Kemp Townhouse

Rooms

Formerly a rather rundown B&B with lots of little rooms, Claas and Russell knocked down a few walls to create a stylish 4 storey townhouse of 9 nice-sized rooms, several with sea views. Only a pair that resisted the hammer, the Cosy Single and Snug Double, are still quite small, but they are smartly decorated (and priced).

But there was plenty of space in our room for what we were pretty sure was the biggest bed we’d seen or slept in. It was indeed a Fabulous Four Poster, measuring 2m x 2m (that's Emperor size to some, Super King to others), with a mahogany frame, a thick, Vi-spung mattress and half-a-dozen downy feather pillows. A Moroccan hand-woven silk throw of fine jade-and-burgundy threading offset the cobalt cushions; a sepia sailboat print hung on the pale mushroom painted walls.

On the top floor above us was the Feature Four Poster with the only slightly less impressive Kingsize bed – though we suspect the sexy freestanding tub in the room was the reason a couple celebrating their 10th anniversary had booked it for the night. Both these rooms have bay windows with side sea views; the Grand King/Twin with the original fireplace on the ground floor has a partial sea view.

The 2 Comfy Kings are slightly smaller than these front-facing rooms, with city-facing views; the 2nd floor one has a luxury divan, the 3rd floor an antique mahogany bed. The 2 Cosy Doubles are on the first and ground floor and have standard double beds.

Rooms come with tea (not herbal) and coffee-making facilities, bottles of still & sparkling water and delicious chocolate truffles. No CD players, but there are flatscreen TVs with Freeview and in-room wifi access.

All the bathrooms are actually ensuite wet rooms completely encased in glossy white tiles with square sinks and power showers - no screens or tubs. They are very compact but a clever usage of limited space. Containers of gel, shampoo & conditioner, hand-soap and body cream are attached to the walls, all by South African cosmetician Charlotte Rhys. So far Kemp Townhouse is the exclusive distributor of her products.