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Edgecliff Boutique B&B in Birchington booked until 2024 after viral TikTok

By: James Pallant jpallant@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 12:00, 13 November 2022

Updated: 07:32, 14 November 2022

A beachfront B&B with panoramic sea views has been booked up until 2024 after a guest's TikTok video of the eye-catching pad went viral.

Clips of Edgecliff Boutique B&B in Birchington have racked up millions of views online, but the £250-a-night guest house had already been popular after it was featured in Channel 4's Four in a Bed in 2019.

The accommodation is owned and managed by Neil and Marilyn Tuson, who say social media has completely changed their clientèle.

"We were fully booked after Four in a Bed and would get a lot of continental guests, but Covid washed all that away," said Mr Tuson.

"Then we had a visitor who put us on TikTok and that generated a whole new type of guest.

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"Now we have a lot of much younger guests who are very heavily into social media."

The couple have lived in the beach house for 20 years, and had previously seen the property simply as the place in which they would enjoy retirement.

The B&B has been host to several celebrities since opening in 2018. Photo: Niel Tuson
Previous guests have described the B&B's home-made breakfast as "delicious". Photo: Niel Tuson

But after two years and £250,000 worth of renovations, they opened their home to holiday-makers in late 2018.

Former photographer and home-maker Mr Tuson says running the place keeps them young.

"We really enjoy welcoming guests into our home," he said.

"It’s hard work but it’s very interesting due to the mixture of guests you have. Because we are slightly high-end, we only get a certain type of guest that can afford it.

"But even saying that, they do come from lots of different backgrounds and ages."

The sea-facing wall of the building is made completely of glass, offering guests "stunning" sea views. Photo: Niel Tuson
Niel and Marilyn Tuson have operated Edgecliff Boutique B&B since 2018

Included in that mix is a few celebrities, including a "famous comedian", but the couple say they treat household names just like anyone else.

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The B&B is certainly among the most expensive in Thanet - a weekend stay costs about £500, depending on the specific dates.

Guests who can afford to stay at Edgecliff leave rave reviews about its "spectactular views" and "delicious breakfast".

Meanwhile, those who are resigned to ogle through social media are similarly enthusiastic.

"An absolute dream", commented one TikTok user.

Niel and Marilyn's B&B was featured in the Channel 4 show Four in a Bed. Photo: Niel Tuson
Guests can soak in a sea view while they eat a home-cooked breakfast. Photo: Niel Tuson

Even the other B&B owners who stayed at Edgecliff for the Four in a Bed show struggled to find fault, giving the hosts' hospitality a 10/10 score.

But like many businesses at the moment, the high cost of living is posing a significant challenge.

"We are experiencing cancellations coming in because people think ‘oh, that two nights away - that’s half my mortgage’," said Mr Tuson.

"So now people are much more conscious of their own economic situation, and we offer a luxury that many people can’t afford.

"And as far as our running costs, things are going up all the time and food costs and other stuff are continually rising, and there’s not a lot we can do about it.

"I don’t really want to start raising the rate but we might have to think about that."

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