The Grand Burstin Hotel

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The Grand Burstin Hotel
Grand Burstin Hotel, Folkestone - geograph.org.uk - 1412722.jpg
View of the Grand Burstin hotel from the harbour
The Grand Burstin Hotel
General information
LocationThe Harbour, Marine Parade, Folkestone, United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°4′38″N1°11′20″E / 51.07722°N 1.18889°E / 51.07722; 1.18889
Opening1975;50 years ago (1975) [1]
1845;180 years ago (1845) (as Pavilion Hotel) [2]
OwnerBritannia Hotels Ltd
Management Britannia Hotels
Technical details
Floor count14 [3]
Design and construction
ArchitectA. T. Bacon [1]
Sir William Cubitt [4]
Other information
Number of rooms550
Parking120
Website
The Grand Burstin Hotel Folkestone

The Grand Burstin Hotel is a hotel located at Folkestone Harbour in the seaside town of Folkestone. The hotel was almost completely rebuilt in the 1970s after the new owner, Motyl Burstin, [a] purchased the site of the previous Royal Pavilion Hotel in 1955.

Contents

Dating to the mid-nineteenth century, the Royal Pavilion Hotel designed by Sir William Cubitt, was built on the site of the older Pavilion Hotel and opened to the public in 1845 as the Pavilion Hotel. The establishment was visited by historic figures such as Charles Dickens and received its "Royal" title after a rumoured visitation from Queen Victoria during 1855. After being taken over by the Royal Navy during World War II for use as HMS Allenby, Royal Pavilion fell into disrepair and in 1955 was purchased by a new owner, with redevelopment plans outlined. Building of the Grand Burstin, then known as Hotel Burstin, occurred throughout the 1970s, with it opening to the public in 1975. Demolition of the Royal Pavilion completed in 1982, with the Burstin then extended, leaving the south wing and back entrance of the Royal Pavilion to be connected to the new building.

Since the Britannia Hotels takeover in 2004, the hotel has received widespread criticism for poor standards relating to health and safety, maintenance, cleanliness and use as an emergency shelter for migrants. The building has been used as a filming location for both the 2022 Disney+ miniseries Pistol and the 2023 film Who Is Erin Carter? .

Site

The Grand Burstin Hotel is located at Marine Parade in the seaside town of Folkestone. [5] The building sits on the site of the previous Royal Pavilion Hotel, which was established in the 1840s. The hotel and land were purchased in the 1950s by Polish tycoon Mr. Motyl Burstin. [6] The Grand Burstin Hotel began construction in 1974 and opened as Hotel Burstin in 1975 sitting on land facing the harbour. [7] The building is approximately 200 feet high and is 14 stories tall. [1] [3] After falling into disrepair by 1979, plans were made to demolish the Royal Pavilion. [8] It was subsequently demolished between 1981 and 1982, though the south wing and back entrance remained. [9] Planning application drawings display the Grand Burstin hotel as having a front elevation of approximately 11 metres (36 ft) facing toward Harbour Approach Road. [10]

Royal Pavilion Hotel history

1844 to 1855: Early years

Early interior and amenities

In 1844, Pavilion Hotel, designed by Sir William Cubitt, was built on the grounds of the recently demolished building of the same name. [4] [11] [12] The initial new building developments consisted of a billiard room, coffee room, a ballroom, club room, a table d'hôte, and a large front balcony with six-foot-wide York slabs, supported by ornamental iron brackets. [13] Publicly accessible rooms were large and decorated, with apartments and dormitories being in close proximity to one another for ease of access. [14] During 1853, Charles Dickens visited the hotel and wrote about the architecture and experience of the Royal Pavilion Hotel, referring to it with the alias "Pavilionstone". [15] Dickens later published these writings as a eulogium in the 12th volume of Household Words , with the title "Out of Town", in 1855. [16] This was used as an advertisement for the hotel. [17]

