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Host your dream wedding reception at Goodnestone Park, a premier Kent wedding venue

Staycation Trends for 2023

Industry operators’ research discovered that more than four in five people are opting for the “staycation” (holidaying in the U.K.), with staycations expected to boom in 2023. There’s really no need to go abroad to have a whale of a time. 

So if you’re wondering where is the best place to staycation in 2023 or seeking out romantic or family staycations, at Goodnestone Park and Gardens, we’ve got you covered. Book this winter to take advantage of our 10% staycation discount!

If you prefer day trips out, Goodnestone has more to offer than you might think. Adults and children alike will love meandering through the stunning Home and Garden taking in the rich history and glorious wildlife.

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Let the kids roam wild at Goodnestone

We know it can be tough as a parent to entertain the kids over the weekend or half term, so let us ease the burden and take a day trip to Goodnestone Park. We have plenty for little ones to explore, so get kids out in nature and help them burn off energy (plus, keep your sanity as parents!). Children will love following the narrow paths, seeking out the pond and large rockery almost hidden within the woods. And with Verdant Leisure reporting that one in three holidaymakers are hoping to explore more of the countryside this year, what better place than Kent, the beautiful Garden of England? 

For a more structured day trip with kids, we have a calendar of events throughout the year for all the family, with guests provided with access to the grounds free of charge. From Goodnestone House tours to family theatre shows, there’s something for everyone – well-behaved dogs are also welcome on the grounds!

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Enjoy quality time with friends and loved ones

Goodnestone House is an ideal location to enjoy time with friends, with 12 bedrooms available to be rented out by groups. Get together for a belated post-Covid catch-up, celebrate engagements and birthdays or just come together for some quality time. With stunning grounds and plenty of things to do around the Kentish area, consider Goodnestone for your next staycation with friends.

Goodnestone House inspired one of the greatest love stories of all time: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Immerse yourselves in the walls of romantic literature and enjoy our discounted rates* on any date in January, February and March. Choose between a 3-night, 5-night and 7-night stay and bask in the luxury treatment as soon as you arrive, with chilled canapes and English sparkling wine on arrival.

  • A 3-night, long weekend stay at Goodnestone usually costs £6,945. With our early 2023 discount, it’s £6,250
  • For a 5-night, long-weekend stay, guests would usually pay £7,800 but with our early 2023 discount, it’s £7,000
  • A 7-night stay would ordinarily cost £9,702 but with our early 2023 discount, it’s £8,700

If you’d prefer to relish the romantic history with a partner, book a delicious Valentine’s Day lunch at The Old Dairy Cafe. We anticipate this will be very popular, so book today to avoid missing out. Email olddairy@goodnestone.com or call us on 01304 695098.

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Getting married in 2023? Explore our Kent wedding open day!

It’s no surprise that Goodnestone Park and Gardens is one of the best wedding venues in Kent. Steeped in history, this Grade II* listed property provides a gorgeous setting for an intimate wedding with dedicated, experienced Kentish wedding planners helping to make your romantic day perfectly yours. Our wedding fairs in Kent are the ideal opportunity to speak with The Wedding Dolls to begin planning your wedding.

  • Wedding Open Weekend, Goodnestone House and GardensSaturday 4th & Sunday 5th March 2023 and Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th April 2023

Celebrate your engagement with a glass of fizz and a tour of our Grade II* listed mansion, award-winning gardens and luxury timber-framed marquee, The Orangery. See why we’re one of the best wedding venues in Kent and speak with our House Manager and the team of experienced wedding planners, The Wedding Dolls. Booking is essential; email our House Manager at enquiries@goodnestone.com.

What’s around Goodnestone?

Perhaps you’re not local to Kent and still planning to visit us. In which case, welcome! We’d be thrilled to have you. Kent really is a gorgeous county in the South East and there are lots of things to do here.

But before you explore the surrounding area, feast your eyes upon the beautiful grounds at Goodnestone. The Goodnestone Gardens truly are a treat for the eyes, especially during warmer months! In springtime, our large greenhouse is bursting at the seams with seedlings and cuttings (after careful propagation!), ready to be planted in the garden or sold in our nursery. The Arboretums serve up a slice of history with the first Arboretum having been planted in the 1950s. It consists of different crab apples, mountain ash, ornamental cherries and birch. The second Arboretum was planted in 2001 to celebrate Lord Fitzwalter’s parents’ golden anniversary and many of the trees here provide a golden glow to the dappled floor below.

Goodnestone Park grounds: The perfect backdrop for corporate events and celebrations
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Goodnestone Park grounds: The perfect backdrop for corporate events and celebrations
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Capture magical wedding photos in the breathtaking grounds of Goodnestone Park
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Adjacent to the Arboretum lies the Gravel Garden; home to ornamental grasses and plants which self-seed amongst the gravel and pebbles. Traverse to the lower terrace, and you’ll find a box parterre, planted to celebrate the Millennium – with avenues of yews running along both terraces. If you’re looking for wild nature, the Woodland Garden is a haven for nature lovers, providing a beautiful contrast to the more cultivated, formal gardens spanning the rest of the grounds. And don’t forget to visit the Walled Garden, featuring carefully-restored 12th Century walls to the church beyond.

Outside of Goodnestone, we’re surrounded by the English coastline, with Deal only a 30-minute drive away, Margate and Broadstairs only 40 minutes away, and Whitstable less than an hour away. For art lovers, Margate boasts of the internationally-acclaimed Turner Contemporary gallery, Henry VIII’s Deal Castle will be a hit amongst history lovers, and Botany Bay in Broadstairs is a hidden gem of beautiful chalk stacks views of white cliffs.

To get to Kent Downs (an Area of Outstanding Beauty) it’ll only take around 40 minutes in the car. Here, you’ll be spoilt for choice with walks to navigate, local farms to visit and arts and crafts to keep restless hands busy.

Book your visit to Goodnestone today and see why this early Eighteenth Century estate is one of the most popular places to visit in Kent. 

*Rates are discounted for 3-, 5- and 7-night stays for non-wedding bookings only.

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