The Reading Rooms

05/08/2026

Lovely to be included in House & Garden magazine's feature : Britain's 7 loveliest B&Bs
"A B&B could feel like a strangely old fashioned concept now we have all had our heads turned by Airbnb, but when your priority is a beautiful room and an excellent breakfast, they're still a good choice. Here is our list of some of the best B&Bs in Britain, chosen for their style, comfort and coffee"
By Tabitha Joyce
4 August 2026
Photo by Damian Russell

"There are just two bedrooms in this grand Georgian Margate townhouse run by Louise Oldfield and Liam Nabb who previously owned a creative agency together. Built in the 1770s, the couple have restored the building's original proportions and then stripped the walls to reveal historic finishes. The name was inspired by Margate's 18th-century reading rooms and, after opening in 2009, it was one of the first properties to play a part in the seaside town's renaissance. There are no communal spaces so, brilliantly, breakfast is served to the bedrooms at a time of choosing: fresh baked sourdough and eggs cooked to order along with a newspaper of choice. A design stay which has stood the test of time."

https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/article/britains-best-bandbs

28/06/2026

03/04/2026

29/01/2026

So Madonna loves Margate, too! In fact she was enjoying visiting Dame Tracey and our neighbourhood, exploring the art trail for the wonderful Off Season event last week, she even went in our soon to be re-opened local pub behind Hawley Square, The London Tavern. If you want to experience the neighbourhood of creative Margate, book a room and we'll serve you breakfast.

https://www.thereadingroomsmargate.co.uk/reservations

07/01/2026

Single night stays available this weekend… via our website.

15/12/2025

A lot of what we create at The Reading Rooms is inspired by and directly set upon foundations of our lives that we have lived. In Florence, where we used to live and Liam grew up, the city moments of light and illumination. This is also the case here in Margate. You might have heard of the artist JW Turner’s references to the skies and light in Margate as fundamental to many of his great works. As we move through the winter season, we really enjoying this contrast. The house has its own pockets of sunlight that appear throughout the say. 

Where have you enjoyed beautiful light?

 1-2 Santa Maria Novella train station Florence. 
3-5 , Margate
6 Sunlight and The Salon window
7 community sauna (free of charge), Walpole Bay, Cliftonville
8 Florence
9 The Reading Rooms front façade
10 The Dumo, Florence

13/12/2025

Florence was home for us for years, and the way sunlight moves through the streets and rooms there has found its way into our winter days here in Margate. The Reading Rooms in winter is all quiet rooms, long reads, the contrast of fresh cool air and cold‑water swimming with cosy, slow breakfasts by the window.

Link in bio to book direct for winter and early spring stays.

From us, Louise and Liam /

28/11/2025

The afternoon sun shines through from the bathroom window to the bedroom at this time of year. Perfect if you’ve been enjoying some cold water therapy swimming at the nearby grade II listed Walpole Bay Tidal Pool 🌊 🏊‍♀️ or the on the main sands 🏖️ a hot bath 🛀 and glorious walk in shower and then sink into a super king bed with views above the trees to the sea and through the Georgian windows. You might be dreaming of where to go for dinner later.

28/11/2025

The afternoon sun shines through from the bathroom window to the bedroom at this time of year. Perfect if you’ve been enjoying some cold water therapy swimming at the nearby grade II listed Walpole Bay Tidal Pool 🌊 🏊‍♀️ or the on the main sands 🏖️ a hot bath 🛀 and glorious walk in shower and then sink into a super king bed with views of the trees through the floor to ceiling Georgian windows. You might be dreaming of where to go for dinner later.