Maidstone-The County Town of Kent

Advantages: Good location. Prosperous. Fairly clean
Disadvantages: Lacks night life, a bit expensive.

...Maidstone,one of the larger towns in Kent,is actually the County Town. Somehow it seems to be less well known than several other places in the county such as Dover, Canterbury or Gillingham. It is essentially a prosperous place and is only around 40 miles from London. The shopping scene in the county town is a good one and most of the well known multiples are represented here, and there are a number of good specialist shops. There are several high quality hotels in the town or on the outskirts as well as guest houses and bed and breakfast establishments. There are some very good eateries in Maidstone,including ethnic restaurants, and where I would give it very high marks are for its pubs both those in the town centre and at outlying spots such as Bearsted, Allington Lock and Harrietsham.It really does have some gems. Maidstone is not...

ashford 07.08.2000 · Read review
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Review of Maidstone in General

Hilton, Maidstone - A Good Option

Advantages: Location, quality of staff
Disadvantages: Not close to town centre

...including the new Dickens World attraction Easy access to Channel Tunnel, Ashford International (for Eurostar) and Dover Docks within about 40 mins The hotel does have a Living Well Health Club with an approx 20m pool and gym but I haven't used it on my last couple of visits so don't feel qualified to comment further. Overall opinion: I like this hotel and you normally get excellent service. The problems I had this time were dealt with quickly and efficiently and I think I'd put them down to the fact that it was the Christmas/New Year period and it won't put me off staying again. Hilton Maidstone Hotel Bearsted Road Weavering Maidstone Kent ME14 5AA Tel: 01622 734322 www.hilton.co.uk/maidstone...

BristolBud 28.02.2008 (10.01.2008) · Read review
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Review of Hilton, Maidstone

A Maidstone miscellany - with answers

Advantages: A practical, pleasant and prosperous town
Disadvantages: But short on character and maybe even charm

...for two shopping centres, and a busy roadway runs alongside the river Medway, ensuring that there is little peace or quiet to be found there, not close to the town centre anyway. Nevertheless, let us seek out and accentuate the positive. * History * Maidstone is indeed historic in that there has been a settlement here since Roman times, but not in having been the scene of any decisive battles, treaties or world-shaking events. Its main claim to historic fame was as the epicentre of Sir Thomas Wyatt's anti-Catholic uprising of 1554, which was rapidly suppressed by Queen Mary, with the result that Maidstone was deprived of its status as Kent's county town until Queen Elizabeth 1's accession a few years later. Somehow, this hardly seems seismic in its significance; I would guess it barely rates as even a tremor on the historic...

torr 29.11.2003 (28.01.2007) · Read review
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Review of Maidstone in General

Come to Sunny Maidstone

Advantages: Plenty to do
Disadvantages: No football stadium yet

.... Maidstone Itself Maidstone is the county town and the administrative centre of Kent. Tourists visit Canterbury, the former county town, but for business it is Maidstone that provides the jobs. Kent County Council offices are in the town and it is the biggest local authority outside of Greater London, or so I have been told. There is a largish open space with a large pub called Penenden Heath. Play area for kids, football and cricket pitches, tennis courts and mini golf are also here. The Bull pub is on the site of a former court house, and out the front there is a patch of mud (where the grass doesn't grow). This is the site of the scaffold where the last public hanging in the country took place. Cheery little fact! There was also a thriving football team in Maidstone, but the local council chose to sell the site and build MFI...

orlando 31.12.2003 (27.11.2006) · Read review
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Review of Maidstone in General

Castle Museum in Kent

Advantages: Eclectic Museum set in pleasant grounds
Disadvantages: Not as good as nearby Hever Castle.

... Visitor Information Chiddingstone Castle is 5 miles from Edenbridge in Kent, between the two more famous historic attractions of the area, Hever Castle and Penshurst Place. Travelling by car, without a sat nav, we found it best to follow the signs to nearby Hever Castle on the major roads. As we got nearer, on the B2027, we followed the Chiddingstone signs. If you have a sat nav, you will need the postcode TN8 7AD. They are open Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, from Easter until the last Sunday of September. Information about additional open days can be found in the What?s On Section of their website, which includes Halloween and Christmas events. Prices are £6 adults, £4 children aged 5-13, under 5s are free. There are also family and season tickets. History Exhibition rooms in the current...

