
Cycling in Canterbury
With one of the longest dramatic and varied coastlines in the country, Kent has five of the best cycle routes - passing castles, ancient churches, historic houses and many splendid gardens.
Want the best of both worlds? Canterbury goes one better. With a city that’s chock-full of history and culture, the coast a mere seven miles away, Kent AONB to the south and acre-upon-acre of ancient woodland to explore nearby, this place has it all.
YHA Canterbury is a stunning Victorian villa, perfectly located to explore the Cathedral City of Canterbury and its surroundings. With historic buildings, museums, Medieval adventures, there’s so much to keep you entertained.
Dorms are not currently available.
Dorm rooms have multiple beds and are shared with other people who may not be travelling together. They are usually more affordable than private rooms as you'll be booking a bed rather than the whole room.
A typical shared dorm room includes bunk beds, a reading light and a storage cupboard for each guest.
Children aged between 12 and 15 can stay in dorm rooms as long as an adult of the same gender accompanies them.
Shared shower and toilet facilities are located near to the room. Some of our shared dorm rooms are en-suites, meaning that they have a bathroom that you would share with other guests who are also staying in the room.
Want some privacy? With a private room, you'll be booking the whole room for your stay.
Private rooms typically include a storage cupboard and reading light for each bed, plus a wash hand basin.
Shared shower and toilet facilities are located near to the room.
For added privacy, relax with your family, friends or by yourself in a private en-suite room.
Private en-suite rooms typically include a storage cupboard and reading light for each bed, plus shower and toilet facilities solely for the people in your room.
Feel as cosy as can be inside a rustic six-sided large deluxe cabin! These timber camping cabins are fully insulated and have two double glazed leaded windows. Four or five people can sleep comfortably in the bunks and use it as a living/seating area during the day - the walls of the cabin slope outwards for a more spacious feeling.
These cabins have a double bed with a single over the top and an additional set of bunk beds. You'll be able to make hot drinks and some meals in the kitchenette area, with a fridge, microwave, kettle, crockery and cutlery included. All bedding is provided so you don’t need to lug your sleeping bag around and there’s even an en-suite toilet and shower room for your convenience.
Planning an overdue get-together or celebrating a birthday/anniversary? Looking for a base for your group's next adventure? Make your special occasion extra special with YHA Exclusive Hire.
You can hire the whole building at YHA Canterbury and, with sole use of the property, come and go as you please. This gothic Victorian villa was built in 1875 and is now one of YHA's most beloved hostels. With a mix of original and modern interior, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Dogs are welcome too!
Reception opening hours: From 07:30 - 10:00 and 17:00 - 22:00
Food and drink: Breakfast is served to guests daily from 07:30 – 09:00.
Self-catering: Guests have access to a self-catering kitchen.
Parking: There is parking on-site for 8 cars or 2 coaches. These spaces cannot be reserved and may become full. Parking is also available on Rochester Avenue or St Lawrence, offering free parking overnight and at weekends (approx. two-minutes away on foot). Canterbury College offers weekend parking at £2 per day and there is a park and ride located at the top of New Dover Road.
WiFi: Free WiFi is available in shared social spaces.
Dogs: Pets are not permitted at YHA Canterbury, except in Camping & Cabins accommodation. Assistance dogs are welcome - please notify us at the time of booking.
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Located close to the town centre, YHA Canterbury provides a great base from which your school group can explore this beautiful Roman city. Facilities include Internet access and group catering - perfect for a school trip!
Book your YHA School Trip.
Volunteering with YHA is a fantastic way to have fun, learn new skills, boost your CV and travel to different places. We have a variety of different opportunities to choose from and volunteering roles to suit everyone.
The tasks are varied and in return you will meet some great people, who both work and stay in our hostels, as well as enjoying your time off discovering the local area and attractions.
Find out more and apply to volunteer at this hostel through YHA volunteering.
Ellerslie was built in 1875 and forms part of Canterbury's rich heritage of Victorian gothic style buildings. Formerly a private residence to various wealthy prominent figures, many interesting relics from previous occupants are listed in the census, and there are some fantastic pictures of the maids servicing the property at that time.
YHA Canterbury boasts the longest-standing presence of a city YHA since our organisation was founded in 1930, occupying three other properties prior to the acquisition of our current home in 1962. It underwent a small refurbishment in the 1980s to improve the catering facilities and at that time squeezed over 100 beds into the rooms. Ellerslie then received the best 50th birthday present from YHA – a £600K makeover to reduce the dormitory sizes and increase the number of ensuite rooms. The work to the house has been sympathetically carried out, being mindful of the heritage, fantastic original staircase, ornate coving and woodwork. The refurbishment of this house is a great reflection on our reinvestment programme and will enable us to continue to welcome over 17,000 guests each year to this fine city.
YHA Canterbury Manager Niki: "Hello! I am Niki Reynolds and I have been privileged enough to manage YHA Canterbury (otherwise known as Ellerslie) for 16 years and raise my two young children in this fantastic city. I first worked here with my husband Andy Reynolds – who later went on to open London's flagship YHA London Central and then became London’s area manager. I have enjoyed seeing YHA evolve from the days of paper diaries and daily lock-outs to the professional organisation we are proud to work in today – our IIP Gold and TT100 accolades are testimony to a happy workplace, with charity and reinvestment at the heart of what we do. I have seen Ellerslie go through many changes too, from the early days of sewing my own patchwork curtains into the bedrooms, to the state-of-the-art facilities and top quality finishes we have today. My Duty Manager - Heather Bowman is my wing-man, and we have a fantastic new team. We also have a regular cycle of new work placement student volunteers who we fully train as part of their educational programme."
Manager recommends: Try a gentle walk along the City wall to the Castle, through the Westgate gardens and back through town. Visit the Cathedral, followed by a river boat tour, some shopping at Whitefriars and then back to your accommodation for a few drinks in the bar! The perfect weekend city break. Or fill up on a Full English and then embark on a walk around the ancient city wall and on to the top of Dane John Mound to take in the view. Follow up with a picnic in the Dane John Gardens.