French Breaks

Since Hoverspeed's Seacat service to Boulogne no longer operates out of Folkestone, we can no longer offer our French Break Package. However, there are three ways we can help you arrange your own excursion to France:

• BY SHUTTLE:
  Take your car over through the Channel Tunnel. This allows you the freedom to explore the French and Belgian coastlines at your own pace, allowing time to shop at one of the extensive hypermarkets. You can catch the Shuttle from the Cheriton station a short drive from the hotel. Tickets may be booked online at http://www.eurotunnel.com/. If you prefer we will be happy to book your tickets for you.
  
  
• BY FERRY:
  If you prefer to travel over the water there are several carriers operating out of the nearby Port of Dover. P&O Stenna, Seafrance, and Hoverspeed all provide crossings to Calais, each lasting no more than an hour. Online booking deals are available, or we will gladly book your tickets for you.
  
  BY COACH:
  If you prefer to leave your car behind, several Day Coach Excursions to France are available. Depending on the destination and whether lunch is included the cost is between £15 and £30 per person. A popular excursion is around the Nord pas de Calais which includes a visit to a hypermarket. As all of these trips use either ferry connections from Dover to Calais or rail connections via the Chunnel, the schedules vary depending on the time of year. Wednesday and weekend excursions are usually available all year round.
  
  Also available are day coach trips between Folkestone to Calais or Boulogne. These operate 7 days a week during July and August and cost around £16 return. With this option you can choose to return the same day or stay overnight in France.

Please remember: - FULL TEN-YEAR PASSPORTS ARE REQUIRED to enable you to visit France. This applies to all methods of crossing the channel and also applies if you only wish to go on a 'non-lander'.

Information on Duty Free shopping

As you are probably aware 'Duty Free' shopping within Europe ceased to be possible from June 1999 and has been replaced with what is termed 'Duty Paid' shopping. This has actually meant that whereas before there were strict limits on how many cigarettes and bottles of spirits etc you could bring back into the country, these limits have now greatly increased.

There are practically no limits as long as the goods are for personal consumption and so you can bring back as much as you can carry! Prices have increased slightly but still represent a substantial saving on items brought at home. On the ferries out of Dover the 'duty paid' shops open up half way across the Channel as the ship enters 'French waters' and you buy your goods at 'French prices' - these are marked up in £ and you use British money or credit cards as normal. On the way back the shops are open for the first half of the journey and close when the ship reaches 'British waters'. The Tunnel operates in a similar fashion to the ferries with purchases being made at the French end of the journey, either in Calais itself or as you return to join the Shuttle to enable you to make the most of your savings. The terminal at Folkestone does offer shops but prices at the other end are much cheaper on the majority of goods.

Garden Coast Breaks

Spend a relaxing few days exploring Folkestone and surrounding districts in the area of Kent known as the Garden Coast. Based at the Langhorne on a Bed Breakfast & Evening Meal basis, you will be able to take advantage of one of Britain's sunniest and driest climates, with some of the country's leading places to visit close by.