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

Bedroom

11 rooms

Sleeps

Rooms sleep 2

£85 - £235 per night

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.

The Ferry House - Gallery

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
The Ferry House - Gallery

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

Accommodation

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.
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

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

Read more reviews

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.