Starting your day with a swim is always a good move. Starting your day with a swim in the sea and you’ve basically cracked it. I found much to love on my recent visit to Folkestone but the morning dip in the English Channel ranks high on the list.
Back in the 19th century, Folkestone was one of the most fashionable resorts in the country. However it was hit hard by the Second World War and the subsequent rise of mass tourism of the 1960s onwards. In recent years, the town has enjoyed something of a renaissance, especially as a foodie destination. (Although the whole ‘swim before breakfast’ thing can’t hurt.) Nowhere is more emblematic than Folkestone harbour, a multimillion pound renovation transforming the seafront into a buzzing hub of restaurants, bars and stalls.
What can I tell you about Folkestone Harbour Arm? Firstly, you can enjoy an absolutely stonking post-swim brunch at Little Rock, seafood specialists situated in a converted shipping container. (Try saying that real fast.) I highly recommend the locally caught scallops on toast, although the full English is also worth your time and the adjacent table’s crab eggs Benedict didn’t look too shabby, either.
Little Rock
I can also tell you that it’s possible to enjoy a sauna and cold plunge on the beach at Sea Scrub Sauna. You can also sample champagne and oysters at the lighthouse and play all sorts of games at the Board Room. Unfortunately, I can’t provide additional detail as a local hotel caught fire the weekend of our visit and closed the entire area off. All sorted now, and thankfully nobody was seriously hurt. And while the harbour is certainly worth a visit, so are several other places around town.
Take The Radnor Arms, a beautiful, sprawling old pub that placed fifth in the 2025 Good Food Guide's list of the 100 Best Pubs in Britain. No arguments here – the prawn flatbread was one of the best I’ve ever eaten. Around the corner you’ll find the Bouverie Tap, another pub celebrated for its vittles. We only had a pint there but the fish and chips smelled incredible. However more than one local had recommended Sotirio's, a Greek restaurant and local favourite for its cooking and hospitality. I can vouch for both; the meze is a must, the vibe as convivial as the family front room.
Sitting on the balcony, the English Channel is literally metres away
So there’s plenty of choice as to where to eat. Where to stay? That would be Shoreline Folkestone, a collection of properties housed in a beautiful building right on the seafront. It was designed by architecture firm Acme; no relation to the cartoon cooperation which specialises in oversized dynamite, rocket-powered shoes and all the other equipment required to catch Roadrunner.
(Had the Coyote employed Acme the architects he’d likely be enjoying bird stew by now: they can create a knockout building so a portable cannon that doesn’t explode in the user’s face shouldn’t be an issue. Side note: go watch Coyote vs Acme, it’s a blast. In every sense.)
Shoreline Folkstone
The flowing exterior of Shoreline is redolent of a seawave. You can compare with the real thing while sitting on the balcony: the English Channel is literally metres away. The balcony is a real gem, equally suitable for a morning coffee or an afternoon glass of wine. (Or a morning glass of wine, if you must.) On a clear day it’s possible to see France on the horizon.
Accommodation options vary from apartments to four-bedroom houses. The houses provide everything you need and then some: coffee machines, cookbooks, multiple TVs, a washing machine, a wine cellar (can’t eyeball Calais with a warm Sauvignon), and even a little front yard of your own. In the basement, you’ll find sun loungers, picnic hampers, baskets. The interiors are minimalist in that soothing Scandinavian style, lots of whites, creams and light brown wood.
Want to make your stay a little more permanent? All properties are available to purchase, with apartments starting from £375,000 and beach houses from £995,00. You'll be swimming in the sea all year round.
For more information, see Shoreline Folkestone
