The UK beach holiday perfect for the autumn heatwave and without the crowds

I FEEL like a big kid again as the arcade machine pumps out tickets.

After all, a visit to the seaside town of Deal is not complete without winning on the 2p machines.

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But there’s much more to this historic little town, known for having one of Kent’s best beaches.

Home to not one, but two castles built by Henry VIII — Walmer Castle and Deal Castle — the resort is most popular in the summer with families.

But the best time of the year to visit is the autumn months when everything is still open, just without the crowds.

So where better to test my arcade skills without battling schoolkids to play on machines?

My pockets heavy with pennies from a big win, I headed down the long Deal Pier, dating back to 1838 but rebuilt over the years after storms destroyed it.

Finally made safe, the current pier was opened by Prince Philip in 1957, and on a pleasant stroll I passed fishermen casting their lines hoping for a decent bite.

I used my hard-earned winnings to pay for a glass of wine at the Deal Pier Kitchen, which has great views of the sea through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

And for early Christmas shopping or window-gazing, Deal is the place to be. The streets are full of independent stores tucked away on cobbled roads lined with pastel-coloured houses.

Shops such as The Hoxton Store and Mileage have beautiful interiors and knick-knacks. 123 High Street has gifts and clothes in every colour, while dog lovers should head straight to Barkened to spoil their pooches.

But when your feet won’t walk any more, the best place to rest up is The Rose, a boutique hotel with more than 200 years of history.

The hotel has just eight rooms, all individually designed and full of colour. My room had a huge patterned headboard above my king-size bed, against duck egg blue walls.

It’s certainly a cosy bolthole from the seaside winds, especially sharp during the autumn, but there are record players and coffee table books to pass the time with.

Make sure to ask the staff about the hotel’s vintage tandem bike – it’s free to rent for guests, so you can have a go (or in my case a wobble) down the street.

The on-site restaurant offers breakfast service as well as lunch and dinner.

I’m still wishing I could have their famous crab doughnut every day, although it was followed by a roast beef Sunday lunch so delicious it rivaled even my mum’s.

But if you fancy something else for dinner, there is no shortage of fish and chip shops nearby, perfect if you’ve been out on the beach and need to warm up a bit.

The best place to go on a Sunday is Victuals & Co, just opposite the hotel and rated the best restaurant in Deal.

Their “Raid the Larder” menu on the last day of the weekend creates meals made out of whatever is left from the food stock at the end of the week, so you’ll be in for a surprise each time you visit.

As the night drew in, I was treated like an old friend back at The Rose, with a complimentary whisky from their open bar in the hallway, followed by a very luxurious evening in the bath.

And as the rain came hammering down, I was snuggled in my cosy room with a nightcap. An ideal weekend in Deal.