Bay Hotel have a restaurant?
Yes. The hotel has an on-site restaurant and lounge bar, as confirmed by KAYAK and guest reviews on Expedia and TripAdvisor.
Is Botany Bay a nudist beach?
Yes. Botany Bay in Broadstairs is a designated naturist (nudist) beach, as referenced in Google Travel and local travel references.
What is the hotel’s official website?
The official website is www.botanybayhotel.co.uk.
Sources Cited
- Botany Bay Hotel official site — property description, location, branding
- Booking.com — review scores, guest feedback, previous name
- TripAdvisor — guest review snippets, accessibility notes
- KAYAK — room amenities, check-in/out times, distance from town
- Travel Weekly — room count, meeting facilities, check-in/out times
- Google Travel — location summary, beach proximity, naturist beach status
- The Telegraph — editorial review, ownership by Shepherd Neame
- Expedia — guest review snippets
- Hotels.com — guest review snippets
- Facebook — hotel description, recommendation rate