Overview
The poster child for boutique beach breaks, CABÜ by the Sea is the ultimate halcyon haven for aesthete adults and their energetic offspring. The chicest spot along the English Channel, it has been affectionately coined by returning loyalists as ‘Center Parcs for millennial mums’. Forget the lacklustre lodges, your home from home here comes in the form of seriously handsome huts. These scandi-cool cabins may celebrate a back to nature break – with beautiful floor to ceiling windows welcoming the outdoors in – but there’s no scrimping on creature comforts. We’re talking Loaf beds dressed in crisp linen, waterfall showers, log-burning fireplaces, fully equipped kitchens and a well-stocked shop. The resplendently rural postcode invites guests to switch off, but this elusive escapism is one that still comes with super fast WIFI and smart TVs. Guests can choose to dip in and out of the communal lifestyle, which is centred around The Sitooterie – a generous spot for groups to gather to make use of the barbeque, pizza oven and s’more-beckoning griddle tables. The ‘holiday park’ set up makes for an easygoing vibe, but this laidback approach is lavished with lovely little luxuries. The Nature Spa’s two wooden hot tubs and barrel sauna are bookable for hour slots (with one complimentary session included for each guest per stay), and in a genius move to take parental pampering to a whole new level, you can ask staff to mix up a cocktail while you soak. For those in need of more of a helping hand to reach a state of Zen, book in for a massage in the Shepherd’s Hut. When the sun shines, the heated outdoor pool is a magnet for families, but whatever the weather, the ample supply of vintage wooden games encourages screen-free time. The Garden of England’s delights are on your doorstep, but we wouldn’t blame you if you never left CABÜ’s coastal campus
Wondering what it’s actually like with children in tow? Read our honest first-hand family review of CABÜ by the Sea here
Mama
Get in touch
Nearest station
Approximately a 30 minute transfer from Ashford International Station
Best time to visit
CABÜ is perfect all year round! The heated pool is open from the end of March – end of October, but there’s something irresistible about hunkering down for an autumnal staycation session in the cosy cabins
Favourite room
Every CABÜ cabin has a fully-equipped kitchen with pots and pans, glasses and cutlery and everything else you’d expect to find for a short break. Whilst all the cabins are suitable for 2 adults and a child, we recommend Loft House, Log Cabin, Loft Beach House, Shore House, Beach House, Beach House with Hot Tub and The Boat House cabins for separate living and sleeping spaces. It’s worth knowing, none of the cabins have baths, but baby baths, cots and highchairs can all be provided on request
Nearby
Less than two hours outside of London, CABÜ by the Sea is perched prettily between Romney Marsh and the English Channel. The nearest town is Dymchurch, a quaint seaside town with an amusement arcade, small highstreet and handful of pubs. Speaking of eateries, The Boathouse Fisheries Fishmonger & Bistro and The Bay Café come highly recommended
Price
from £350 for two nights in low season and £430 for two nights in high season, minimum 2-night stay applies
Meet the family...
Bianca
Parent to Tiny Traveller aged 1
A friend who recommended CABÜ by the Sea dubbed it as ‘Soho Farmhouse for kids’ and she wasn’t far wrong. CABÜ has garnered a cult-like following of parents looking for a classic British beach getaway with all the luxurious amenities you’d find in a 5-star hotel. The setting is sublime: it lies on a natural stretch of privately owned grassland next to the seafront between Romney Marsh and the English Channel, with access to the beach just two minutes from your front door. The cabins are next level: think cosy log burners, fully equipped kitchens, bunk beds for kids, Dr Bronner toiletries, and a private timber deck with gas barbeque. CABÜ is fully self-catered but CABÜ House, which is open from 8am-9pm, sells breakfast goods, snacks, pizzas and meats to grill on the BBQ, marshmallows to toast and, crucially, alcohol!
Worth waking the baby for
01
Port Lympne
This 600 acre wildlife reserve in the Kentish savannah cares for over 900 animals, ranging from lions and tigers to bears and even dinosaurs. Get up close & personal with the roaming residents of Africa, Asia and South America on a guided jeep ranger tour. Well worthy of a full day trip, the onsite restaurants dish up both cheap & convenient options and lunches worth lingering over
02
The Marsh Maze
A brilliant family day out, full of ‘corny’ old fashioned fun. Get lost in the huge planted maze, or be driven through it on The Bumpy Express! Tiny legs can be further tired by go karts, slides, sand pits and a pretty epic aquatic arena, made especially for water balloon fights
03
Dungeness Beach
Known for its bewitching background this vast shingle headland is a designated National Nature Reserve, and reached in under 20 minutes from CABÜ by the Sea. For a small fee climb the lighthouse for incredible 360 degree views and book a return ride on the world famous steam railway, which winds its way along the coast to Dymchurch
Reviews from other parents
The decor was giving relaxed, Nordic, modern vibes.I loved that my son was able to explore as he pleased, whilst I felt completely cut off from the world - in a good way! We stayed in the luxury one-bedroom cabin, which had a separate bed and bathroom with a shower (you can request a baby bath if your tot loves a tub). The interiors are so well decorated - you can just sink right into the bed or lounge in front of the fireplace playing tic-tac-toe. There was also a large wrap-around deck, where you can enjoy morning hot chocolates bundled in blankets
Mama Lisa, Tiny Traveller aged 2
When I go to places with children I just want somewhere where I don’t have to worry about them roaming. There’s so much open space at CABU, all of it very child friendly, safe and very accepting of noise! There’s a (fenced off) main pool and baby pool, open April - October. It’s heated but only to the point it takes the edge of it. Didn’t stop all mine (3,6,9) spending most of the days submerged in April! It’s so kid friendly, there’s bikes and go karts to hire, games in the cabins, and also giant Jenga and Connect 4 in the communal outside area. We’ve been so many times but each time we go we find something new and magical. It’s absolute heaven. I think we’ll keep going for as long as the kids want to holiday with us! Head there (hurry go now and book!) and you won’t be disappointed
Mama Kate, Tiny Travellers aged 7, 9 & 11
CABÜ by the Sea feels like someone took all the freedom and fun of a childhood holiday park and gave it a seriously stylish glow-up. My children spent their days swimming, cycling and making new friends, while I bounced between the spa, beach walks and admiring interiors that immediately earned a place on my Pinterest board. What I loved most was the balance: mornings by the heated pool, afternoons exploring Kent's beaches, safari parks and seaside towns, and evenings gathered around the pizza ovens and fire pits in the Sitooterie. It's one of those rare family holidays that genuinely feels restorative for adults and magical for children. For London and South East families, it's a complete no-brainer
Mama Frankie, Tiny Travellers aged 2 & 5