The early building was described as having spacious rooms that were appropriately decorated with "handsome" saloons. [14] Access to the saloon, which was used for private functions, required payment of one shilling (equivalent to £16in 2023), with free access provided to families who engaged a sitting room. [18] The table d'hôte was popular, especially during the summer months, with affordable prices it was considered economical. [14] Breakfast was served at the table d'hôte until ten o'clock in the morning, with a table d'hôte dinner served in the afternoon at two o'clock at the cost of four shillings (equivalent to £65in 2023) per person. [18] Visitors with private sitting rooms were able to use or obtain the public arrangements and luxuries without limitations. [14] [18] The Pavilion Hotel implemented a measure whereby printed bills were placed in every room so as not to create an imposition between staff and guest. The aforementioned billiard room, and a reading room, described as being "well-stocked" with material, provided adequate indoor entertainment. The front of the hotel featured a lawn for leisure, which at the time would have provided views of the working harbour and boats crossing the channel. [14]

Winter gardens and swimming pool

The Royal Pavilion Hotel sometimes advertised their winter garden, located at the back of the building and included a swimming pool, in local newspapers. [7] The winter gardens were advertised as being open for promenading at the cost of one shilling (equivalent to £17in 2023) and half-price (equivalent to £8in 2023) for children. [19] The winter gardens functioned as a large open greenhouse for a large number of plants including palms, ferns and eucalypti, which could be viewed by guests. [20] The gardens also had a large ballroom, with stage and orchestra accompaniment. In the 1920s, the Folkestone Swimming Club used the swimming pool located in the winter gardens. [7]

"Out of Town"

Dickens described the fenestration of the Royal Pavilion Hotel in "Out of Town", referring to the building as "New Pavilionstone", writing "we are a little too much addicted to small windows with more bricks in them than glass." He criticised the architecture as being "not over-fanciful" with a noticeable lack of ornamental decoration and further noted poor construction quality, "we get unexpected sea-views through cracks in the street doors". [21] Even with his earlier criticisms, Dickens conceded that "we are very snug and comfortable", something also shared by later nineteenth writings on the hotel, acknowledging that despite his disapproval of the exterior architectural aesthetic, the building was functional and the interior was "well accommodated." [14] [21] Later on in the eulogium, Dickens listed the public areas, "if you are for public life at our great Pavilionstone Hotel, you walk into that establishment as if were your club; and find ready for you, your news-room, dining-room, smoking-room, billard-room, music-room, public breakfast, public dinner twice-a-day (one plain, one gorgeous), hot baths and cold baths." [13] [21]

Royal visit

Shorncliffe Army Camp received a visit of review from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on 9 August 1855. A Foreign Legion of approximately 2,900 arrived in Folkestone for the visit under the command of Brigadier-General Raines and Brigadier-General Wooldridge. [22] [23] During her stay in Folkestone, Queen Victoria allegedly visited the Pavilion Hotel, after which the hotel adopted the "Royal" prefix, becoming known as the Royal Pavilion Hotel. [7] [15] [24]

1896 to 1899: Late nineteenth century renovations

New ownership

In 1896, the ownership of the Royal Pavilion Hotel changed hands, and plans to refurbish the building were made public. [25] The refurbishment work was undertaken by architect Colonel R. W. Edis, with plans to have the hotel be comparable in appearance and comfort to other higher profile establishments. The developers Maple & Co had previously worked on the Coburg Hotel located at Grosvenor Square. [26]

Interior design

Guest comfort was the primary focus of Maple & Co, with specific rooms in the Royal Pavilion building relocated, including the lounge to the centre of the building. Specialist interior designs were chosen, panelled wainscot oak for the walls, and frieze to mark Folkestone's shipbuilding history and active harbour. Decorative furnished chairs and settees were chosen for the lounge, antique Persian rugs sat atop a polished oaken floor, Oriental themed. Other rooms in the building such as the smoking room and billiard room were also intricately decorated, the former with mahogany rich satin wood inlayed Sheraton type furniture and the latter with oak fitted furniture and scarlet morocco upholstered chairs. The dining room was designed in a Georgian character, the furniture also of mahogany and upholstery of the chairs in a blue impressed morocco. The hotel's drawing room also functioned as a ballroom. The walls were designed with soft yellow silk panels, and the mantelpieces had elegant decorative depictions of classical landscape in similar soft colours. [26]

