The Gallivant review: The Camber Sands retreat with show-stopping seafood and a penchant for happiness

The definition of gallivant is ‘go around from one place to another in the pursuit of pleasure or entertainment’. An ironic name, then, for this hotel in Rye, where pleasure and entertainment can be found, very easily, by simply staying put.

Named Small Hotel of the Year in the 2024 VisitEngland Awards and the proud recipient of a Michelin Key, The Gallivant has recently had a revamp. Namely its restaurant, Harry’s, named after the hotel’s owner, Harry Cragoe.

‘It’s almost become a restaurant with rooms,’ said Lindsay Austin, The Galliant’s head of happiness (which is how she introduced herself to us when we arrived on a sunny afternoon in August). ‘I have never met anyone that found it cheesy,’ she added, firmly, when I asked about her official job title. Lindsay looks after everyone at the hotel — guests and staff — and she will cater to every request. ‘We did go out and buy a frisbee for a guest’s dog, once,’ she offered, as an example. ‘Happiness: tick.’

The rooms

Named after the BBC’s Shipping Forecast (an idea of the owner’s), each room is an individual and thoughtfully crafted. Ours, Cromarty, was decorated in shades of teal and dark blue and came with a luxurious bath tub which was separated from the rest of the room only by a sliding door, to be utilised accordingly based on how amorously your overnight partner and you are getting on at any given time. It also featured an enormous bookcase built into the wall around the bed’s headboard. A title named The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore, a picture book that followed the history of surfing and Ovid’s Erotic Poems stood on our shelves. Something for every reader.

Eating and drinking

Although I am always a bit suspicious of restaurants named after men, Harry’s was the standout of our visit; light and airy, but still small and intimate. Vintage swimsuits were framed on the walls and among the bikinis and budgie smugglers were a dozen or so hanging plants.

Matthew Harris, the executive chef, previously of Bibendum, said the plan to relaunch was ‘to make it stand out from being a hotel restaurant’. He has always worked with primarily French and British cuisine, and Harry’s is no different. His key ingredients? ‘Lots of local produce — everything's very seasonal and fresh,’ he said. The menu itself is ‘ever evolving’, based on the the produce available at the time. ‘There can be dishes that are on there for a few weeks, and then there are dishes that are on there for a few days. It depends on what's good at the time and what the fishermen are catching.’

The catch of the day is always the most popular with diners, he said, and so, after a delicious starter of freedived grilled scallops with fennel purée, tomato, saffron and broad beans, along came an enormous piece of skate — so big was the catch, the waiter told me, that each wing had to be chopped into three. It was divine, with capers, lemon, slices of some sort of citrus fruit that I guessed to be pomelo and, à la the French, enough butter to pull an elephant through a drainpipe.

My dinner partner feasted on cured trout with pickled cucumber, beetroot, dill and mustard sauce to start (I snuck a bite, it was exceptional) and royal bream with chorizo, clams, sea aster and aioli for his main (in the name of thorough journalism, I also tried this. It was mouthwateringly good). Seafood is really where Harry’s excels. So much so that it didn’t bother us when our wine arrived after our starters. Too full for pudding, we managed to squeeze in some boozy chocolate truffles and Somerset cider brandy for pudding, before heading back to our room, utterly satisfied.

The best dinner we’ve ever had was followed, the next morning, by an outstanding breakfast spread which included local cheeses, charcuterie, smoked salmon, yogurt and fresh fruit and vegetables. A home-made ‘pick-me-up’ shot made with orange, turmeric and ginger was a lovely addition. There was also a Bloody Mary ‘recovery station’ for those who had gone too hard at the hotel bar the night before.

How they’ll keep you busy

When not gorging on the delicious local fare provided by Harry’s or relaxing in the free standing bathtub in your room, you can take a yoga class, hosted at the hotel when the weather is bad, and on the beach when the sun shines. There is also an option for ‘drinks in the dunes’, where you can order anything from the cocktail menu to take with you and a picnic blanket to the sandy beach a five minute walk away. Afterwards consider lurking thirstily in the communal space at around 5pm, as The Gallivant hosts an ‘English wine at 5’ event each day. Wood panelled floors, low lighting and cosy chairs and sofas make it a welcome spot for some sipping. Plenty of hounds are scattered around too, including in The Snug, a specific ‘no dog’ zone, where a giant schnauzer was lounging contentedly. A grand piano with a song book of The Beach Boys Greatest Hits was also a nice touch.

What else to do while you’re there

Rye itself is a brilliant day out. I recommend visiting the 12th century Church of Saint Mary — make sure to climb up its narrow bell tower to marvel at the views at the top — The George in Rye, for one of the best cocktails around, and Marino’s Fish bar for afters, to satisfy your fish-and-chips cravings.

Who is it for?

People who love good food, the coast and getting away from it all.

What gives it the wow factor

Harry’s.

The one thing we’d change

Although we loved the ‘drinks in the dunes’ experience, despite the inevitable English rain that accompanied it, we were disappointed when — after watching an almost acrobatic feat performed by one of the cocktail bartenders — we were handed canned Negronis for our coastal stroll. It didn’t make them any less delicious, however and I’d definitely return to The Gallivant, if only to sample their Sunday Roast — the first time the restaurant has ever offered one — launching in the middle of September. My mouth is beginning to water just thinking about it.

Rooms at The Gallivant start at £165 a night on a room only basis based on two sharing. Visit their website for more information and to book