The Arthouse

A little shabby (chic) around the edges, this great B&B in a former fire station is just a stone’s throw from the heart of Canterbury and ideal for those looking for something modern, but not sterile. There’s a sense of fun from the mid-century furniture (such as the Ercol daybed and G-Plan furniture), mixed with the owners’ artwork and retro finds. The star piece is the wirework chandelier created by artist couple Anna and John, a reminder of the days when they ran their successful business ‘Delusions of Grandeur’, stocked by top retailers, Heal’s and Liberty. The three-storey building has two well-proportioned bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. If you can, it might be worth asking to book both so you’ve got the place all to yourselves. It makes for a great playhouse, a bit like hiring your own gallery for a night. For design-savvy couples, this is the pick of the bunch.