Situated in the heart of Mayfair, this luxury London hotel has long been a favorite among literary and artistic circles. The Dorchester began hosting the famous Foyles Literary Luncheons in the 1930's, which allowed readers the opportunity to mingle with well-known authors and discuss their latest works. Always a popular destination for movie stars, the hotel has also hosted literary notables such as Somerset Maugham and Cecil Day Lewis. 

Park Lane, Mayfair
London, W1K1QA 

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One of London's original grand hotels, The Langham has attracted a parade of rich and famous guests over the years, from Napoleon III  to Princess Diana, as well as literary giants like Mark Twain. In 1889, the hotel hosted an important meeting between Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle and a literary agent, who persuaded the men to write for his magazine. This encounter led to Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray and Conan Doyle's second Sherlock Holmes story,  The Sign of Four. 

​Living nearby, Conan Doyle was a regular visitor to The Langham and featured the hotel in several Sherlock Holmes stories. Just a short walk from the Sherlock Holmes Museum, The Langham is the perfect destination for fans of the fictional detective. 
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1c Portland Place
Regent Street 
London 
W1B 1JA

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Located on its own tidal island, this iconic Devon hotel was a favorite of local author Agatha Christie, who's novel And Then There Were None was set on a fictionalised version of Burgh Island. Built in 1929, this stunning Art Deco building was lovingly restored in 2006 and still retains all of its 1930's glamour. The hotel hosts regular murder mystery parties and jazz evenings, as well an annual luncheon during the Agatha Christie festival in September. 

Burgh Island Hotel
Bigbury-on-Sea 
South Devon TQ7 4BG 

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While staying at this iconic Edinburgh hotel in 2007, J.K. Rowling finished her final novel in the Harry Potter series. To commemorate the event, Rowling signed a marble bust of Hermes in her suite with the inscription: "JK Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room (552) on 11th Jan 2007". In 2010, the author appeared in a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey at the hotel.
 
The Balmoral
1 Princes Street
Edinburgh EH2 2EQ
Scotland

Beatrix Potter bought this large country house for her recently widowed mother in 1915. The Potter family had previously stayed here as guests and it was during one of those visits that Beatrix completed the illustrations for Timmy Tiptoes and Pigling Bland. Now a charming hotel, Lindeth Howe offers a relaxing lakeside retreat.  

Lindeth Drive
Longtail Hill
Bowness-on-Windermere
Cumbria LA23 3JF

Founded in 1837, Brown's Hotel boasts an illustrious history and a long list of notable literary guests including Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, JM Barrie and Arthur Conan Doyle. It was here that Mark Twain famously shocked London society by appearing in the lobby in his dressing gown and slippers. Today guests can opt to stay in the Kipling Suite, where Rudyard Kipling once worked on The Jungle Book. 

​Albemarle St
Mayfair
London W1S 4BP

Situated in the heart of Knightsbridge, this boutique hotel boasts a fascinating history. Built in 1887, the hotel was once home to Lillie Langtry, a stage actress and mistress to King Edward VII. A close friend of Langtry, Oscar Wilde was also a regular visitor and in 1895, Wilde was arrested here in room 118 (pictured). The hotel is currently undergoing an extensive renovation and will reopen as The Belmond Cadogan later this year. 
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75 Sloane Street 
Knightsbridge 
London, SW1X 9SG
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One of Sir Ian Fleming's favourite watering holes, the bar of this five-star London hotel is famed for its dry Martinis and it is thought to be the origin of the phrase 'shaken not stirred'. With its luxurious suites and legendary bar, Dukes London is just the kind of place James Bond would have stayed. 

35 St James's PL
St. James's, Mayfair
Sw1A 1NY

Just a few steps from the sandy beaches of Viking Bay, this charming seaside hotel dates back to 1776. Charles Dickens frequented the Royal Albion during his regular visits to Broadstairs, before taking up residence at nearby Bleak House. The hotel plays an important role in the town’s annual Dickens festival in June. ​

6 – 12 Albion Street
Broadstairs
CT10 1AN
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Beloved children's author, Enid Byton was a regular visitor to this Dorset hotel in the 1950's and it was on one of her many visits here that she first discovered Brownsea Island, which featured as Whispering Island in Five Have a Mystery to Solve. 

