Elmley Nature Reserve
Hut, hut, hooray
Wetland wilderness
Go off-grid at Elmley Nature Reserve, a 3,300-acre conservation-led escape under an hour from London, with stylish shepherd’s huts and cosy cabins looking out on a vast, wildlife-packed landscape. The homely hut interiors feature cast-iron radiators, wood-burning stoves and ash-branch beds topped with Romney Marsh wool throws – but don’t forget to venture outdoors. The Kingshill Farmhouse has individually styled rooms and charmingly rustic living spaces. Trails lead from your door out across the wetlands, where barn owls glide over the reeds at dusk and flocks of birds swarm in the gigantic skies. It’s time to ditch digital and re-wild.
Facilities
Rooms
12, including one cottage, and one farmhouse.
Checkout
10:30am, check-in 3pm, but both are flexible, subject to availability.
Also
The Linhay is wheelchair accessible, and there’s a ground-floor bedroom in the cottage, too.
Free Internet Access
At the Hotel
Free WiFi in communal areas and in the Kingshill Farmhouse and Elmley Cottage. In rooms: Roberts digital radio (in the cottage and Farmhouse only), kettle, tea and coffee, fire wood, Verden bath products. There’s a projector and DVD player which can be used on request.
Our Favourite Rooms
Each of the large huts has bifold doors opening out onto goosebump-inducing views across the landscape. All cabins and large huts have the extra allure of an outdoor vintage bath tub. The Large Shepherd’s Hut also has a hammock above the bed, if you’ve got a mini Smith in tow.
Spa
Treatments by British brands Votary and Verden – in one of the reserve's Swale Studios, which look out to the namesake river – can be booked.
Packing Tips
In summer months don’t forget your towel; the reserve's private Cockleshell beach is a fine spot for an afternoon dip.
Children
All ages are welcome in the Shepherds Huts, where travel cots can be added upon request, and both cottages.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Dress Code
Wellies for the wetlands, and a windproof jacket.
Hotel Restaurant
Though there isn’t a traditional restaurant, there’s no going hungry or having to forage your own food here. Whether it’s breakfast in bed you’re after (a ‘Kentinental Breakfast’ anyone?), a lunchtime picnic, or a warming two-course dinner, Elmley can deliver delicious, locally sourced hampers directly to your door from October to May. In summer, there's a selection of woodfired pizzas on offer.
Hotel Bar
The Linhay is a rustic space with a wood-burner, games and books; a cosy spot for snacking away throughout the day or a nightcap. It’s not serviced, but is stocked with tea, coffee and snacks (honesty-policy applies).
Planes
Elmley is just an hour from London City Airport, and a little more from Gatwick (Heathrow is around an hour and forty minutes away, if the M25 is kind to you). You can fly into London from just about anywhere in Europe, along with most international hubs around the world. An Uber from City Airport will cost around £70.
Trains
Take the one-hour train from London (Victoria, Stratford International or St Pancras) to Sittingbourne, which is eight miles from Elmley. From there, you can take a 20-minute taxi to the reserve.
Automobiles
Driving is the easiest way to get to and from Elmley, and it’s handy to have your own car for exploring the local area. Hire from the airport, or from a car rental company in central London.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
You don’t have to go far for a little wildlife watching – just draw the curtains and scan the marshes for hares, owls and birds of prey. Then pull on your wellies and follow endless paths through the wetland wilderness yourself. With your appetite well and truly worked up, order a home-cooked meal to your hut (from October to May), or skip straight to dessert with toasted marshmallows around the firepit. Above all, give your screens a rest (there’s no WiFi anyway), and gaze at the stars instead.
Beyond the reserve itself, there’s plenty to explore. Go antique-hunting in the market town of Faversham, then drive out to the Brogdale Collections, home of the National Fruit Collection – take your pick from over 4,000 types of fruit, and sign up to classes in cider-making, basket-weaving and grafting. Think of a fairytale castle and it’ll probably look a lot like Leeds Castle (Maidstone), with stone turrets towering over the moat; there’s a mighty maze to tackle, and if you time your visit well you might catch a mediaeval jousting tournament, too. If you’re after seaside strolls and good old fashioned fish ‘n’ chips, set your sights on Whitstable; if July’s Whitstable Oyster Festival is on, even better. Minster Leas is a Blue Flag beach fit for a summer paddle or sprawl on the sand, while Shellness beach, on the eastern tip of Sheppey, is made entirely of – you guessed it – shells (fair warning, its other claim to fame is its tolerance for nudity). From Whitstable, take a slow-and-steady sailing barge along the Kent coast, passing Second World War forts, wind farms, and a bunch of birdlife on the way.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
