England
Bournemouth Beach Lodges, Dorset
It’s unusual to find a beach hut that you can sleep in overnight, so these small but beautifully designed lodges are understandably in demand. Positioned directly overlooking the quieter end of Bournemouth’s long, sandy beach, the miniature seaside boltholes combine white clapboard walls and nautical stripes with mod cons such as a kitchen, toilet, shower room and wifi. Guests can also take advantage of free travel on the land train, which runs down to the pier and aquarium.
Lodges sleep up to four adults and two children (apart from the accessible lodge, which accommodates up to four adults and one child), from £500 for three nights, bournemouthbeachlodges.co.uk
No. 124, Brighton, East Sussex
Opened at the end of 2024, No. 124 Brighton is the latest boutique stay from GuestHouse Hotels. Set just behind the beach, this cool hotel blends Regency and Victorian charm with quirky touches and modern luxury. Its 32 individually designed rooms and suites feature vintage furnishings, local art and record players, with a collection of vinyl downstairs to choose from.
Guests can enjoy a cocktail in the sumptuous lounge or book a treatment in the newly opened FieldTrip Spa. The chic on-site restaurant, Pearly Cow, serves locally sourced produce, including 45-day salt-aged steaks cooked over an open flame, and oysters served on ice.
Doubles from £165 room-only, guesthousehotels.co.uk
Astondene, Southwold, Suffolk
With its historic lighthouse, quirky pier and colourful beach huts, Southwold is the quintessential seaside town. Book a stay at Astondene, a three-storey house a pebble’s throw from the long sand and shingle beach, and you’ll be in the perfect location to take advantage of all that this corner of Suffolk has to offer.
Browse the independent shops, treat yourself to supper at the Swan or have a pint at the Lord Nelson, and don’t miss Tim Hunkin’s Under the Pier Show, an eccentric collection of interactive slot machines and curious inventions on Southwold Pier. Teenagers will love the basement bedroom/den, with its own sofa and TV.
Sleeps eight in three bedrooms, from £1,075 a week, sykescottages.co.uk
Prince of Wales Terrace, Deal, Kent
Soak up the uninterrupted Channel views from this chic two-bedroom apartment overlooking Deal’s long pebble beach – there’s nothing between you and France. With its 1950s concrete pier, vintage shops and excellent restaurants, Deal is a great place for a weekend by the sea. Book a table at Deal Pier Kitchen, take a yoga class at the Pelican Rooms and have a drink at boutique hotel the Rose.
Sleeps four, £540 for three nights, Fri-Mon or £611 for a four-night stay, Mon-Fri, coaste.co.uk
St Mark’s Bothy, Brownsea Island, Dorset
A sublime setting on the shore of Brownsea Island more than makes up for the lack of mod cons at this simple stone bothy. Thought to have been built as a dovecot in the late 1800s, the building was recently renovated by the National Trust to offer a peaceful self-catering retreat in this nationally important nature reserve. Although there is hot water, the only source of heating is a wood-burning stove and there is limited electricity.
Keep an eye out for red squirrels and sika deer in the forest and, after the boats and day visitors have left, head to the beach for some stargazing. Pack lightly because the bothy is a 20-minute walk from where the ferry docks, and you will need to carry your own bags.
Sleeps five in two bedrooms, from £380 for two nights, nationaltrust.org.uk
The Albion, Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight
Fall asleep to the sound of the waves washing over the chalk pebbles of Freshwater Bay at the Albion, a newly refurbished Victorian hotel in West Wight that reopened under new management in 2024. Most of the 40 bedrooms have sea views, with glass doors opening on to balconies or shared waterfront terraces. The on-site restaurant, the Rock, is run by executive chef Steve Harris, who previously worked at the Lords of the Manor hotel in the Cotswolds. Harris focuses on local produce, with most of his ingredients sourced from the island.
Double with balcony from £190 B&B, non-sea view room from £160, albionhotel.co.uk
Anchors Aweigh, Helford Passage, Cornwall
On the banks of the picturesque River Helford, this holiday cottage was once part of the 16th-century Ferry Boat Inn. With French doors that open on to a private patio overlooking the beach, it’s the perfect location for a traditional seaside holiday. You can hire kayaks and paddleboards and explore the estuary without having to get into your car, and the friendly Ferry Boat Inn, which serves local seafood, is just next door. Guests have access to a heated outdoor pool a short stroll away (shared with other rental properties, open May-September) and the local ferry takes you to Helford village, where you can explore Daphne du Maurier’s Frenchman’s Creek.
