Maidstone in General > Reviews

Advantages: A large place - Lots of shops.
Disadvantages: A large place - Hard to find your way around if you are not use to it.

...are probably 350 shops in Maidstone if not more. The Chequers Centre itself, (The huge shopping centre in the middle of Maidstone) more than likely holds more than half of that total. ‘Shopping Roads’ ---------------------------------------- What do I mean by shopping roads? Well, in Maidstone, a lot of shops are all packed together in a street, i.e. Week Street, which is a non-traffic road (except for goods delivery), for pedestrians ... Read review

Advantages: Fantastic historical castle, extensive grounds, maze and grotto, suitable for all ages
Disadvantages: Can be busy in summer

Looking for something to do over the Easter weekend? Something which is still open to the public despite the foot and mouth restrictions? Suitable for the whole family, combining history, the outdoors, education, fun and also somewhat reminiscent of a fairy tale? If so, then Leeds Castle is certainly the place to come. Once again, this is an attraction which the Ciao team didn’t feel deserved its own category (I was advised to post it under ... Read review

Advantages: County Town of Kent, Historical Value
Disadvantages: Very much under used potential

...thriving County Town. Shopping in Maidstone is fine as long as you are happy to browse the run of the mill shops found in most town centres. The main shopping street is a pedestrianised area in which you will find Littlewoods, M & S, and Maidstones only Department Store, Army and Navy, amongst other shops. The High Street has Argos and Jessops and the added 'feature' of nearly getting run over by lunatic cabbies and bus drivers as you cross the ... Read review

Advantages: A huge are of gardens to see, beautiful castle outside and internally
Disadvantages: None really

As recently as 25 years ago Leeds castle was still used as a private home. After the death of the owner a charitable trust was set up and this now enables people to visit the castle and its grounds. It is probably due to it only having recently become an attraction which you can visit and possibly also because it is not a National Trust or English Heritage property that it is not marketed as extensively as other castles or stately homes. Although ... Read review

Advantages: Good selection of shops and food outlets, nice houses, friendly people.
Disadvantages: Grammar schools, snobs and chavs. Not great for tourists, except Leeds Castle.

...floral sheep can talk then Maidstone will be the centre of the universe. Huh? Well when you arrive in Maidstone by train, bus, bicycle or on foot one of the first things you will see as you walk up the High Street from the River Medway will be a humongous sheep-thing, a statue with many hundreds of fluffy white flowers hanging from it. This is just one of many reasons why Maidstone will never be the centre of the universe (unless God in all his almighty ... Read review

Advantages: lovely castle and park and attractive for all the family
Disadvantages: -

Last summer, we spent one day at Leeds Castle. 'The Loveliest Castle in the World' - that's what they call themselves, but I can confirm that it is indeed one of the loveliest castles that I have ever been to. In fact, it is much more than just a castle. Leeds Castle is located in Kent, near Maidstone. The best way to get there is via the M20 leaving at junction 8. From the car park, you walk to the main entrance and ticket office. It's actually ... Read review

Advantages: Good shops, good surroundings, good location
Disadvantages: A bit tatty in places, some places to avoid, wastes it's features by factories

...tour. PLACES TO VISIT : Maidstone is really not a bad place for shopping - Week Street and High Street offer the main chain stores such as HMV, Woolworths etc. but go into the little side streets and you get many specialist shops selling all manner of interesting bits and pieces - for this try the Royal Star Arcade and the Corn Exchange. Other than shopping Maidstone has a large cinema complex, bowling, loads of pubs and restaurants, a leisure ... Read review

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 ... Read review

Advantages: Interesting exposition;culture;history
Disadvantages: Not a lot

Nestling close against a curve in the River Medway,Kent's primary waterway, and only a comparatively short distance away from Maidstone-the county town of Kent, the Museum of Kent Life at Cobtree, reflects very well the unique character of this part of England.My husband who is from Kent always sings the virtues of his home county and for visitors the Museum of Kent Life is a great haunt to get an insight into Kent and its long history. The ... Read review

Advantages: shops, nightlife
Disadvantages: dirty, run down, traffic congestion

Maidstone has gone downhill over the last decade. I have lived nearby all my life though thankfully not in the town. It seems to be becoming even more a dump than it has been before, with some areas and estates in urgent need of improvement. It is also not safe for anyone to walk around there at night and although there are some good places to go in the evening, you do not feel safe going there. It does have some good points - the floral sheep always ... Read 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 ... Read review

Advantages: Probably not that many.
Disadvantages: Probably a few.

Maidstone, Maidstone – what is it about you? Why do I like wandering through this surely fairly typical town? You are certainly not beautiful, although there are certainly some views that are attractive, such as from the bridge over the Medway. Then, Mote Park in the centre of the town is a great place to wander, surely larger than Hyde Park. But all this is not worth travelling miles to experience, surely? No, I think the answer must be that Maidstone ... Read review