​Knoll House
Ferry Road, Studland,
Dorset, BH19 3AH

Just in time for the festive season, the Dickens Museum in London is re-opening on 10 December after an extensive restoration project. Housed in the author's only surviving London home, the museum boasts the finest Dickens-related collection in the world. Now thanks to a £3.1 million redevelopment project (aptly dubbed Great Expectations), the Georgian terraced house has been lovingly restored to its former glory.

​In celebration of the re-opening, the museum is hosting A Very Dickensian Christmas, which will see the house adorned with authentic Victorian decorations and festive grenery. Visitors can enjoy mulled wine and mince pies, as well as classic film screenings of A Christmas Carol and readings from Dickens’s Christmas Stories. The museum's gift shop is also the perfect place to pick out a Christmas gift for any book-lovers on your list.  These clever, Oliver - inspired bowls will have everyone asking for more. 
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While you're at the Dickens Museum,  be sure to sign up for one of their guided Dickensian Christmas Walks for the chance to see London through the eyes of Scrooge and Tiny Tim. The two-hour walk includes lively readings and historic anecdotes, as well as a stop off at Dickens' favourite tavern. Or if you'd rather go it alone, check out our guide to the real places behind a A Christmas Carol or our map of Dickens' London. ​

Based on Dickens' own performance adaptation, the subject of his first public reading in 1853, this exceptional one-man show brings the timeless tale back to the stage at Arts Theatre in London. Artfully delivered by Callow, this scaled back production allows the true genius of Dickens' work shine through. The show runs until 5 Jan 2013.  
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The festive season kicks off in Kent the first weekend in December with the annual Dickens Festival in Rochester, which sees some beloved characters brought to life in a two-day celebration of all things Dickens. Christmas is the perfect time to visit Kent, a county with numerous ties to Charles Dickens life and works. From his home at Gads Hill to his coastal retreat in Broadstairs, discover the real places behind the fiction. To help plan your trip, check out the new Dickens Kent app, a helpful guide to the county's Dickens sites. ​
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Located in Suffolk, this striking Tudor mansion transforms into a Victorian winter wonderland at Christmastime. From 15 to 22 December Kentwell Hall will be bringing the Victorian era to life with actors in period costume, authentic food and elegant decorations. The house boasts its own Mr Dickens performing readings of a Christmas Carol, as well a wonderful Father Christmas for younger guests. ​
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Experience the Old World charms of a Dickensian Christmas at the Museum of London's  traditional Victorian Santa's Grotto, where children can meet a very Victorian Father Christmas. Be sure to explore the museum's Victorian Walk, a recreated Victorian High Street complete with authentic window displays. And from the 27 to 31 December you can even meet old Ebeneezer Scrooge himself and try to cheer him up for the chance to win a prize. ​

In celebration of the Dickens bicentenary, this year the Yuletide festivities at Tatton Park include the Dickensian Christmas Masion, where visitors can step into the world of Charles Dickens as each room of the house as been carefully decorated to represent one of Dickens' novels. Although Tatton Park doesn't lay claim to any Dickens link, the house would have been very familiar to one of his contemporaries, Elizabeth Gaskell, whose work he first published in his magazine Household Words. ​
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If you can't make it to any of our Dickens destinations, why not try a little armchair travelling through Dickens' classic story? First published in 1843, A Christmas Carol has been adapted for the stage and screen countless times, with everyone from acclaimed thespians to the Muppets taking a crack at the classic. Although the 1951 British film, Scrooge (released as A Christmas Carol in the US) is often cited as the best adaptation, everyone seems to have their personal favourite.      
     But even if you don't read or watch any Dickens this Christmas, chances are there will be a hint of Dickens in whatever festive entertainment you choose. A Christmas Carol has inspired some of the most popular Christmas films of all time, including Dr Suess' Grinch, who bears a striking resemblance to Ebenezer Scrooge, and even the beloved  It's a Wonderful Life (with the 'ghost of Christmas future' moment clearly borrowed from Mr Dickens). 
   