Death of George Henry Newington

George Henry Newington, a bricklayer’s labourer, was killed in an accident involving a hydraulic lift at the Royal Pavilion Hotel during renovations in 1899. The lift was used to carry food from the kitchen to the upper floors and was in operation when the incident occurred. Newington entered the lift in the afternoon as meals began being served. The cook, who was present nearby but not observing the lift at that moment, heard a shriek and turned to see that the lift’s ram had dropped, crushing Newington beneath with the six-tons of available power. Attempts were made to free him, however Newington's injuries were fatal. [27]

1942 to 1945: HMS Allenby

During the Second World War, the Royal Pavilion Hotel was used as a Combined operation base under the name of "HMS Allenby", for the Royal Navy under the command of Vice Admiral Round Turner. [28] British, American and troops of multiple nationalities were stationed in Folkestone at this time. [29] HMS Allenby was commissioned for use between the period of 14 March 1943 and 10 April 1945, however records for the period show the base was in operation since 1 December 1942, possibly under the name of "Bluebird III". [30]

Motyl Burstin

1955 to 1965: Burstin takeover and re-opening

Polish businessman Motyl Burstin purchased the Royal Pavilion in 1955 with plans to convert the building into residential flatlets for the elderly. [6] [7] [31] This was completed by 1961. [32] Plans were proposed by American sponsors headed by L. E. Detwiler in 1957 outlining a new 1000-bed hotel, improved ferry services from Folkestone and Dover respectively, a helicopter base within the inner Folkestone harbour and the building of two 90,000 passenger liners costing GBP£60 million equivalent to £1,827,190,673in 2023. The Royal Pavilion Hotel had been operated by the War Office since World War II, and had not been in use since then. The plans involved repurposing the Royal Pavilion into use as offices, conference rooms and restaurants. [33] Detwiler met with the Mayor of Folkestone, Lt. Colonel Bradley and the owner of the Royal Pavilion Hotel to explain his plans. [34] The mayor offered his support to Detwiler, along with the Royal Pavilion Hotel where land for extending the building was available. [33]

Folkestone Justices approved of proposed plans submitted by H. S. Worthing-Edridge for licensed parts of the Royal Pavilion Hotel in 1960. These plans included a bar in the reception room and the pre-war smoking room becoming a cocktail lounge. Building alterations under the design of architect Cyril P. Griggs included the splitting of the north block from the main building with two new bars located there and changes to the banquet hall, toilets and cloakrooms. [35] One year later, Motyl Burstin re-opened two bars, marking the first time since World War II where the public were able to purchase alcohol at the hotel. A lounge bar in the previous booking office was also opened, with the proposed cocktail bar also opened. [36] In 1965, there was expressed interest in adding two new wings to the Royal Pavilion building. [37]

1973 to 1982: Demolition of the Royal Pavilion Hotel

By 1973, proposed demolition of the Royal Pavilion building had started, with the elderly residents inducted into a planned phased relocation plan. A new hotel designed to resemble a ship, designed by architect A. T. Bacon was outlined. Motyl Burstin described the new building's design as being "smart" and of a "conservative nature", with the aim to have the building "blend in with the area". [1] [38] This new hotel opened two years later in 1975 on the same site. [1] Shepway District Council estimated in 1979 that repairs to the Royal Pavilion building would cost GBP£51,000 equivalent to £325,907in 2023, with a GBP£75,000 equivalent to £479,274in 2023 figure also quoted by the treasurer Arthur Ruderman. Pressure was put onto Motyl Burstin by councillor Will Harris to bulldoze the building otherwise repair funding would be withheld. Plans to rehome the remaining residents were also actioned. [39] Demolition began in 1980, where a team of ten men worked to deconstruct and teardown the building. This was supported by local campaigners led by Rev. Tony Shepherd and members of the district council. [40] [41] The demolition was finally completed in 1982, leaving only the south wing and back entrance of the original building remaining. [1] [9]