Sleeps six in three bedrooms, from £897 a week, toadhallcottages.co.uk
Penkenna House, Crackington Haven, Cornwall
This handsome stone and slate four-bedroom house, built in the 1800s, could hardly be closer to the sea. On the slipway to pretty Crackington Haven beach and hugged by cliffs either side, it blends into the dramatic landscape. Guests often have the bay to themselves and seals are frequently spotted, along with rich birdlife.
Inside, the house marries character and comfort, with exposed stone walls and beamed ceilings (the main beam in the lounge is the repurposed mast of a 19th-century ship wreck), and plenty of original artwork. There’s lots of space with a large dining room, separate kitchen, snug with chaise longue, two bathrooms, studio with surfboards and beach toys, plus a large private terrace and hot outdoor shower. The brilliant Coombe Barton Inn is seconds away for great food, too.
Sleeps eight, from £2,250 a week (three-night minimum Nov–June, seven-night minimum July-Oct), penkennahouse.com
The Wheelhouse B&B, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly
It takes a bit of effort to get to this stunning archipelago 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall, but it’s well worth it for the white sandy beaches, turquoise waters and laid-back pace of life. The islands can be expensive, but this family-run B&B, which overlooks sandy Porthcressa beach, is relatively well priced (for Scilly at least), even in summer. From the coast path just outside the B&B you can explore the island on foot. You can also head to the ferry quay and hop on a boat to nearby Tresco and the famous Abbey Gardens. Or just sit in the B&B’s lovely sea garden, which directly overlooks the beach, and, as the host suggests, let the stresses of the mainland fall away.
Doubles from £190 B&B, thewheelhousescilly.co.uk
Shoreside Huts, Alnmouth, Northumberland
These beautiful camping huts have panoramic views across Alnmouth’s long, sandy beach and out to sea. The St Oswald’s Way coastal path runs right past your front door: head north to Craster, Bamburgh Castle and Holy Island, and south for the seaside villages of Alnmouth, Warkworth and Amble.
Completely off-grid, the four huts (which can be rented together for larger family groups) have a wood-burning stove for heat and solar panels for electricity. There’s a kitchenette, along with a toilet and basin, and a shared shower block. There’s no vehicle access or on-site parking, but the owners can help with luggage if arranged in advance.
Huts sleep two adults plus two small children on a sofa bed, minimum two-night booking, from £270 for two nights, alnmouthhuts.com
The Barnacle Goose, Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria
This luxury converted Cumbrian stone barn with sea views is a great base for families keen to explore this quiet, wildlife-rich stretch of coast. Set along a private lane, a short stroll from the beach, the property has three bedrooms – two doubles and a bunk room sleeping four – as well as an outdoor dining area with a fire pit and barbecue, where you can enjoy spectacular sunsets over the Solway Firth. Listen out for the calls of nationally rare natterjack toads. Bordered by sand dunes and salt marshes, the nearest beach is brimming with birdlife, but fast tides mean it’s not suitable for swimming, so take binoculars and explore on foot.
Hadrian’s Cycleway (National Cycle Route 72), which runs along the coast towards Glasson and Drumburgh, is on the doorstep, and Bowness-on-Solway is the start of the Hadrian’s Wall trail.
Sleeps eight, from £1,295 a week, cottages.com
Scotland
The Pierhouse Hotel, Port Appin, Argyll
Seafood is the star of the show at this intimate 12-bedroom hotel on the shores of Loch Linnhe, though the views across to Lismore and Mull are not bad either. Enjoy local langoustines, mussels and lobsters along with oysters harvested just 10 minutes from the hotel in its renowned restaurant – head chef Michael Leathley just picked up the Chef of the Year accolade at the National Hotels of the Year Scotland awards 2025.
You can take a guided wild swimming session around the numerous beaches nearby, or book a food-foraging tour with The Wild Cooke and feast on the gathered ingredients.
Cliff-facing doubles from £225 B&B midweek, pierhousehotel.co.uk
Tahuna Bothies, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire
Wake up to sunrise over the sea at these three wooden bothies, designed by architect Stuart Davidson and set just behind the stunning sand dunes on Newburgh beach. The bothies are cosy and compact but the clever design allows for up to four guests – in a super king-size bed, which sits on a mezzanine bunk, and a double sofa bed. Each bothy also has a fully equipped kitchenette, shower room and a private outdoor seating area. It’s perfect for those who want a peaceful retreat where they can reconnect with nature – there’s a seal colony just along the beach, along with great cycling and walking routes.
