The best beach hotels in the UK
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Talk of beachfront hotels conjures up visions of palm trees, white sand and cocktails in coconuts, served on distant shores. But, closer to home, the best beach hotels in the UK are tucked away on the island’s most beautiful beaches, all equipped with sandy alcoves, craggy cliffs and endless views. Big-hitting salty spots such as Cornwall and Devon are well represented on our edit of the seafaring stays to know. But, we’ve also included hotels in Suffolk, Scotland and Wales to seek out on a blistering summer staycation or a blustery winter escape.
Ed ReeveFort Road Hotel, Margate
A curious September evening: an orange sky with the threat of rain; talk of the Queen; and that timeless square frontage with the name of the hotel emblazoned across it. Inside, the cool terracotta-floored bistro restaurant doubles as the reception, where we sit on a banquette in a pretty wood-panelled corner in pistachio shades. There’s a copy of T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land (written partly in Margate, mid-breakdown), and All the Devils Are Here, David Seabrook’s book of deranged, dream-like Kent coast psychogeography. On the wall, above a square British racing green-tiled fireplace, is a squiggly, smudgy line drawing of the Margate seafront by local hero Tracey Emin. Where many local hotels and B&Bs tend towards freehand bohemian quirk, there’s a certain pared-back elegance here – a sense that prevails from the two-storey basement bar, all the way up to the newly added roof terrace with a rare panorama of the town.
hotelNo. 124 by GuestHouse, Brighton
Guesthouse has arrived in Brighton; a timelessly debonair guesthouse right on the seafront, where the city’s have-it-all heritage meets thoughtfully curated modern goodies. No two rooms are alike, but 16 out of the 32 come with sea views – and ours, a large guest room with floor-to-ceiling bay windows, was an absolute showstopper. Interiors are timelessly on trend: natural metals and rattan meet onion-dome light fixtures and cushions by local textile maker Beki Bright. The Pearly Cow restaurant is the star of No.124’s dining show, serving the herds, breeds, crops and catches that thrive nearby. The menu’s divided into ice and fire, small plates and sharing – featuring everything from light lobster tacos and beet carpaccio to slow-farmed, flame-cooked steaks from Horsham’s Trenchmore Farm. Sustainability is woven into every corner of the hotel. Slippers are made from recycled materials, toiletries are refillable, and coffee pods are compostable. Food is sourced locally, and the spa uses organic, vegan, and sustainable products. Even the pantry’s filtered water is served in reusable carafes. Rae Boocock
Seaham Hall, County Durham
Best for: a seaside stay up north
Seaham Hall may heave with history – Grade II-listed and constructed in the 1790s by Sir Ralph Milbanke, father-in-law of caddish poet Lord Byron – but this converted 24-room leisure hotel on County Durham’s Heritage Coast has recently added three newfangled suites: the Milbanke, overlooking the wildflower gardens, plus two dog-friendly Garden suites that come with hot tubs and private gardens. Water and fresh-air fiends revel in the hotel’s hot tubs, heated water beds, jacuzzi, and indoor and outdoor pools, followed by therapeutic treatments at the popular Serenity Spa. After scouring the nearby beach for its famed sea glass, we lazed in the extensive gardens and enjoyed Asian and locavore dishes at the hotel’s two restaurants. The wrench of checkout was tempered by our journey home on LNER’s first-class train service, its food and wine menu (such as chickpea and tamarind salad, and a glass of Tempranillo Tinto) providing the kind of bon vivant indulgences Byron himself would approve of. Grim up north? Never. Noo Saro-Wiwa
The Rose, Deal, Kent
Best for: old-school seaside high jinks
The first proper boutique hotel in the sweet Kentish town of Deal, this townhouse pub was given a revamp by co-owner Chris Hicks, the great-grandson of one of The Rose’s earlier owners. There are eight playful rooms decked out with bold colours and prints (we especially like the seashell print in dinky room nine) as well as covetable headboards – spy the William Morris-esque fabrics used in room one. The bar and restaurant have kept the Fifties panelling and the menu lists dishes such as grilled local skate and oyster mushrooms, and The Rose’s marmalade on toast ice cream. The old-school seafront is just a minute away on foot.
The Scarlet, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
Best for: eco-conscious weekenders
On Cornwall’s north coast, adults-only The Scarlet has gained a well-deserved eco reputation. It’s really a spa-meets-hotel set on a clifftop overlooking the tiny beach town of Mawgan Porth. Its sustainable credentials have been earned by its solar panels; its insulating roof made of sea thrift, which encourages butterfly populations to flourish; and the restaurant, which focuses on local ingredients. All the rooms have soothingly secluded outdoor space and wonderful views over the hotel’s gardens or across the horizon. It also has one of the best spas in the UK: take a plunge in the natural outdoor pool, book gentle yoga sessions or try one of the meticulously personalised scrubs, soaks or massages.
