Return coach travel
4 nights at the Holiday Inn Maidstone - Sevenoaks with dinner & breakfast
Excursions to Brighton, Carr Taylor Vineyard, Windsor & RHS Garden Wisley Heritage train journey on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway
Guided tours of Carr Taylor Vineyard & RHS Garden Wisley
Brighton (full day)
Our first excursion takes us to the vibrant seaside resort of Brighton, bursting with iconic tourist attractions such as the Royal Pavilion with its exotic oriental architecture, built as a royal seaside retreat. Enjoy a stroll along the promenade, head to the ‘Lanes’ area, crammed with interesting boutiques or take a trip on Brighton’s i360, the world’s tallest moving observation tower (entrance not included).
Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway & Carr Taylor Vineyard (full day)
We head to Hythe where we board our train on the narrow-gauge Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. Known as “Kent’s Mainline in Miniature”, the one-third full size locomotive travels through some of Kent’s most picturesque countryside to Dungeness, designated as a National Nature Reserve and one of the largest shingle landscapes in the world.
Afterwards, our coach takes us to Carr Taylor Vineyard, set in the heart of 1066 Country. David and Linda Carr Taylor established the vineyard in the 1970s and quickly gained international recognition for their award-winning English wines. We enjoy a guided tour around the vineyard, visit the winery and bottling room to learn about the wine-making techniques and sample some of the lovely wines. Windsor &
RHS Garden Wisley (full day)
We travel first to Windsor where we have time at leisure to enjoy the sights. Situated on the River Thames, this ancient royal town has a rich heritage dating back over 1,000 years with many beautiful buildings and cobbled streets. The town is crowned by stunning Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world and one of the Queen’s official residences (entrance not included).
Later, we head to the Royal Horticultural Society’s Surrey flagship garden, RHS Garden Wisley which was gifted to the RHS in 1903. From the beautiful rose and demonstration gardens to tranquil tracts of woodland, Wisley offers a wealth of inspirational ideas on design, innovation and cultivation techniques and we discover more on our guided tour. The state-of-the-art Glasshouse, built to celebrate the RHS’s bicentenary in 2007, is divided into three main planting zones representing desert, tropical and temperate climates.
Holiday Inn Maidstone - Sevenoaks
As the name suggests, the Holiday Inn Maidstone - Sevenoaks is situated between Maidstone and Sevenoaks in Kent. The hotel offers air-conditioned rooms with modern amenities, a restaurant, cosy lounge bar and an outside patio area. There is also a health club with indoor pool, sauna and gym.
Hotel Rating
Hotels with a JG3 rating tend to be a more formal style of hotel, often part of a hotel chain, with a greater range of facilities and services. Bedrooms are a little more spacious and have additional features. Public areas are larger and include lounge seating, a bar and restaurant with good quality food served either buffet style or with waiter service.