The Royal Albion Hotel takes private parties, family celebrations, group lunches and dinners for up to 35 seated guests or 40 at a buffet, in a small function area on the Broadstairs seafront. The hotel faces Viking Bay on the East Kent coast and has 20 bedrooms, so a party can stay the night after the event.
Rooms and capacities
The hotel is fully licensed and has one function area. It seats up to 35 guests at tables and holds 40 for a buffet. It suits a birthday, an anniversary, a christening lunch, a wake, a small leaving party or a team dinner for a local office. Larger groups can combine the function area with time in the bar or on the terrace, subject to what the team can reserve. The hotel publishes a functions brochure and invites organizers to call or visit before booking to discuss their requirements.
Catering
Food is prepared by the hotel's own kitchen. For seated events, the Castlock set menu asks the party to choose two dishes at each course, offered as two or three courses, with dietary requirements catered for separately. A cheese board can be added for every eight guests. The functions brochure also lists canapé, buffet and sandwich buffet menus, and a children's function menu for family occasions.
In daily service, Ballard's coffee lounge offers coffee and home-baked pastries, and the main bar and sea-view restaurant serve dishes built on local produce, with a seafood tower of lobster, oysters, prawns, smoked salmon and mussels for two or more. The hotel belongs to Shepherd Neame, the Kent brewer, and the drinks list leans on local beers.
Accommodation
The 20 bedrooms are spread over the historic building, with views over the bay or the old town. There is no lift, which matters for guests with reduced mobility. A limited number of dog-friendly rooms is available in each room category, to be requested at booking.
History and setting
The Royal Albion has stood on the Broadstairs seafront since 1776. Charles Dickens was a regular guest, and the town's links with the writer are part of the hotel's character. Today it combines its period rooms with a modern bar, a coffee lounge, a terrace and a restaurant looking over the sand of Viking Bay. Live music plays on Friday evenings and a quiz runs on the first Tuesday of the month, which is worth knowing when choosing a date for a private party.
Getting there
The hotel is at 6-12 Albion Street, in the center of Broadstairs, a few steps from the beach. Broadstairs railway station is a short walk away, with trains to London. By road, the town is reached through Thanet on the east coast of Kent.
