With great food, music and scenery, the Kent coast has so much to offer – including Updown, where we have a one-night stay to be won
This summer, if you’re after a dose of pure escapism and plenty of vitamin sea, Deal, on the Kent coast, has everything you’re after and more.
With its award-winning high street, lanes of quaint fishermen’s cottages and well-preserved Georgian houses, it’s one of the UK’s prettiest seaside destinations and the ideal location for a long weekend away.
This tiny but terrific town has a history as colourful as the buildings that line the seafront and it’s fast becoming one of the country’s most popular seaside spots thanks to its cultural vibe and thriving music and food scenes. With excellent road and rail connections to the capital, plus its proximity to the port at Dover, Deal is easy to get to, but a world away from the hum-drum of the everyday.
Wonderful in summer with the beach, pier, plenty of al fresco eating and drinking spots, and a busy seasonal events programme, it’s equally beguiling in winter with cosy pubs, cafés and restaurants, plus independent theatre, galleries and music venues.
A few miles inland is the beautiful 17th century former farmstead of Updown, the much-lauded restaurant with sumptuous rooms owned by Oli Brown and Ruth Leigh. With acres of well-tended gardens and woodland to explore, it’s an idyllic spot to relax and unwind after a day spent sightseeing. Guests are encouraged to treat the house as a home from home, so you’ll find a library with books, games and newspapers, as well as a fully-stocked honesty bar for guests.
If Updown has now leapfrogged its way up your bucket list, then this competition is for you. The Simple Things has a one-night dinner, bed and breakfast package* at Updown to be won, worth up to £450. Dinner will be served in the conservatory restaurant, where you can watch the chefs create your meal in the open kitchen. Menus are small, hyper seasonal and use the very best of local and European produce. There’s also a list of exciting wines, local beers and seasonal cocktails to choose from. Afterwards, wend your way to bed in one of the luxuriously appointed bedrooms for a peaceful night’s sleep before breakfast the following morning, setting you up for another day of exploring the glorious Kent coast.
For more on Deal and the surrounding area, visit: whitecliffscountry.org.uk
or follow @visitdover. For more on Updown, visit: updownfarmhouse.com or follow @updownfarmhouse_
How to enter
For your chance to win a one-night stay at Updown Farmhouse with dinner, bed and breakfast, enter our competition by clicking the button below and answering the following question by the closing date of 6 August 2025.
Q: Deal is on the coast of which UK county?
Terms and conditions
The competition closes at 11.59pm on 6 August 2025. One winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. Subject to availability. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. *The prize is for two people and must be redeemed within a year of receipt (excludes 23-25 Aug 2025; 20 Dec 2025 - 1 Jan 2026; 14 Feb 2026 and 3-6 April 2026). The winner is responsible for transport to and from the venue. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at: icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.