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4- and 5-star hotels in Folkestone
This shortlist covers the 4- and 5-star hotels in Folkestone, from clifftop Victorian addresses on the Leas to the regenerated harbour and the village of Sandgate. It is for couples, families and business travellers choosing where to stay on the Kent coast.
Staying in Folkestone
Folkestone is a cross-Channel port town turned seaside resort, known for the Creative Quarter, the Harbour Arm, the Leas clifftop promenade and a growing arts and food scene. The sandy beach near the harbour and the Lower Leas Coastal Park draw families in summer, while the narrow streets of the old town and the station area keep shops, cafes and transport links close at hand. The listed hotels sit in the town's established visitor districts: around the Leas and the streets just behind it, near the harbour and old town, and out west in Sandgate.
Couples tend to favour the sea-facing addresses, with The Relish and 10to12 Folkestone both 0.1 to 0.3 km from the centre, and Lookout Post by Bloom Stays beside the coast at Sandgate. Families get more room from Harbour Heights, a 5-star with kitchen, cot and sofa bed, or from View Hotel Folkestone and voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG, which both list family rooms. Business travellers are best served by the larger hotels with 24-hour front desks and free wifi, such as Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection and voco The Clifton. For a short break, Rocksalt Rooms and Rocksalt put you by the Fishmarket and Back Street, minutes from the water.
The shortlist
Ranked by hotel class, then guest rating and number of reviews.
Harbour Heights
Spring Terrace, Folkestone, United Kingdom
Best for: Drivers
- Free car parking
- Bar/Lounge
- Kitchen
Why stay hereA 5-star address on Spring Terrace, about 0.9 km from the centre, with the beach within easy reach. Self-catering guests get a full kitchen with oven, microwave and refrigerator, plus a washing machine for longer stays, while water sports and surf on the doorstep suit active breaks. Free car parking and free wifi cover the practical side, and the bar/lounge plus sofa bed, cot and non-smoking rooms make it workable for families and small groups as well as couples.
See Harbour HeightsLookout Post by Bloom Stays
Radnor Lodge 12 Radnor Cliff Sandgate, Folkestone, United Kingdom
Best for: Drivers
- Parking
- Kitchen
- Free Wifi
Why stay hereRated 4.9 out of 5 from 111 reviews, this 4-star stay sits on Radnor Cliff in Sandgate, roughly 1.1 km from Folkestone centre. Sea views and a kitchen with dishwasher, oven and microwave give it the feel of a coastal self-catering base, and the washing machine and free wifi are there for longer bookings. Parking is included. It suits guests who want quiet clifftop surroundings and independent living rather than a full-service hotel.
See Lookout Post by Bloom StaysView Hotel Folkestone
30 32 Clifton Road Folkestone England Ct20 2Ef, Folkestone, United Kingdom
Best for: Families · Drivers
- Parking
- Breakfast in room
- Pets allowed
Why stay hereThe closest of the group to the centre at 0.2 km, this 4-star hotel on Clifton Road pairs a 4.4 rating from 724 reviews with sea views and a garden and terrace. Guests can eat in the restaurant or take breakfast in the room, and room service, a 24-hour front desk and lifts keep things easy. Pets are allowed, and family rooms, a kitchenette and beauty-focused extras such as bathrobes, slippers and toiletries suit both couples and longer family stays.
See View Hotel FolkestoneBurlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection
3 5 Earls Avenue, Folkestone, United Kingdom
Best for: Drivers · Breakfast
- Free car parking
- Breakfast in room
- Lounge
Why stay hereA 4-star Best Western Premier property on Earls Avenue, 0.4 km from the centre, scoring 4.3 from 802 reviews. The garden and terrace add outdoor space, while a 24-hour front desk, room service, breakfast in room, lifts and wheelchair accessibility cover comfort and access needs. Pets are welcome, making it a straightforward choice for drivers and guests wanting full hotel service.
See Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collectionvoco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG
1 6 Clifton Gardens, Folkestone, United Kingdom
Best for: Families · Drivers
- Parking
- Breakfast
- Lounge
Why stay hereOn Clifton Gardens, 0.3 km from the centre, this 4-star IHG hotel draws a 4.4 rating from 66 reviews. Sea views and a garden are matched by dining across breakfast, lunch and dinner, with buffet and room service options, plus a bar and lounge. Air conditioning and lifts help in warmer months, family rooms and cots are available, and pets are allowed. Concierge, laundry and dry cleaning services round it out for guests wanting a polished, full-service stay near the seafront.
See voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHGRocksalt Rooms
1 Back Street, Folkestone, United Kingdom
Best for: Families · Drivers
- Parking
- Family rooms
- Beach nearby
Why stay hereA 4-star rooms-only stay on Back Street, 1.2 km from the centre, rated 4.4 from 14 reviews. Sea views, air conditioning and an on-site restaurant and bar do the essential work, with free wifi, housekeeping and a safe for everyday comfort. Parking is available and family rooms plus cots are offered. It suits guests who want a small, food-focused base within reach of the beach and are happy with a compact, no-frills set-up.
See Rocksalt RoomsRocksalt
4 5 Fishmarket, Folkestone, United Kingdom
Best for: Drivers · Breakfast
- Self Parking
- Breakfast
- Free Wifi
Why stay hereThis 4-star address on Fishmarket, 1.2 km from the centre, scores 4.4 from 14 reviews. Its strengths are food and drink: a restaurant and bar on site, breakfast served, and free wifi including in the lounge, with self parking for those arriving by car. It is a compact, sociable base that suits guests who plan to spend their time eating out and exploring the harbour area rather than using extensive hotel facilities.
See RocksaltThe Relish
4 Augusta Gardens, Folkestone, United Kingdom
Best for: Drivers
- Parking
- Lounge
- Beach nearby
Why stay hereSet on Augusta Gardens, just 0.1 km from the centre, The Relish is a 4-star guest house with sea views and a garden and terrace, plus a picnic area. Bathrooms come with baths and showers, and there is a lounge, laundry service and free wifi. Parking is included. Banquet space and special diets are catered for, so it works for small celebrations as well as ordinary leisure stays. No guest rating is recorded in the data.
See The RelishThe Suite at Tsunami
Tsunami Helena Corniche Sandgate Ct20 3Td, Folkestone, United Kingdom
Best for: Drivers
- Free car parking
Why stay hereA 4-star suite at Tsunami on Helena Corniche in Sandgate, 2.9 km from Folkestone centre. The data lists only credit cards accepted and free car parking, so it is a simple independent base rather than a serviced hotel. That makes it best suited to guests with a car who want a private, self-directed stay away from the town centre and are not expecting on-site dining, wifi or a reception desk.
See The Suite at Tsunami10to12 Folkestone
10 12 Langhorne Gardens, Folkestone, United Kingdom
Best for: Drivers
- Parking
- Beach nearby
- Free Wifi
Why stay hereOn Langhorne Gardens, 0.3 km from the centre, 10to12 Folkestone is a 4-star property with a bar, terrace, fireplace and carpeted rooms, and the beach nearby. Bathrooms with showers, free wifi, daily housekeeping and a safe cover the basics, and laundry service, iron and board, and luggage storage help on longer trips. Special diets are accommodated. It fits guests who want a central, relaxed base with a lounge-style bar rather than large-hotel facilities.
See 10to12 Folkestone
The shortlist side by side
| Hotel | Class | Guest rating | Reviews | Parking | Breakfast | Pets | To the centre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbour Heights | ★★★★★ | – | – | Yes | – | – | 0.9 km |
| Lookout Post by Bloom Stays | ★★★★ | 4.9 | 111 | Yes | – | – | 1.1 km |
| View Hotel Folkestone | ★★★★ | 4.4 | 724 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 0.2 km |
| Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection | ★★★★ | 4.3 | 802 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 0.4 km |
| voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG | ★★★★ | 4.4 | 66 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 0.3 km |
| Rocksalt Rooms | ★★★★ | 4.4 | 14 | Yes | – | – | 1.2 km |
| Rocksalt | ★★★★ | 4.4 | 14 | Yes | Yes | – | 1.2 km |
| The Relish | ★★★★ | – | – | Yes | – | – | 0.1 km |
| The Suite at Tsunami | ★★★★ | – | – | Yes | – | – | 2.9 km |
| 10to12 Folkestone | ★★★★ | – | – | Yes | – | – | 0.3 km |
From each hotel's own listing on this site; a dash means it is not listed.
