A couple from Ashford have opened a brand new cat hotel, allowing pets to also enjoy the 'suite' life while their owners are away.

Darren Songhurst with help from his wife Natalie, have opened Hotel Kitty, a 16-room luxury timber cabin specifically for fluffy felines.

Each room holds up to three cats and features toys, games, cat scratchers and a cat flap which leads to an outside balcony cage, so house cats can still safely enjoy some fresh air.

"We set up Hotel Kitty to create something a little bit different for cat owners." says Darren, 47.

"We wanted to try and create something which was pretty much home from home.

"People can expect their animals to be treated really how they would be at home... so spoilt is a word I would use!"

The Songhursts first came up with the idea for the hotel in 2015 when they applied for planning permission on their land in Bromley Green Road, between Kingsnorth and Hamstreet.

Mr Songhurst continued: "We've always been around animals, so doing it for a living I think is probably the best job in the world.

"We had a lot of friends with animals that spoke to us that were always asking about boarding or whether to have people into their house.

"Our vision was always the same... to have rooms pretty much like hotel rooms. When most people go away, they like to stay in a nice comfy room. They like their home comforts.

"We thought, 'well why should it be any different for people's animals?!'

"Your animals are your babies, so it's having that confidence that you can leave them somewhere and not worry while you're away.

"It's something that's taking a passion and made it work for us and really giving something back."

The hotel is open 365 days a year, and suitable for owners going on holiday or if they are having work done to their house.

Mr Songhurst said: "We do treat the animals pretty much as if they were our own. We go in, we sit down and we play with them. We spend time with them. They are pampered.

"It's trying to create that environment that the cat's used to at home so that their time away from their owners is less traumatic than maybe it would be if it was somewhere else.

"People can come to us and feel 100% happy with what we're doing. We get the reward of spending time, running a business, looking after people's cats which is fantastic."

The cattery also offers the option of an a la carte menu for fussy eaters, connecting rooms for larger cat families, virtual aquariums, a 'grooming spa' and is connected with a vet.

In addition, owners have the option of taking away a Skype handset. The device, which looks similar to a mobile phone, connects to the cameras located in each room, allowing families to see their furry friends while they're away. You can also talk to your cat through a microphone and move the camera to follow them.

Mr Songhurst said: "Whilst there's some fantastic catteries in Kent, there's nothing like this. We're not trying to compete with those, it's almost like a different market.

"We like to think that we've taken it to a different level for animal boarding.

"To get up on a daily basis and do something you enjoy is not something everybody can say they do on a Monday, and I'm pleased to say that after years in retail I'm now doing a job that I can get up in the mornings and absolutely love."

Prices start at £12.40 a night. For more information visit the website.