Grand Burstin Hotel history

1973 to 1982: Construction and opening

As sections of the older Royal Pavilion Hotel building were demolished, a hotel, designed by A. T. Bacon, went under construction commencing in 1973. [1] A year later, a quarter of the new building had been completed, with rooms in the remaining Royal Pavilion Hotel building not re-let. [42] The new building opened a year later in 1975 as "Motel Burstin". [1] [7] Seven years later in 1982, the Hotel Burstin received an extension after the completed demolition of the older Royal Pavilion Hotel building, with the full docked cruise ship look fulfilled. [1]

Early amenities

The early Hotel Burstin had guest rooms with private en suites, access to colour television, radio and telephone, along with a view of the English Channel. The hotel featured entertainment in the form of live music. [43] [44] After the Britannia Hotels takeover in 2004, the hotel also had facilities including an indoor swimming pool and sauna. A daily maid service was also established, with rooms equipped with tea and coffee facilities. [45]

1987 to 2004: Ownership succession

Motyl Burstin sold Hotel Burstin to Land Leisure PLC in 1987. Following this the hotel had a succession of new owners including Control Securities, Ascot Holdings PLC and finally Leisure Great Britain PLC in 1995. [7] The owner of Britannia Hotels, Alex Langsam, purchased the Hotel Burstin, then known as the Grand Burstin, from Grand Leisure Hotels Group, in 2004 for an undisclosed amount. [46]

2022 to 2023: Maintenance works

High winds, during the autumn of 2022, caused a section of the Grand Burstin Hotel's front elevation exterior to fall on top of a holiday coach, injuring the driver and a passenger. They were transported to hospital and Kent Fire and Rescue Service sectioned off the perimeter to prevent further injuries to the public. [47] [48] [49] Scaffolding was put up after the removal of the section that had fallen, the front exterior was then completely dismantled. [50] The following year, the Grand Burstin Hotel's exterior went under further maintenance with the entire external render system replaced due to it reaching the end of its usable life, with concrete and masonry repairs completed to the skeleton of the building. These works were carried out by JDF RS Limited at the cost of £700,000, who enacted cost-cutting measures by pinning un-bonded sections using render pins, followed by a coating system application. The underground support beams were also maintained with new steel support beams. [51]

Criticisms

Newspapers

National newspapers

Criticism of the Grand Burstin Hotel and its previous iteration as the Royal Pavilion Hotel, has been overwhelmingly negative as far back as the 1850s. After staying there in 1853, Charles Dickens expressed his disapproval of the architectural aesthetic in his magazine, Household Words . [21] The Daily Mirror newspaper reported on two separate reviews of the Grand Burstin. In 2020, Kent Live reporter John James checked into a room at the hotel, illustrating the exterior of the building as "filthy" and being "covered in green and brown dirt from who knows what decade". Similar to historic criticism, James said that the "bedroom suffered from the worn out aesthetic of the rest of the hotel" and concluded that even though the room was affordable, he would not stay there in the future. [52] [53] Gavin Haines of The Daily Telegraph stayed at the Burstin in 2025, marking the hotel as needing improvement both on the inside and the outside. Unimpressed with the quality of the hotel, he described the rose petals on his rooms bed as being "low-budget" and called the spa "scuzzy" and evoking "verruca socks". For the outside, Haines observed overflowing skips and rusty air conditioning units. [54] [55] On: Yorkshire Magazine highlighted the Burstin's "poor" rating on Tripadvisor, but compared the hotel to Marmite saying "you either love it or hate it". [56] [57]

Local news

Reviews from local news outlets have been slightly more favourable. James Pallant, reporting for KentOnline in 2022, found the mattress hard, the television non-functional and assumed that "the walls must be pretty thin" due to excessive noise. Despite these minor grievances, he praised the hotels cleanliness and array of food, though noted it "wasn't the most flavourful food I've ever tasted", ultimately concluded "the Grand Burstin is all right in my book". [58] A 2022 review conducted by Lyndsey Young of Kent Live was more critical, with issues such as the carpets being filthy and a rusty towel rail in the bedroom en suite being highlighted. Similarly to Pallant's report, Young also commented that the breakfast options she was presented with looked "unappetising" and that sleeping was difficult because "when the person in the next room put the shower on or flushed the loo" it made "a sound like a ship coming into the harbour". [59]