How to choose
For families
Harbour Heights is the only 5-star here and comes with a kitchen, cot and sofa bed, which suits families staying longer. View Hotel Folkestone and voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG both list family rooms, cots and non smoking rooms, and each sits within 0.3 km of the centre and the seafront.
Harbour Heights · View Hotel Folkestone · voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG
For couples
The Relish and 10to12 Folkestone are 0.1 and 0.3 km from the centre, with sea, terrace and garden or fireplace features. Lookout Post by Bloom Stays has a 4.9 guest rating from 111 reviews and looks out to sea at Sandgate, while Rocksalt Rooms is a small 4-star by the harbour with 14 reviews.
The Relish · 10to12 Folkestone · Lookout Post by Bloom Stays · Rocksalt Rooms
For business
Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection, voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG and View Hotel Folkestone all keep 24-hour front desks, free wifi, lifts, laundry service and parking, and sit between 0.2 and 0.4 km from the centre, close to the station area and the old town.
Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection · voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG · View Hotel Folkestone
Pets welcome
Only three of the listed hotels state that pets are allowed: View Hotel Folkestone, Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection and voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG. All three are 4-star, all offer parking, and each is within 0.4 km of the centre.
View Hotel Folkestone · Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection · voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG
Plan your stay
Getting there and around
Folkestone is served by Folkestone Central and Folkestone West railway stations, with direct trains from London St Pancras, Charing Cross and other Kent towns; journeys from London typically take under two hours. The M20 motorway connects the town to London and the Channel Tunnel, and the Port of Dover is a short drive east, while Eurotunnel and the Eurostar terminal at Ashford are nearby for international travel. Local buses link the town centre, harbour, Leas and Sandgate, and the town is walkable, with seafront and clifftop paths joining the key areas. Taxis are available from the stations and the town centre.
When to go
Summer, from June to August, is the warmest time to visit, with temperatures often in the late teens to low twenties Celsius, and it is when the harbour and seafront are busiest. Spring and autumn bring milder weather and fewer crowds, while winter can be cold and windy, though the town's indoor attractions and events continue. Rainfall is spread throughout the year, so check the forecast and pack layers.
Questions, answered
Which listed hotel is closest to the centre of Folkestone?
The Relish on Augusta Gardens is 0.1 km from the centre, the shortest distance in this shortlist. View Hotel Folkestone is 0.2 km away, and voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG, 10to12 Folkestone and Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection are all within 0.4 km.
Which hotels in Folkestone have free parking?
Harbour Heights and Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection both list free car parking, and The Suite at Tsunami lists free car parking for its guests. Other hotels here, including View Hotel Folkestone and voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG, list parking without specifying that it is free.
Which Folkestone hotels allow pets?
Pets are allowed at View Hotel Folkestone, Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection and voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG. All three are 4-star, list parking and sit between 0.2 and 0.4 km from the centre.
Which Folkestone hotels are best for families?
Harbour Heights lists a cot and a sofa bed alongside its kitchen, while View Hotel Folkestone and voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG both have family rooms. All three also list non smoking rooms and are close to the seafront.
Where can I stay in Folkestone with a sea view?
Lookout Post by Bloom Stays on Radnor Cliff, View Hotel Folkestone on Clifton Road, voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG on Clifton Gardens, The Relish on Augusta Gardens and Rocksalt Rooms on Back Street all list sea among their facilities.
Which hotel in Folkestone has the highest guest rating?
Lookout Post by Bloom Stays has the top guest rating here at 4.9 out of 5, based on 111 reviews. View Hotel Folkestone, voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG, Rocksalt Rooms, Rocksalt and Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection are all rated between 4.3 and 4.4.
Do the Folkestone hotels have restaurants and bars?
View Hotel Folkestone, Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection, voco The Clifton Folkestone by IHG, Rocksalt Rooms, Rocksalt, Harbour Heights and 10to12 Folkestone all list bars, and all except Harbour Heights and 10to12 Folkestone also list restaurants. Several offer breakfast in room or special diets.
Which Folkestone hotels have the most reviews?
Burlington Hotel Best Western Premier Collection has 802 reviews and View Hotel Folkestone 724, the two largest counts in this shortlist. Lookout Post by Bloom Stays follows with 111 reviews; the remaining listed hotels have fewer or none shown.