The Gallivant, Camber, Sussex
Best for: a taste of Cali-cool
California-inspired motel The Gallivant sits on the rolling dunes of Camber Sands in East Sussex. Driftwood, marble and beach-hut-style tongue and groove give the rooms a coolly muted feel – they might overlook the garden, with a private patch of terrace, or you could opt for one of the beachfront Deck Rooms, each with their own balcony. There’s a sweet spa set in a beach hut and a library to rifle through for books to take to the beach. Book in for supper at the restaurant which has views of the dunes, and where most of the ingredients are hyper-locally sourced.
The Idle Rocks, St Mawes, Cornwall
Best for: walks along the Roseland Peninsula
This waterfront hangout has hovered above the Roseland Peninsula in the south of Cornwall for more than 100 years. It reopened in 2013 after an extensive costume change, and the 19 big bedrooms are now a riot of grown-up nautical details – lots of blue and white hues, striped fabrics and lifebuoys acting as artwork. Most of the rooms have views of either the sea, the harbour or the beach. The loveliest have comfy window seats to settle into, enormous roll-top baths and endless ocean views. A full Cornish breakfast – laden with artisan breads, eggs however you like and locally sourced sausages – is included in overnight stays, served in the ground-floor restaurant, which spills onto a shady terrace. Supper here might include catch of the day or rock oysters from Porthilly, washed down with clever cocktails made with St Mawes gin, English cucumber or vanilla vodka.
Artist Residence, Brighton, Sussex
Best for: art lovers and antiques collectors
This was the first opening from the Artist Residence group, born when owner Justin Salisbury and his wife (then girlfriend) Charlotte took over the family B&B and invited local artists to update the rooms. They’ve since launched lovely spots in Penzance, the Cotswolds and London, and Bristol – but the original on the Brighton seafront has kept all of its unique charms. A jaunty pink door marks out the terraced property on Regency Square. Inside, the arty rooms have boldly painted walls, while the communal spaces are a bit more muted, with exposed-brick walls and vintage furniture. We recommend booking room 21, the 'bigger balcony sea view', which has an ocean-view balcony, a huge four-poster and a freestanding copper bath. The Clubhouse bar and restaurant serves great cocktails and seasonal British produce.
Kinloch Lodge, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Best for: a cosy getaway in traditional surroundings
OK, this historic former hunting lodge sits back from a sea loch, not the ocean. Its 16th-century walls are hung with portraits of the Macdonald family, who still own the place – matriarch Clare has filled rooms with huge beds and decades-old novels. In the winter, open fires fizz and pop in the tartan-heavy lounges. Lots of the rooms look out over inky Loch Na Dal – which feels every bit as wild and elemental as the sea. The main draw here, though, is the restaurant – chef Jordan Webb pulls together tasting menus of local fish and seafood. Loch Brittle lobster might be used in a silky tortellini with sticky heritage tomato jelly, or Hebridean salmon fillet could be added to a pear and fennel tart. Don’t sleep through breakfast: there’s cinnamon-buttered oatmeal to fuel a day of exploring the island.
The Bonnie Badger, East Lothian, Scotland
Best for: pub lunches
Ivy-covered pub-with-rooms The Bonnie Badger is worth a stop for more than just its quirky name. Retro furniture, eccentric wallpaper from Edinburgh-based artist Mairi Helena, deep-blue walls and enormous bathtubs have brought this East Lothian spot up to the minute – all part of a renovation overseen by The Badger’s owners, chef Tom Kitchin and his wife. As you’d expect from the Michelin-starred chef, the suppers served at the two-storey Stables Dining Room are not to be missed. Order a hearty roast rack of Borders lamb, a braised shin of Highland Wagyu beef, or North Sea monkfish wrapped in pancetta. It’s less than five minutes’ walk to the beach, or drive 10 minutes east to North Berwick, Scotland’s coolest seaside town, where you’ll find industrial coffee shops such as Steampunk Coffee Roasters and Bostock Bakery, where Noma’s René Redzepi sent his assistant to learn to make their famous flaky croissants.
Harbourmaster, Aberaeron, Wales
Best for: immersing yourself in village life
A brightly coloured rainbow of houses lines the harbour at Aberaeron, a pretty fishing village on Wales’ Cardigan Bay. The Harbourmaster is the most striking of the lot: a deep-blue building peeping over the quay. All seven of the hotel’s original rooms have sea views, with commanding roll-top bathtubs and locally made blankets. There are four more rooms in the converted warehouse (the Gambia room has been adapted for less able guests), and a cottage next door for five to take over if you’re after proper privacy. Suppers of just-caught seafood are served in the ground-floor restaurant, and the little bar looks over the twinkly harbour. Drive four miles up the coast for a proper bucket-and-spade sandy beach at New Quay.
