Pistolpete2

Check these self-catering apartments out, as well as my previous (Canterbury) serviced apartments.

www.oriel-lodge.co.uk/

Okuda

My sister just graduated from CCC as a social worker! There's quite a few hotels around. Depends on what you are looking for, lots of basic bed and breakfasts down the actual high street, but can be a bit noisy at night when the pubs kick out.

You have the falstaff hotel down St Dunstans .. down by the Westgate towers .. it's the other end of the town from CCC .. but only a 10/15 minute walk straight down the high street. I've always heard good things about that place.

There's the Victoria Hotel up London road, that's the top end of St. Dunstans. We always used to go there for their carvery! Super yummy!!

You have the travel lodge on Ivy lane ... I just had to look up its name cause it used to be called the Chaucer hotel, I guess Travel lodge brought it out. That's really close to CCC, about 5 minutes walk away. Its 5 minutes from the high street/bus station/train station too.

Perth

Looks lovely. I will look into that, although we may not go the self-catered way. Don't plan on spending my time cooking! Might be a place to land, though, when we come over for good, if we haven't lined something else up by then.

Perth

What did your DS think about the college? Like the sound of the Travel Lodge location wise. Will want to take a bus out to the sea too and maybe stay overnight. Where would you go? Sorry for all these questions...I am just so grateful to have some advice!

Okuda

Yea she enjoyed it. Moaned liked a drain about school work haha but enjoyed the actual place.

I'm quite partial to Herne Bay ... if you go in the summer they have lots of lovely stuff along the seafront. You can walk the seafront all the way to Whitstable too! Herne bay has a nice little high street with quirky little shops too .. lots of little family restuarants and such.

Whitstable has the harbour where you can get the daily catch .. mussles .. cockles .. crab sticks .. all that jazz .. right out the sea!

Pistolpete2

Was thinking more in terms of accommodating three than you doing the cooking but the tip ref (the new) Chaucer Travelodge is good as they have rooms at regular rate taking up to four and they are very reasonable, particularly if you plan ahead. Location is fine and close to the bus station. There is also a laundrette near(ish)by (Nunnery Fields) which I've found useful when traveling light.

The other Travelodges/Holiday Inns in the locale only work if you have a car.

Perth

My goodness, I guess we will have to go to both! Any place special to stay overnight at either one?

Perth

Ohhh, well in that case will certainly consider it. Anything where we don't need a car, and fits the 3 of us, works for me.

Okuda

Hmm, honestly, I dunno .. never really thought about hotels around those areas! My Auntie has lived in Herne Bay for 30 years, she should know some good ones tho, I'll ask her and get back to you. Probably a bed and breakfast would do you if you're just gonna do an over night thing, no?

Perth

B&B would be perfect.

Pistolpete2

I just found this exchange today on the Chit Chat thread and regard it as really good counsel/commentary:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...postcount=5316

It also seems to fit with what you are looking for, in terms of location:

"We like access to countryside so chose to live in a suburb where we can take country walks from home (or by bus) yet are not so far by bus from main shopping and hospital and train connection. In case of need we have corner shops, doctor, 3 pubs (one of the three closed, another less traditional pub opened), vet, within a short walk."

Perth

It's a little scary, I know. We are going with some money so we can be comfortable, but we are not rich by any stretch of the imagination. The most difficult part will be not having any support. I have some extended family...all in London leading busy lives...but not that close to them. Friends are scattered far and wide, and likewise busy. I wouldn't dream of imposing on any of them. I really want us to do this in our own.

I see from the poster that they are in Norfolk. A bit inland for us, and maybe a little to chilly! But this is exactly what we are looking for. Would Canterbury not fit the bill?

Pistolpete2

Indeed I think so! I think that my first responding post to you addressed access to the country and shops and you also want access to London and other points of interest which you have by rail and bus and to that extent, at the very least, you are much better served than most parts of Norfolk.

You want access to the sea which is also covered by bus and rail - Whitstable, Herne Bay, Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Sandwich, Dover, Folkestone, Hythe and Rye are all easy to get to.

This pub is in the attractive village of Oare where there is sea access near Faversham:

http://thethreemarinersoare.co.uk/

I love the idea of a Walker's three course lunch.

http://thethreemarinersoare.co.uk/about-oare/

Perth

Oh my goodness, love the looks of that pub and the menu! Had one of those days yesterday where I wondered how we were ever going to make this gigantic move with everything there is to do. Posts like the kind you mentioned (I am slowly making my way through the various 50s and 60s fora) feed into that fear. But hearing a resounding YES for Canterbury picks me right back up!

Pistolpete2

I'm not trying to make things more difficult but rather, I think it is good to raise possible problem areas early so that we can all work out how we can
tick the properly dealt with box as much as we are able, ahead of time.

Obviously, in three to four years time you will need to reappraise property prices in your key search areas, within Canterbury or wherever else you put on your short-list, so that you can be certain that you are getting the best bang for your buck as the less money you have sunk into bricks and mortar, assuming that you are going to be well satisfied with what you have, the better off you will be in terms of cash flow.