Other concerns

Hygiene concerns

The Guardian newspaper reported on the Burstin's management Britannia Hotels in 2020, observing a Which? customer score of 37%. [60] Particular emphasis was put on hygiene, with Jo Rhodes of Which? writing that swab tests taken from the bathroom surfaces at Royal Albion Hotel contained enterococci bacteria. Cleanliness issues were also present at the Grand Burstin where researchers reportedly found "stray hairs, stained towels and surfaces that had not been thoroughly cleaned". [60] [61] Rhodes reported spraying "towels and bedsheets with Hazmat UV fluid" to analyse how thorough room cleaning was between guests. Germ simulation powder was also used on "common touch areas, including the light switches and door handles". Results showed that specific items "lit up" under the UV black light, including television remotes, door handles, plug sockets, kettles and coffee mugs. Bathroom results further lit up on the bathroom taps, soap dispenser, toilet brush and chain. Bedding and towels did not light up however, meaning they had been changed between guests. [62] Hedi Mehrez of Kent Live described a "musty smell" in his room, however he adjusted to the smell. Andrew Eames of BBC Travel described an unpleasant in the room he stayed at, where his "room smelled of stale cigarettes". Hedi Mehrez of Kent Live also described a "musty smell" in his room, however he adjusted to the smell. [63] [64]

Asylum seekers

In 2014, 130 migrants were temporarily located to the Grand Burstin hotel for a two week period. The Home Office had transported them there due to other options already reached capacity. [65] Thirty of the migrants reportedly exited the hotel within 24 hours, whilst those still there promptly vacated before the two weeks had elapsed. [66] The MP for Folkestone and Hythe, Damian Collins announced that Home Office contractors had made the decision to not provide access to local services to the migrants during their time at the hotel, directing them to asylum seeker centres for urgent care instead. They also maintained that the local council would not provide support. [67] 59 more migrants were provided emergency accommodation at the hotel by the Home Office in 2019. Staff and guests expressed concern with the arrangement although the migrants' stay was brief. [68]

Appearances in media

The 2023 film Who Is Erin Carter? , which stars Evin Ahmad, had scenes filmed on location at the Grand Burstin Hotel, at The Stade, the Folkestone Harbour Arm and Folkestone Harbour. [69] The interior of the Grand Burstin Hotel was used as the Victorian ballroom in Danny Boyle's 2022 Disney+ miniseries Pistol. [70] [71]

Notes

  1. ↑ Publications spell Burstin's first name as "Motyl", whilst newspapers from the period spell his first name as "Motel".