Sarah Lauren PhotographyCary Arms & Spa, Babbacombe Bay, Devon
Best for: New England-inspired aesthetics
Overlooking Babbacombe Bay, this Devon hotel is made up of sea-facing guest rooms, a handful of meticulously renovated fisherman's cottages and eight fun beach huts. Queen Victoria was known to take to the waters here, descending on the area for the restorative sea air. Those in search of a similarly bracing beach break should check in for showstopping ocean views from the blue-and-white rooms, or take over one of the cottages as their own. Breakfast is served on the terrace, which also overlooks the water, while suppers of fish caught in nearby Brixham or duck from the West Country can be eaten by the wood burner in the bar. And if you want to head inland, Dartmoor National Park is only about half an hour’s drive away.
The Swan, Southwold, Suffolk
Best for: beers on the beach
Historic hotel The Swan has stood in the centre of pretty Southwold for centuries. In 2017, it underwent a serious facelift and reopened as a smart hotel, attached to local Suffolk brewery Adnams. What was once a 17th-century coaching house has been given a fresh look by Shoreditch design studio Project Orange, and you’ll find original wood panelling, four-posters with hot-pink-painted spindles and views of the town’s lighthouse. The Still Room restaurant serves sophisticated dishes and there’s a grown-up Tap Room downstairs – order oysters, amped-up burgers and pints of Ghost Ship Pale Ale. Explorers can take the short stroll to the vintage pier, go crabbing or arrange a boat ride around the preposterously pretty bay.
James BedfordHope Cove House, Inner Hope, Devon
Best for: simple fish suppers
Shored up by London restaurateur Oli Barker (once the man behind top tables to book Terroirs, Soif and Brawn), this guesthouse sits on the South West Coast Path, in the one-time fishing village of Inner Hope. There are eight bedrooms – whitewashed and minimal, but with carefully considered details including vintage mirrors and brightly patterned fabrics. All of the rooms have sea views – book room six for your own balcony. Unsurprisingly, Barker’s restaurant is buzzy, serving a simple summery spread to locals and guests that might include plump prawns, heritage-tomato salads and onglet with peppercorn sauce. To feel the sand between your toes, walk 30 minutes to South Milton Sands, a National Trust-protected beach with fine, golden grains lapped by gin-clear waves.
The Pig on the Beach, Studland Bay, Dorset
Best for: cult-hotel fans
Set on Dorset’s extraordinary Jurassic Coast, this was the fourth opening from Robin Hutson, who now looks after a whole family of Pigs from Cornwall to Kent. This incarnation looks out over Studland Bay, in what was once a rather drab National Trust property, but the group put its trademark stamp on the place, making it into more of a restaurant with rooms than a traditional hotel. Harry's Hut and the Pig Hut, two shepherd’s huts in the garden, have the most impressive sea views. An important note: the Pig is more above the beach than actually on it – you’ll have to take a short stroll to the sands of Middle Beach below.
Catherine DavisThe Blonde Hedgehog, Alderney, Channel Islands
Best for: island-hopping adventures
You’ll have to stroll about 20 minutes from this hotel in the centre of Alderney. But the entire island – one of the loveliest British isles – is only three miles long, so you’re never far from the sand. The Blonde Hedgehog opened in 2019, set across two townhouses – one of which used to be the local pub – in the pretty town of St Anne. Dusky pinks and muted greys dominate the bedrooms, offset by pops of yellow or deep blue. There’s a farm-to-table restaurant serving catch of the day, and the cottage across the road is also owned by the hotel – a perfect space to take over as your own, with three bedrooms and a roof terrace. Alderney itself is just eight miles off the coast of France – the translucent blue sea lapping the beaches makes the island feel a world away from a damp British summer.
Ollie HarropThe Reading Rooms, Margate, Kent
Best for: a mellow jaunt out of London
For a while now hailed as Kent’s Shoreditch-on-sea, Margate has been harbouring pretty interiors shops, cool vintage stalls and up-to-the-minute tables to book for a number of years. Those in the know check into the low-key Reading Rooms, set in a five-storey Georgian townhouse, where restored details include floor-to-ceiling sash windows and exposed brick fireplaces. There are three bedrooms over the top three floors, with parquet flooring and vintage chandeliers. Bag the top floor for the best views of the sea, spied over the Margate skyline. Breakfast is served in the rooms – order a feast of freshly baked sourdough and pastries with your paper of choice at any time you like.