The Lookout, Folkstone

The Lookout is the upper apartment at The Breakers, a beachfront house at the end of a private gated road on the Sandgate seafront, the stretch of the Folkestone coast locals call the Riviera. Two terraces, a master bedroom with its own balcony, and an uninterrupted view of the sea that on a clear day reaches as far as France. A spiral staircase links the two floors, there is a wood burner for the evenings, and it sleeps up to 7.

Arrange it in advance and you can arrive to a stocked fridge, have dinner cooked for you, order a cake for whatever you are celebrating, or add a daily maid service. Or cook your own and eat on the terrace with the tide coming in. The master balcony, where breakfast comes with the sound of the waves, tends to be the room everyone quietly competes for.

The home

The Lookout runs over two floors, linked by a spiral staircase. The main living area has a wood burner, a modern kitchen and two tables for eating together, and opens onto a large terrace with the sea straight ahead. There is a barbecue on the living room balcony. The master bedroom has its own ensuite and a private balcony, the spot for a quiet coffee before anyone else is up.

The second bedroom is flexible: set up as a double with an extra single, or as three singles on a zip-and-link, which makes it easy for a family with children or a group of adults sharing. A dedicated workspace covers anyone who has to log on.

Why you'll love it

The view goes all the way to France

Uninterrupted panoramic sea views from the terraces, and on a clear day you can see across to France. The large windows bring it inside; the two terraces and the master balcony make the most of it outside.

A master bedroom with its own balcony

The master has an ensuite and a private balcony facing the sea. Breakfast out there, or just the first coffee, is the sort of thing that decides who gets which room.

Flexible enough for a family or a group of friends

Two bedrooms taking up to 7. The second bedroom sets up as a double plus a single, or as three singles, so it suits a family with children or a group of adults sharing. Fair warning: the beds comfortably cover about five, with the rest on a sofa bed, so it is at its easiest at four to five and still works at a full seven.

A wood burner for the evenings

When the sea breeze turns cool, the wood burner and a couple of tables make the living room the place everyone ends up. Not a bad way to close a day on the beach.

Food, if you want it handled

Optional extras include a pre-stocked fridge for arrival, a catered dinner, a cake for a birthday or an anniversary, and a hamper for a day out. There is a daily maid service on request too. All optional. The kitchen is yours if you would rather cook.

Dogs are welcome

Bring the dog. There is a dog-friendly beach and a coastal park close by, with direct access to the sand. Fair warning: the main bathing beach may have seasonal dog restrictions over the summer, so it is worth a quick check for July and August stays.

Sandgate on the doorstep, London within reach

Sandgate village, with its cafés, antiques and a gastropub, is a short walk along the promenade. Folkestone's Harbour Arm and Creative Quarter are a short drive, and Folkestone to London St Pancras runs in under an hour on the high-speed line.