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Paul Harris (15 November 2016). Folkestone in 50 Buildings. Amberley Publishing . Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  2. ↑ "Jan 14 Kentish Courier and General Advertiser FOLKSTONE" . British Newspaper Archive . Kentish Courier and General Advertiser. 14 January 1845. p. 5. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  3. 1 2 Folkestone & Hythe District Council Report of the Chief Planning Officer Planning Committee 21 January 2025 24/0505/FH (PDF). Folkestone & Hythe District Council. 21 January 2025. p. 2. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Royal Pavilion Hotel, Folkestone Harbour. FOLKESTONE". Marrin's Bookshop Antiquarian Books, Maps & Prints. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  5. ↑ Skelton, Paul (18 February 2025). "Grand Burstin Hotel". Dover Kent Archives. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  6. 1 2 Percival, Geoff (25 March 2008). "Southend's Palace future still in limbo". Southend Echo. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Warren, Christine (9 March 2024). "Folkestone Hotels". Warrenpress.net. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  8. ↑ "South Kent Gazette 22 August 1979 Local News". Dover Kent Archives. South Kent Gazette. 22 August 1979. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  9. 1 2 EB 11.13a Folkestone & Hythe District Heritage Strategy Appendix 1: Theme 3a Seaside Leisure & Tourism – Folkestone & Sandgate as Seaside Resorts. Folkestone & Hythe District Council. 29 November 2018. p. 5. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
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  13. 1 2 "Dover Chronicle - Saturday 25 May 1844 FOLKESTONE (From our own Correspondent)" . British Newspaper Archive . Dover Chronicle. 25 May 1844. p. 2. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mackie, S. J. (1883). Descriptive and Historical Account of Folkestone and its Neighbourhood with Gleanings from the Municipal Records (Second ed.). Folkestone: J. English. p. 94. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  15. 1 2 Parkinson, Ruth; Sutton, Terry (March 2010). The Dover Society Newsletter No.67 March 2010 (PDF). Vol. 67. The Dover Society. pp. 17–18. Retrieved 3 October 2025. November Meeting 1st talk The Royal Pavilion at Folkestone A talk by Ruth Parkinson reported by Terry Sutton
  16. ↑ Elbert, Monika; Schmid, Susanne (10 December 2019). Anglo-American Travelers and the Hotel Experience in Nineteenth-Century Literature Nation, Hospitality, Travel Writing (1st ed.). Routledge. ISBN   9780367878467 . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
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  18. 1 2 3 Warren, Christine; Knowles, David. "Hotel Room Rates and luggage label". warrenpress.net. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  19. ↑ "Royal Pavilion Hotel Lawn & Winter Gardens Afternoon Promenade Concert" . British Newspaper Archive . Folkestone Express, Sandgate, Shorncliffe & Hythe Advertiser. 13 August 1887. p. 5. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
  20. ↑ "Folkestone Royal Pavilion Hotel" . British Newspaper Archive . Truth. 19 June 1902. p. 57. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Dickens, Charles (29 September 1855). "Out of Town". Household Words . 12 (288). Bradbury & Evans . Retrieved 3 October 2025. Accessible copy: gutenberg.org/files/872/872-h/872-h.htm#page373
  22. ↑ "Review Of The Foreign Legion At Shorncliffe By The Queen" . British Newspaper Archive . The Morning Post. 9 August 1855. p. 5. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  23. ↑ "Review Of The Foreign Legion By The Queen" . British Newspaper Archive . Star of Gwent. 11 August 1855. p. 12. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  24. ↑ James, John (21 July 2020). "Grand Burstin: The Folkestone 'eyesore' which actually replaced a stunning 19th century hotel". KentLive . Retrieved 6 October 2025.
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  26. 1 2 "Royal Pavilion Hotel, Folkestone" . British Newspaper Archive . The Financial News. 8 August 1898. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  27. ↑ "Folkestone Chronicle 25 February 1899 Inquest". Dover Kent Archives. Folkestone Chronicle. 25 February 1899. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  28. ↑ "Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) Officers 1939-1945". Unit Histories. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  29. ↑ Bait, Ivor; McNeill, Fiona (19 November 2003). "Wartime Butcher's Boy- Folkestone". BBC Archives . Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  30. ↑ "UK Land Based Training Establishments". Combined Ops. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  31. ↑ Wulff, Louis (13 April 1960). "Mr. Motel Buys Another Hotel" . British Newspaper Archive . The Evening News. p. 2. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  32. ↑ "The Royal Pavilion Hotel, Folkestone, has been converted into Single Room Flatlets" . British Newspaper Archive . The Evening News. 2 June 1961. p. 16. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  33. 1 2 "Kent's Key Part In £93 Million Tourist Scheme" . British Newspaper Archive . Maidstone Telegraph. 1 February 1957. p. 3. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  34. ↑ "Meeting With Mayor" . British Newspaper Archive . The Evening News. 19 February 1957. p. 5. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  35. ↑ "Folkestone Herald 28 May 1960. Local News". Dover Kent Archives. Folkestone Herald. 28 May 1960. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  36. ↑ "Folkestone Gazette 17 May 1961. Local News". Dover Kent Archives. Folkestone Gazette. 