Rye is one of those English towns so pretty it could be a total flight of fancy. Each year many thousands of tourists eager to experience its magic flock to the East Sussex haven for its cosy traditional pubs and quirky independent shops.
And also on offer are beautiful boutique hotels – with one recently being named one of the best small hotels in the UK by VisitEngland.
The Gallivant was given a Gold award by the tourism body, which announced its winners last month. It’s not the first award that the hotel has clinched, also taking a place in the Top 40 of Britain’s Most Romantic Hotels 2022, Top 50 Boutique Hotels 2021 and The Times 100 Top British Hotels 2021.
The website explains more about the hotel saying that it boasts “wonderful food made with love” and there are “deeply comfortable beds in beautifully thought out bedrooms”.
It currently has an impressive rating of 4.5/5 on travel review site TripAdvisor with thousands of reviews.
One five star review said: “This is a wonderful boutique hotel just over the road from Camber Sands; away from the hustle and bustle of the beach offering a haven of tranquility and calm.”
“Fabulous location, we had a lovely time from the moment we arrived,” said another. But not every review was without fault.
One said: “Unfortunately the negatives here far outweigh the positives. Booked the hotel as was advised by the receptionist that the beach was ‘’just over road.’ Well it is… so long as you are commando trained for the vertiginous climb up a massive sand dune.”
As well as top-rated hotels Rye also has a reputation as a bit of a charity shop hub.
It has also been periodically visited by royalty, with the title ‘Rye Royale’ bestowed upon it by Queen Elizabeth I after a three-day stay in the 16th century.
It is also home to many great pubs, including the Ship Inn, which dates back to 1592. And if you do If you fancy heading down to Rye for the weekend, one of the best ways to do so is on a bike tour is by bike.
Go Outdoors, which ranked Rye as one of the best places for a holiday in the UK, recently wrote: “One route we’d recommend is the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, a popular trail for birding, hiking and mountain biking.”
