20 of the best British beach hotels
Bedruthan Hotel and Spa - 'Winter Escape' Midweek Special Offer
Mawgan Porth
Seen through walls of windows, the sea is a huge presence at this family-run hotel ‘in a fabulous location’ on the cliffs above a surfers’ beach.
Soar Mill Cove Hotel - 'February First Week Staycation Saver' Special Offer
Salcombe
This single-storey hotel enfolded in a gorse-clad valley with views of the sea has been in the Makepeace family for three generations.
The Nare - '40 Winks Break' Special Offer
Veryan-in-Roseland
‘It’s like going back in time to more gracious living,’ writes a reader after an annual visit to the Ashworth family's hotel in sub-tropical gardens above Carne Beach.
Seaham Hall - 20% Discount Coastal Lodge Special Offer
Seaham
Garden suites with hot tubs, a state-of-the-art spa, brightly coloured sofas under gleaming chandeliers . . . this country house hotel offers luxury with a contemporary edge.
The Old Coastguard - Winter Escape Special Offer
Penzance
‘My favourite hotel anywhere in the world,’ writes a reader of this welcoming pub-with-rooms in an enchanting Cornish fishing village.
The Scarlet - Springtime Special Offer
Mawgan Porth
Eco values as well as enjoyment are fundamental to this cliff-top hotel, with sea thrift-covered roof, sweeping curves, reed-filtered pool and walls of windows to soak up the light and the seascape.
Trefeddian Hotel - 'April Escape' Special Offer
Aberdovey
The Cave-Browne-Cave family have kept a welcome in the hillside at their big, white hotel above Cardigan Bay since the days of silent film, when men wore bowler hats to the beach.
Cary Arms & Spa - 'Gastro Getaway' Special Offer
Babbacombe
A cosy beamed pub is the warm heart of this hotel, in the shelter of wooded, red sandstone cliffs that reminded the young Queen Victoria of ‘a ballet or a play where nymphs appear’.
Boskerris Hotel
St Ives
It's blue heaven, on a sunny day, to sit on the terrace of this adults-only, 1930s hotel overlooking a white-sand Blue Flag beach and the clear waters of St Ives Bay, with a chilled glass of wine or a cream tea.
Penally Abbey
Tenby
A foodie destination and family-run hotel, this enchanting Gothic house stands above gardens tumbling to the sea, with interiors created by the designer hostess, calming bedrooms, marble bathrooms, and lovely views.
The Seaside Boarding House
Burton Bradstock
A playful mix of Edward Hopper’s Cape Cod and Edwardian seaside hotel, this white-painted villa above Chesil Beach has an easy-going stylishness, conducive to fun.
The Pig on the Beach
Studland
There is a hint of Castle Gormenghast about this fairytale 1820s marine villa, with its jumble of roofs, gables, gargoyles, towers and dormers, in gardens running down to a sandy beach.
The Beach
Bude
The old, pointy-gabled Victorian Summerleaze Court Hotel hardly knows itself these days, with its cool New England style and sunny terrace above a sandy surfers’ beach.
The Blakeney Hotel
Holt
Readers again lavish praise on this quayside hotel – ‘one of the best run and best maintained in Britain' – in a ‘stunning setting looking over salt marsh’.
The Gallivant
Camber
The name says it all: a place to skip along Camber Sands, enjoy backgammon in the bar, chill in the garden or relax with yoga – and with no children to disturb the peace.
The Grand Hotel
Eastbourne
A great white wedding cake of a hotel, this Victorian extravaganza invites you to take a step back in time, to take tea or cocktails to the sound of the Palm Court Strings, dine in style and retire to a deluxe bedroom at prices that won’t break the bank.
Tresanton
St Mawes
‘You feel as though you’re on the French Riviera’ at Olga Polizzi’s seaside hotel ‘in one of the most idyllic locations you could hope to come across’.
Driftwood Hotel
Porthscatho
‘This hotel is all about position – on the cliffs above the beach and beautiful gardens,’ a reader writes.
Fowey Hall
Fowey
Avowedly family-friendly and fun yet stylish, this hotel with spa occupies a Baroque Victorian mansion in five acres above the Fowey estuary.
Britain has plentiful coastline. From Cornwall to Scotland, and from the Welsh coast to the Kent sands, there’s a beach for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly hotel or a romantic room with a view, there’s a perfect seaside place to stay for you. This selection is taken from our seaside hotels.