​This coastal county boasts a wealth of landmarks, from Canterbury Cathedral to the legendary White Cliffs of Dover. As a young boy, Charles Dickens spent several years in Kent and would later recall the period as the happiest years of his childhood. Dickens maintained strong ties to the area and set several of his novels here. And as Dickens used many real places for inspiration, it's easy to follow in the footsteps of his characters. 
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​Situated on the River Medway, the twin towns of Rochester and Chatham played an important role in the life of Dickens.  And with its half-timbered buildings and Victorian street lamps, Rochester lends itself perfectly to a Dickensian getaway.  All around the town, plaques indicate the places featured in Dickens' works. And the annual Dickens Christmas Market celebrates the author's great Christmas classics. 
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Gads Hill 
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Built for the Mayor of Rochester in 1780, this stately home would have been the finest in the area when Charles Dickens was growing up. He first visited Gads Hill as a young boy with his father, who told him that if he were to work hard enough he might one day own such a house. Dickens must have taken that statement to heart, because he purchased the property in 1857 and lived here until his death in 1870. Since the 1920’s, the house has been the site of Gads Hill School and is only open to visitors on the first Sunday of the month from May till October. Construction on a new school is currently underway, allowing for plans to turn the house into a Dickens heritage centre. 
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Chatham Dockyard
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When Charles Dickens was five years old, his father was assigned as a Naval Pay officer at Chatham Dockyard. The family stayed in Chatham for five years, until financial ruin forced them to move to London. The Dickens lived in two different houses during their time in Chatham, one of which is still standing today at 11 Ordnance Terrace (Formerly No. 2).  Just a short walk from the dockyard, the house is not open to visitors. 

​Named for a by-product of the area's famous white cliffs,  this coastal village's biggest claim to fame is that Charles Dickens came here on his honeymoon in 1836. The house where Dickens and his new bride, Catherine Hogarth, stayed still stands in the village centre Craddock’s Cottage (pictured), a quaint wooden structure in the village centre. The landlady’s name featured in The Pickwick Papers, which Dickens began writing here. 

Forever linked with Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, this ancient cathedral city boasts some other literary connections. Jane Austen visited Canterbury on several occasions while staying with her brother at nearby Godmersham Park. Charles Dickens was also a regular visitor and the city features prominently in his novel David Copperfield. Although  many of the places Dickens would have known were destroyed during the Blitz, you can still visit the Sun Hotel, which inspired the “little inn” where David Copperfield meets Mr and Mrs Micawber. 

Nestled between the larger seaside resorts of Ramsgate and Margate, Broadstairs is one of Kent's most charming coastal towns. The area first became a tourist destination in the 19th Century and has remained popular with British holiday-makers ever since.  Charles Dickens frequented the resort, spending at least one month here every summer from 1839 to 1851. 

​Today locals are very proud of the Dickens association and celebrate the author with an annual summer festival, where participants come dressed in period costume and even Victorian beachwear. In addition to the festival, there's plenty here to attract Dickens fans, including a dedicated Dickens museum and an array of Dickens-themed establishments such as The Old Curiosity Shop, Barnaby Rudge Pub, and the Dickens' Pantry.
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​Bleak House

Overlooking the golden beaches of Viking Bay, this 19th Century fort was built as an observation station for the North Cliff Battery. Charles Dickens lived here between 1837 and 1859. Here finished work on David Copperfield and was inspired to write Bleak House. It was originally named Fort House and later changed to Bleak House as a tribute. Today the site houses a Smuggling Museum, but is also open for tours of Dickens' study. 
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​Dickens' House Museum

This terraced cottage on Victoria Parade belonged to Miss Mary Pearson, a friend of Charles Dickens, who is thought to have inspired the character of Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield. Located close to the seafront on Victoria Parade, the cottage now houses an excellent Dickens museum. 
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​The Royal Albion
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One of Dickens’ favourite holiday spots, this 18th Century hotel offers sweeping views of the seafront. Dickens came here regularly until he purchased Bleak House and became very good friends with the hotel’s owner Mr Ballard. 

​The Tartar Frigate 
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Dickens described this 18th Century pub as "the coziest little sailor’s inn that is to be met around the coast". While living in Broadstairs, this became his favourite watering hole and he'd regularly spend evenings here listening to the tales of local fishermen. Located on Harbour Street, The Tartar Frigate is still a lively pub with a good seafood menu and views of Viking Bay.