Rub shoulders with spooks, smugglers and celebrities at the Mermaid Inn, Rye
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If walls could talk, I often wonder what they'd say - and at the Mermaid Inn, in Rye, East Sussex, I'm sure there would be plenty to talk about.
With its tumbledown, Tudor-beamed exterior, latticed windows and resident ghosts and ghouls, this historic inn is one of the oldest in the country.
Its Norman cellars date from 1156 and since the building was revamped in 1420, not much has changed.
English inns don't come more picturesque than the Mermaid and over the years, it has welcomed a whole host of famous faces from Charlie Chaplin and Michael Caine to Johnny Depp and David Jason.
Hell, even Perry Fenwick - who is better known as Billy from EastEnders - has a signed portrait hanging in the Mermaid's 'hall of fame'.
Situated in the heart of Rye, with its charming cobbled streets and ancient abodes, the Mermaid boasts a wide range of accommodation (check out the rooms with four-poster beds and secret passages).
Rumour has it that several of the hotel rooms are actually haunted and to prove it, the Mermaid appeared on the first series of TV's Most Haunted! Spooky...
It also has a cosy little lounge bar with one of the largest open log fires in the country, which, back in the day, was a favourite hangout for the Hawkhurst gang of smugglers.
If the thought of a few spooks and spectres doesn't ruin your appetite, head to the Mermaid's award-winning restaurant, which has an AA Rosette.
This fine dining establishment serves up the very best in British and French cuisine and impressively, it offers a full menu for vegetarians and vegans.
Expect to pay around £20 for a two-course meal at lunchtime or £40 for a four-course gourmet dinner - well worth it for this unique slice of history.
Cost standard double room: ££££
Services parking, hotel restaurant, hotel bar, internet access
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