17 May 1961. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  37. ↑ "Seaside flats" . British Newspaper Archive . Maidstone Telegraph. 3 September 1965. p. 13. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  38. ↑ "Folkestone Project" . British Newspaper Archive . Bexhill-on-Sea Observer. 22 September 1973. p. 1. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  39. ↑ "Folkestone Herald 16 June 1979. Local News". Dover Kent Archives. Folkestone Herald. 16 June 1979. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  40. ↑ "Folkestone Herald 19 January 1980. Local News". Dover Kent Archives. Folkestone Herald. 19 January 1980. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  41. ↑ "Folkestone & Hythe District Haunted Hostelries". GofEPS. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  42. ↑ "Talks Start On Seafront Super-Hotel Plans" . British Newspaper Archive . Bexhill-on-Sea Observer. 1 June 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  43. ↑ "Autumn Breaks Kent with Hotel Burstin, Folkestone" . Newspapers.com . Daily Mirror. 13 October 1980. p. 22. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  44. ↑ "Another Great Holiday Bargain Folkestone & Boulogne" . Newspapers.com . Evening Herald. 25 August 1987. p. 6. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  45. ↑ "'Springtime Cabaret Special' Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone" . British Newspaper Archive . Telford Journal. 25 March 2004. p. 9. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  46. ↑ Nixon, Chris (27 November 2004). "New owners in Grand pledge" . British Newspaper Archive . Scarborough Evening News. p. 7. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  47. ↑ "Folkestone street sealed after render falls from hotel wall". BBC News. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  48. ↑ Witts, Sophie (24 November 2022). "Two people injured after exterior of Britannia hotel falls on coach". The Caterer . Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  49. ↑ "Two people injured after being hit by falling debris at the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone". ITV News. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  50. ↑ Griffiths, Rhys (26 November 2022). "Work continues at Grand Burstin hotel in Folkestone after wall collapse". KentOnline . Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  51. ↑ "Project : Grand Burstin Hotel, Folkestone". J.D.F RS Ltd. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  52. ↑ James, John (5 December 2020). "Grand Burstin: Our shocking night at the Folkestone hotel run by the chain ranked worst in UK". Kent Live . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  53. ↑ James, John (7 December 2020). "Inside Britain's 'worst hotel chain' as guests say they'd 'rather sleep on the street'". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  54. ↑ Haines, Gavin (20 April 2025). "My mini tour of the 'worst hotel chain in Britain'" . Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  55. ↑ Hardie, Beth (17 August 2025). "'I stayed at Britain's worst rated hotel chain - grim discovery in room knocked me sick'". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  56. ↑ "Grand Burstin Hotel". Tripadvisor . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  57. ↑ Jenkins, Clare (June 2024). "Folkestone, Hastings & the Grand Burstin Hotel – Travel Review". On: Yorkshire Magazine. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  58. ↑ Pallant, James (12 November 2022). "Is the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone really that bad?". KentOnline . Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  59. ↑ Young, Lyndsey (28 May 2022). "I visited the Grand Burstin in Folkestone to see if it deserves the scathing reviews". Kent Live . Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  60. 1 2 "Britannia named worst UK hotel chain for eighth year in a row". The Guardian. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  61. ↑ Rhodes, Jo (5 December 2020). "Britannia rated UK's worst hotel chain for eighth year running". Which? . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  62. ↑ Rhodes, Jo (14 November 2020). "Some hotels found to have not cleaned rooms properly despite coronavirus risk". Which? . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  63. ↑ Eames, Andrew (17 April 2023). "A new life for Britain's seaside towns". BBC Travel . Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  64. ↑ Mehrez, Hedi (28 November 2023). "'I stayed at one of Kent's 'worst' hotels and was quite surprised'". Kent Live . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  65. ↑ Perry, Keith (24 September 2014). "Asylum seekers housed in hotel with 'spectacular sea views'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  66. ↑ "Grand Burstin hotel asylum seekers moved elsewhere". BBC News. 6 October 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  67. ↑ "Folkestone hotel asylum seeker decision 'made by contractor'". BBC News. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  68. ↑ Williams, Sam (18 September 2019). "Asylum seekers put up at The Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone". KentOnline . Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  69. ↑ "Who Is Erin Carter? (2023)". Kent Film Office. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  70. ↑ Harman, Charlie (29 April 2021). "Film crews for Danny Boyle's Sex Pistols Hulu TV series move into Grand Burstin Hotel, Folkestone". KentOnline . Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  71. ↑ "Pistol (2022)". Kent Film Office. Retrieved 4 October 2025.

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