Somewhere to stay: The Gallivant, East Sussex

What is it?

A ‘restaurant with rooms’ facing the dunes of magnificent Camber Sands, close to the pretty town of Rye on the East Sussex coast. The décor is laid-back beach house chic; cool coastal blues and greys on the walls, bleached blonde wooden floors, decks for outdoor dining in summer and, in winter, a crackling log fire. It’s all very compact; the lounge area, with low sand-coloured couches and rustic wooden chairs draped with fur throws, leads into the small dining space and bar. A door from the reception area leads straight into a corridor of bedrooms, just 20 in total.

What are the rooms like?

This is ‘boutique-hotel’ rather than ‘B&B’; the coastal theme continues with the blue and white colour scheme and beach-hut style wood panelling. A white digital radio and big old alarm clock add a retro touch, as does the Shaker-style peg rail that takes the place of a wardrobe for hanging clothes. On the modern side, there’s a hairdryer, flatscreen TV and tea tray. (Pick up your milk from the ‘honesty larder’ in the corridor, where you can also buy drinks and snacks - think of it as a large mini-bar in a hallway). Books – lots of them – give the room that ‘friend’s-house-by-the-beach’ feel.

There’s a private deck – yes, with deckchairs! – and a storm lantern with candle for atmospheric flickering when the sun goes down.

What’s in the bathroom?

Large walk-in shower with huge shower rose, modern Belfast-style sink on a chunky wooden bench, posh Noble Isle toiletries (the brand is stocked in many five-star hotels) and more books.

What about eating and drinking?

Well, here’s the thing. The Gallivant is carving out an excellent niche for itself in the gourmet dining stakes, with regular ‘guest chef’ dinners, plus ‘wine and food pairing’ events. The final event of last year was a ‘Little Beauty’ dinner, matching wines from this boutique vineyard in New Zealand with chef Danny Perjesi’s tasting menu, hosted by ‘Little Beauty’ founder Fleur McCree, who came all the way from New Zealand for it!

It was a chance to taste rare and wonderful wines like Black Edition Sauvignon Blanc 2012 (only 250 cases produced) and the Limited Edition Dry Riesling 2010, which won the Best Wine in the World award last year. It all slipped down beautifully with dishes like crab ballotine, cod carpaccio, tomato-crusted sea bass, partridge and mallard duck.

Food is sourced from local fishermen, vegetable plots and family farms in the area; breads and cakes are baked in the kitchen every morning for breakfast and if you check in for 4pm you can enjoy complimentary afternoon tea and hand-baked treats in the lounge.

Anything else I should know about?

You can go horse riding on the beach or hire a bike to explore the local area – the hotel will arrange it. In summer there are rugs and book bags to take to the beach, winter too if you’re hardy enough…

What's nearby?

The long white expanse of Camber Sands stretches as far as the eye can see, right across the road from The Gallivant. The natural beauty of Romney Marsh is on the doorstep; it’s classified as a site of special scientific interest, as is nearby Dungeness, one of the largest expanses of shingle in Europe and classified as Britain’s only desert by the Met Office. Head to the pretty town of Rye, just a few miles away, for bespoke shopping in boutiques and gift shops.

How much is it and how do I get there?

Rooms from £95 B&B. The next food event, an evening with Marcus Eaves, head chef at Pied A Terre, is on February 4 2015. This will be a four-course gourmet dinner with matching wines, £75 per person. For more information and details of future events, visit thegallivant.co.uk/gourmet-evenings. The Gallivant is located at New Lydd Road, Camber, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7RB; phone 01797 225057 or visit thegallivanthotel.com

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