The Royal Wells Hotel is ideally situated in Tunbridge Wells Kent England

<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000" link="#333366" vlink="#333366" alink="#333366"> <div align="center"> | <a href="index.html">the hotel</a> | <a href="rooms.html">rooms</a> | <a href="food_wine.html">food and wine</a> | <a href="area.html">tunbridge wells Kent</a> | <a href="wedding.html">weddings</a> | <a href="conference.html">conferences</a> | <a href="function.html">functions</a> | <a href="how_find.html">how to find us</a> | <a href="enquiries.html">contact details</a> | <br><br> <img src="pages/images/logo.gif" alt="The Royal Wells Hotel is situtated in Tunbridge Wells in the heart of one of the most scenic stretches of countryside in England, known as the "Garden of England" and surrounded by some of the Country's most important tourist attractions. The hotel is only an hour or so from London by rail or road and less than an hour and a half from the Cross Channel Ports and Tunnel." width="370" height="60"><br><br> <h1>The Royal Wells Hotel in Tunbridge Wells Kent England</h1> The Hotel is situated in the heart of one of the most scenic stretches of countryside in England, known as the "Garden of England" and surrounded by some of the Country's most important tourist attractions. The hotel is only an hour or so from London by rail or road and less than an hour and a half from the Cross Channel Ports and Tunnel.</p> <p>At the royal wells hotel each guest is treated as an individual. The high standard of comfort and service, coupled with excellent food and wine, make it the ideal place to enjoy a relaxing break.</p> <p>Whether you're planning a romantic weekend or a holiday for the whole family, a stay at the Royal Wells hotels tunbridge wells uk with its superb Conservatory restaurant and Wells Brasserie, elegant bedrooms and astonishing selection of local attractions is the obvious choice.</p> <p>The Royal Wells Hotel owes it regal title to Queen Victoria, who made frequent visits as a young princess in the early nineteenth century. She later granted the use of her Coat of Arms, which are proudly displayed at the top of the building. Today the hotel still retains much of its Victorian elegance.</p> <h2>The royal wells hotel owns classic cars and runs a yellow 1909 Commer Shooting Brake Bus and a 1966 Alvis TE21 Drophead Coupe.</h2> <p>The Commer being originally owned by Lord Lonsdale of Lonsdale Belt fame and founder member of the AA. The bus has been lovingly restored by the proprietor and still regularly completes the London to Brighton rally.</p> <p>The sloan family have a fascination with vintage cars which has been handed down from father to son. In the hotel's brasserie, is a collection of motoring memorabilia among which is a canvas of the proprietors' father setting off from his previous hostelry with his 1902 Benz and completing The London to Brighton run in the mid 50's. Other items include stained glass pictures of Vintage Cars that the family have owned, together with prints, reverse painted pictures of other classic cars, badges and model cars.</p> <h3>History of the royal wells hotel</h3> The hotel is believed to date from around the end of the 18th Century, when it was known as The Hare and Hounds. At that time Tunbridge Wells was divided into four main areas: The Parade (now known as The Pantiles), Mount Pleasant, Mount Sion and Mount Ephraim.</p> <p>Mount Ephraim was situated a short distance from the other areas and was considered to be the "better end of town". A contemporary account states the area as being "a respectable and useful quarter of Tunbridge Wells on a hill with the most salubrious air and with extensive views of Kent, Surrey and Sussex."</p> <p>The Inn was one of a number of hostelries and boarding houses on Mount Ephraim where people stayed during "the Season"; coming to Tunbridge Wells to take the waters and socialise during the summer.</p> <p>A map engraved by T. T. Barron, dated 1808, shows the Inn set back from the road on its present site, at that time however the main axis paralleled the Mount with the building facing out over Boyne Park. Some of the original Georgian brickwork can still be seen in the cellar area.</p> <p>In about 1835, Edward Neal, a wine merchant who ran his business from the vaults fronting the road, acquired the Inn and changed its name to The Mount Ephraim Hotel. He carried out extensive alterations and refurbished the principal apartments. We believe this is when the whole of the front of the Hotel was added changing its axis to look over the top end of The Common and town.</p> <p>Whilst still a princess, Queen Victoria stayed several times and later granted the use of her Coat of Arms, which are proudly displayed at the top of the building.</p> <p>A "posting department" consisting of Mail Coaches was run from the hotel and was found to be "efficient in every respect, with daily conveyances to and from the hotel between London, Brighton and Hastings".</p> <p>The freehold of the hotel and the adjoining Somerville and Plaisance cottages came up for sale in 1866 and General Sir Frederick Smith, chairman of The Alexandra Hotel Company, invited the public to subscribe in shares of the Hotel.</p> <p>In 1868 a local directory lists a Charles James Curtis as the Hotel Keeper and by 1886 the owner of the now named Royal Mount Ephraim Hotel was a Miss F Prouse.</p> <p>At the turn of the century the Conservatory and bay windows were added and between the Wars a garage block completed. By 1935 the hotel was known simply as The Royal Hotel and in the 1950's was owned by Lady Docker, the socialite and wife of the Chairman of Daimler Cars.</p> <p>In 1968 the hotel was purchased by Geoff and Peggy Sloan and became The Royal Wells Hotel. Since 1982 it has been run by their two sons David and Robert.</p> <p>Today the hotel still retains much of its Victorian elegance.</p> <h4>At the royal wells hotel facilities are as follows:</h4> <br>25 En-suite bedrooms - 3 four poster beds - 2 Special suites - 2 restaurants <br>public and private bar - extensive wine cellar - wedding facilities <br>approved for civil marriage ceremonies - wedding reception - meeting conference facilities<br>  </div> </body> <script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-4160277-2");pageTracker._initData();pageTracker._trackPageview();</script>