Words Alex Fisher
WHAT’S THE BUZZ? There are plenty of lovely hotels in the UK, but some are truly exceptional. Some make you feel good as soon as you walk through the door, and The Gallivant is one of these rare creatures. It may be because the owners, Harry and Sigrid Cragoe, personally pour in so much love and care into every single detail, from the décor to the planting to the food and the wine list, that you cannot help feel this immediately when you arrive. I just felt happy being there. The bee-friendly coastal garden is an absolute joy, with lavender, echinacea, scabious and verbena sitting beautifully with perfectly selected grasses in the pebble surrounds, creating both a gorgeous vista as well as a lovely scent that even stretches into the car park. Then there’s the décor – unique, welcoming and inspired by the best elements of coastal living, with an open fire and sheepskins for the winter, and breezy splashes of colour against wood for outdoor living in the summer. The food is great, breakfast is amazing, you can dine inside or outside and even the ambient music they play in the background is carefully chosen. With a gin and tonic ready and waiting by our bed when we arrived, all-day elevenses, English wine at 5pm, and yoga on the beach in the mornings, it felt like there was no detail that hadn’t been carefully thought about. This is the perfect romantic getaway for any time of the year, your dog can come too, but no children.
The Gallivant, Bedroom
WHAT ARE THE ROOMS LIKE? Absolutely gorgeous. Each of the 20 rooms vary slightly, with rich colour schemes, beautiful textiles, marble or tiled showers and wooden panelling giving a high-end coastal feel to the hotel. Rooms range from the small, but perfectly formed, cabin rooms, to the luxury garden suites, which have a roll-top bath and French doors that open onto your own private deck in the stunning coastal garden.
The Gallivant surroundings
BEST SEA VIEW? You can’t see the sea from the hotel, but miles of golden sand can be reached by simply crossing the road and walking over the sand dunes. Camber Sands beach is busy in summer, but it’s always possible to get away from the crowds and find a quiet spot a little further from any of the car parks. When you stay at The Gallivant you don’t need to worry about finding a parking space.
The Gallivant, Dumplings
HOW ABOUT THE FOOD The hotel restaurant is a real treat. Focusing on local, seasonal food, it offers a unique menu of beautifully presented dishes, that can be enjoyed either inside their dining room or in warmer weather on the lovely Terrace, which is beautifully decorated, like the rest of the hotel. If you have booked the Complete Gallivant package then you can choose a dish from all the courses on the menu. We loved the green chilli hushpuppies, which are light and fluffy, deep-fried, cornmeal dumplings. This came as snack with a glass of Gusbourne Estate Blanc de Blancs. These were followed by Rye Bay cuttlefish with Nutbourne tomatoes, capers and an ink dressing, and grilled Hastings mackerel, with gooseberries and pickled cucumber. Both light and delicious, it was such a pleasure to know we were enjoying the most local seafood possible, rather than something that had already flown halfway around the world before it reached our plates. For mains, we enjoyed a gently cooked Rye Bay silver mullet and monkfish tail with katsu sauce. Dessert was a tangy Sussex summer berry dish served with strawberry sorbet and a fennel pollen meringue. Snacks cost around £4, starters £12, mains £28 and desserts from £8, if you haven’t chosen the Complete Gallivant. Along with a fantastic menu, the hotel boasts one of the biggest English wine lists in the world. I also want to mention the breakfast. So many hotels, even good ones, don’t offer any unique or special dishes for this important meal, rolling out the usual Full English or Eggs Benedict without a nod to modern cuisine. At The Gallivant this is not the case. As well as homemade granola and overnight oats, you will find Turkish eggs, nourish salad and amazing homemade beans, served with spinach. This made breakfast a real event and added to the stay enormously.
The Gallivant
WHAT WILL IT COST? Room only starts at £170 a night. The Complete Gallivant package, which includes dinner, breakfast, all-day elevenses and English wine at 5pm, along with free wellness classes and a ‘sleepy time tea’ for two, starts at £389.
HOW DO I BOOK? Call 01797 225057 or visit thegallivant.co.uk.
For more ideas of places to stay, visit our Travel section or pick up the latest copy of coast magazine for more inspiration.