Sleeps four, from £122 a night, two-night minimum May-Oct, tahunabothies.co.uk
The Waterside Hotel, West Kilbride, Ayrshire
The sea-view rooms at this New England-style hotel have uninterrupted vistas across the Firth of Clyde to the Isle of Arran. There’s fresh, locally caught seafood on the menu in the restaurant – when the weather is good, dining spills out into the waterfront garden and terrace. Protected from the wind, the sandy bay is great for paddleboarding and kayaking. A revamped £3m seaside spa, which includes a sauna, steam room and outdoor hydro pool, will open this summer. When booking, it’s worth asking for a sea-view room to avoid overlooking the car park at the rear.
Doubles from £125 B&B, watersideayrshire.com
Wales
The Old Point House, Angle, Pembrokeshire
The road to the Old Point House, a 16th-century coastal inn on the south-western tip of Pembrokeshire, is submerged by the sea several times a month, so you’ll need to check the tide times before you travel. The excellent restaurant serves oysters from East Angle Bay, which it overlooks, as well as local lobster and crab, and champions seaweed as an ingredient. There are three simple, cosy rooms above the bar and a campsite in the adjoining private meadow.
Doubles from £115 B&B, theoldpointhouse.wales
Aberafon Campsite, Gyrn Goch, Caernarfon
Positioned between the mountains and the sea on the beautiful Llŷn peninsula, this spacious campsite has its own private beach and stunning views in all directions. As well as swimming and sandcastle building, you’ll find space to launch a boat, good sea fishing and direct access to coastal paths for walking. There are forest areas to explore within the campsite and campers can light a fire on the beach. The perfect place to go wild with the family.
£12 adults, £6 children, no charge for under-threes, aberafon.co.uk
Caban, Pendine Sands, Carmarthenshire
Set on Pendine Sands – a seven-mile expanse famed for its record-breaking land speed trials in the 1920s – Caban offers a great-value stay overlooking this breathtaking beach. Opened in 2023, the hotel was built to high environmental standards, with solar panels, advanced insulation and energy-saving LED lighting working together to reduce its carbon footprint. Part of a council-led initiative to improve the area and welcome more visitors, there is also a 500-metre promenade and an on-site restaurant.
Family rooms for two adults and two children £130 room-only, cabanpendine.wales
The Cabin, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
This waterfront apartment is in a Grade II-listed turreted building where Roald Dahl spent his Easter holidays as a child. The house is built on to the sea wall, with sea views from many of the rooms. The balcony on the harbour side not only catches the sun for most of the day but allows parents to peacefully enjoy a glass of wine while keeping an eye on the children playing on the beach below.
Sleeps six in three bedrooms, £1,008 a week, coastalcottages.co.uk
Northern Ireland
Manse on the Beach, Cloughey, County Down
This boutique guesthouse overlooks two miles of sandy beach in the pretty village of Cloughey, about an hour’s drive south-east of Belfast. The adult-only B&B also has its own sauna and jacuzzi, which is housed in the communal gardens, and the owners can organise bespoke yoga classes, massage treatments or a private chef who sources ingredients from local suppliers.
Visit nearby Castle Ward and its historic farmyard, which was the location of Winterfell in the filming of Game of Thrones. You can also head three miles down the coast to Portavogie and enjoy seafood fresh from fishing boats.
Doubles with sea views from £110 B&B, manseonthebeach.com
Ballygally Castle Hotel, County Antrim
Having recently completed a refurbishment of its sea-view suites, this iconic waterfront hotel is an ideal place to start a journey along the Causeway Coastal Route. The original part of the building dates back to the 17th century, and the rooms in this wing retain some of the original features. There are uninterrupted views of the Irish Sea and the golden sands of Ballygally Bay, where you can rent a paddleboard and explore the coast.
Doubles from £120 B&B, but it’s worth spending a little more (from £140) for a sea view, ballygallycastlehotel.com
Unless otherwise stated, the prices quoted are for May 2025
Premium IPTV Experience with line4k
Experience the ultimate entertainment with our premium IPTV service. Watch your favorite channels, movies, and sports events in stunning 4K quality. Enjoy seamless streaming with zero buffering and access to over 10,000+ channels worldwide.