DavidCoulthard 24.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Chiddingstone Castle, Kent

Some fields in Kent

Advantages: Commonplace
Disadvantages: Rare

...the county, "with the simple aim of making Kent a better place for our native wildlife". No fewer than fifty-nine sites of particular interest are in its care as nature reserves, of which Marden Meadow is one, and it also has five visitor centres open to the public, including Tyland Barn just outside Maidstone, which is its headquarters. Apart from maintaining the reserves, the trust runs numerous events and open days to inform people, especially children, about local wildlife and to encourage them to support its conservation. The Kent Wildlife Trust is one of an association of 47 similar bodies across the country, each one doing similar work in its locality. See www.wildlifetrusts.org if you are interested in finding out which one operates in your area. In a way, it's a pity that such voluntary organisations are needed to...

torr 25.05.2008 (27.05.2008) · Read review
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Review of Marden Meadow, Kent Wildlife Trust

Maidstone called and they came

Advantages: Fun day out
Disadvantages: It has to end

..., and so I carried the quiz and prize back home with me. I will save it for the next Kent meet, although we are such a chatty lot, we probably won't get round to doing it next time either. A big thanks goes to all who journeyed to Maidstone, despite threats of bad weather, and the reality of the wonderful public transport that this country 'enjoys'! I have to admit defeat. Ciao does not speak the same language as my photo software, so I have sent my pictures over to Duncan, and he has put them on his page. Thanks Duncan AKA Torr! Orlando / Gwen 2007...

orlando 05.02.2007 (10.02.2007) · Read review
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Review of Maidstone Meet - January 2007

Luncheon in Maidstone AKA Mexico

Advantages: Delish food, great lunch menu, good atmosphere
Disadvantages: a little cramped

...think is very reasonable for two very filling, and very different meals. There are also branches in Gravesend and West Malling. Mexxa Mexxa Ltd 40 Earl St, Maidstone. Kent. ME14 1PS. 01622 662020 Highly recommended- 5 stars given...

fabulous_girl 31.07.2006 · Read review
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Review of Mexxa Mexxa, Maidstone

A - Z of Kent

Advantages: Totally comprehensive guide to Kent
Disadvantages: Although navigation is easy, the volume of information is enormous and to fully explore the whole site could take days

...www.kent.gov.uk is the official Kent County Council website. Not the sort of site you’d pick to browse if you’re looking for thrill a minute fun and excitement, but if you have an interest in Kent for any reason, be it from the point of view as a current or perspective resident, business person, or visitor, it is well worth a look..... “Welcome to Kent, the Gateway between the UK and Europe, and to Kent County Council's website. This is a new site and content will be regularly added and updated. We hope it gives you lots of information about Kent, Kent County Council and its services.” The home page is visually plain and simple, displaying the short greeting message (above), in basic black arial font on a crisp white background. The main category headings of the site are displayed, in bold red font...

wiggglypufff 11.05.2001 · Read review
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Review of kent.gov.uk

Maidstone Review

Advantages: Great Clubs/Pubs/Bars/Restaurants/Shops
Disadvantages: A slight attitude problem with local youths.

...I have lived in the Maidstone area all my life and have had various experiences in the 22 years i've been here. SHOPPING:- Maidstone town centre has many many shops to cater for everyones needs. Sport shops, music shops, card shops you've got your Argos and also fair share of fast food restaurants. With the newly built Fremlin Walk area of the town now completed it improves the shopping even further in Maidstone. House of Fraser being my personal favourite. The Chequers Centre or The Mall as it's now called is like a mini Bluewater which again houses all your well known shops and fast food restaurants so all you shopping lovers will be in your element in Maidstone. Motor World, Matalan and B&Q are also within the town. Saturday afternoons in particlar are extremely busy so expect traffic on the roads and the streets. NIGHT...

Jamie_GFC 07.06.2007 · Read review
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Review of Maidstone in General