The Ferry House

Harty, Kent
Inn
+44 (0)1795 510214
Visit owner's website

From
£85 - £235
per night

An ancient, recently-extended inn on the edge of the river Swale surrounded by bird-filled marshland and with scrumptious local food

11 rooms

Rooms sleep 2

Children welcome

Pets welcome

Babies welcome

The Experience

There’s a remote feel to this tranquil spot but the inn itself is a definite foodie destination. They grow most of the produce used in the restaurant in their one-acre garden which you’re welcome to wander around. Breakfast is served in the bar/restaurant and includes a full Kentish spread with home-smoked bacon, homemade sausages, Eggs Royale with home-smoked fish, or a lighter Grazing Bowl with oats, seeds, quinoa and garden fruits.

It’s worth staying in for lunch and dinner too – lamb ribs with chimichurri, popcorn partridge breast from the owner’s shoot, beef from the Elmley Nature Reserve, foraged ingredients from hedgerows and shorelines, and veggie and vegan options if ordered ahead. Views soar from the dining terrace over the river, marsh harriers whirl overhead. You sleep in smaller rooms up a steep staircase in the main building, or in the newly-built block – all are very comfortable.

Go for long walks, visit the spa, sip something delicious from the Copper Rivet Distillery or Curious Brewery.

We think you'll love

The peace and tranquillity of the marshes and the birdlife
The locally sourced produce and imaginative cooking
Visiting the spa for a luxury massage or treatment

You should know

There are many weddings during the year - best avoid staying at those times
It's three miles of quite long and bumpy road to get there
Only some rooms are wheelchair friendly and accept dogs – do check before you book

Essentials

EV charger
Swimming pool
Hot tub
Garden
Open fire / woodburner
Breakfast included
Breakfast available
Meals available
Vegetarian meals
Parking on premises
Free parking nearby
Accessible by public transport
WiFi
Spa
Central heating
Limited mobility
Wheelchair access
Mobile reception
Hob
Bar
Barbecue
Licensed premises
Paid parking nearby
Air conditioning
Relaxation areas
Tennis court
No smoking
Credit cards
Working farm
Owner has pets
Pets welcome

Family friendly

Baby monitor
Books and toys
Children welcome
Babies welcome
Stair gates
High chair
Fire guard
Cot available

Nearby

Pub/bar within 3 miles
Restaurant within 3 miles
Shop within 3 miles

Activities

Bikes available
Food courses
Kayaking
Other courses
Sailing
Surfing
Wild swimming

Pricing

Nightly price: from £85
Surcharges: Singles £60-£230.

1 Twin: From £85
1 Suite for 2: From £160
9 Doubles: From £115

Information

Special offer: Add on a second night and enjoy 25% off your stay. Settle into one of our luxury rooms, complete with all the comforts of home and wake up our serene wintery landscapes.

Booking information

Check in: From 2pm
Check out: By 10am
Other details: Singles £60-£230.
Closed: Christmas, 23 December - 30 December.
No smoking: Smoking not permitted anywhere in the property.
Meals: Breakfast £17.50. Lunch & dinner from £16, small plates from £7. Puddings from £7. Kids menu from £4.50. Sunday lunch, 2-3 courses, £37.50-£42.50.

Reviews

In a beautiful, lonely spot down a long bumpy road, overlooking bird-rich salt marshes and the Swale Estuary, the Ferry House is a hidden gem. Worth finding for delicious food, sourced from the kitchen garden and surrounding farms, comfortable rooms above the inn and in a swish new build (treatment rooms too), the coast path walk to Elmley Nature Reserve, and relaxing views from the terrace.

David, Sawday's Inspector Mar 2024

The Ferry House is a delightful spot for a relaxed stay, far away from all the bustle of everyday life. The view over the water could not be bettered and it is the perfect place to enjoy the ever-present bird life. As for the food, be prepared for delicious, imaginative dishes using homegrown vegetables you have never heard of but which taste amazing. And then there's the local beers and spirits....just great!

Ursula, Sawday's Inspector Sep 2022

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Location

The neighbourhood

You're footsteps from the seafront, sandwiched between the Elmley Nature Reserve and Swale Nature Reserve - birdies will flock. Walk or cycle the 8-mile Isle of Harty Trail and pass the 11th century St Thomas the Apostle Church on the way; visit the Blue Flag beaches such as Leysdown, Minster and Shellness. Minster Abbey is 8 miles, Sheerness Georgian Dockyard is 13 and both are fascinating reminders of Sheppey's history.

Local points of interest from Alex & Victoria Burden

Walk the large Kitchen Garden & see the homegrown produce used by The Ferry House for their 2AA Rosette menus. Produce is cropped from the garden daily, year round from numerous veg, herb & flower beds, two polytunnels, a large fruit cage & an orchard.
Set beside the Swale estuary, The Ferry House sits between the two nature reserves of Swale & Elmley where you can walk & enjoy abundant wildlife. The Isle of Harty Trail is a 6 mile flat, circular walking route through beautiful wetlands to the coast.
The Ferry House has its own tranquil Treatment Rooms where you can book a rejuvenating massage or facial. Choose from Swedish, Hot Stones & Back, Neck & Shoulders, Mum to Be, Deluxe Full Body & Deluxe Hot Stones massages, Facial and Face & Body Ritual.
The landscape around The Ferry House is renowned for its bird life, including harriers, owls, wild fowl, water & migratory birds. The RSPB describes Harty's Capel Fleet as "perhaps the best bird of prey viewpoint in the UK.”
Within a short drive of The Ferry House are the Blue Flag beaches Leysdown, Minster & Shellness. There’s also Warden’s Point - less picturesque (bring your wellies!) but more intriguing with its prehistoric fossil hunting & WWI Military Battery buildings.
Neighbouring The Ferry House is the 11th century church of St Thomas the Apostle, or Harty Church. Often described as Kent's remotest place of worship, the grade two listed church is open daily from 9am-5pm with a service on the first Sunday of the month.

Introducing

Alex & Victoria Burden

Alex and Victoria are members of a local farming family who have owned the inn for many years. This generation is committed to its development along eco-friendly lines and is focused on sustainability. Much of the food is home grown or locally sourced, the electricity is produced from their own solar panels and water is from their own well. A friendly team of people look after you very efficiently.

The Ferry House

Children welcome

Pets welcome

Babies welcome

Your enquiry details

Direct with the owner

Enquire through Sawday's

The Experience

We think you'll love

You should know

Essentials

Accommodation

Pricing

Information

Reviews

The neighbourhood

Alex & Victoria Burden

The Ferry House

Children welcome

Pets welcome

Babies welcome

Enquiry details

Your enquiry details

How to book

Direct with the owner

Enquire through Sawday's

The Experience

We think you'll love

You should know

Essentials

Accommodation

Pricing

Information

Reviews

The neighbourhood

Alex & Victoria Burden

Taking you to The Ferry House