South Coast
Margate House, Margate, Kent
This bohemian bolthole opens on 1 July, just a stone’s throw from the sea in the heart of Margate’s buzzy social scene. With eclectic interiors in bold hues by interior designer Charlee Allan Quinton in collaboration with eco-conscious paint company YesColours, there are nine en suite bedrooms and a make-yourself-at-home attitude. Rooms feature Haeckels toiletries using seaweed handpicked in Margate. An open-plan living and drawing room features an honesty bar and larder of locally sourced goodies.
Doubles from £115 including breakfast, margatehouse.co.uk
The View Hotel, Folkestone, Kent
With sweeping sea views, cocktail bar and restaurant, and just a short walk from town, The View Hotel has everything you could need for a beach break in the increasingly arty town of Folkestone. Modern rooms have period touches such as large open fireplaces and roll top baths.
Doubles from £134, viewhotelfolkstone.co.uk
The Falstaff, Ramsgate, Kent
Located on Ramsgate’s historic Addington Street between an eclectic mix of independent local shops, The Falstaff Hotel is a stone’s throw from the idyllic Royal Harbour and local beaches. Eight guest rooms and two apartments feature work by local artists, and the Kitchen & Deli Counter serves seasonal food, best eaten in the garden, weather permitting.
Doubles from £120 including breakfast, thefalstafframsgate.com
The Relais, Cooden Beach Cooden, East Sussex
Recently reimagined by hotelier Grace Leo as the Hamptons of Sussex, The Relais Cooden Beach sits right on the shingle beach with what feels like its own private train station to the rear, with direct links to Brighton and London Victoria. Once the private home of the De La Warr family (of nearby De La Warr Pavilion fame), it is perfectly situated to explore the Sussex coast and South Downs. And don’t miss the local Rathfinny sparkling wines served at your stripy deckchair.
Seaview single from £150 including breakfast, therelaisretreats.com/coodenbeach
Port Hotel, Eastbourne, East Sussex
This boutique Victorian townhouse hotel on the Royal Parade has been lovingly restored with a cool modernist feel. Six rooms overlook the beach while 10 face towards town and the South Downs. The lauded restaurant supports Sussex suppliers and you can order an excellent Martini in the Luna Bar.
Doubles from £104, porthotel.co.uk
The Queens Hotel, Portsmouth, Hampshire
This grand historic hotel, which has hosted the likes of Joan Collins and Beatrix Potter, exudes yesteryear charm despite extensive renovations. It is a short walk along Southsea Common to scenic Old Portsmouth, the Spinnaker Tower and Historic Dockyard.
Seaview doubles from £126.50, queenshotelportsmouth.com
Seaview Hotel, Seaview, Isle of Wight
This hotel sits in the north-east of the island with views of the Solent, a short walk from the golden sands at Appley Beach and the Victorian town of Ryde. Dog-friendly rooms are available, there’s EV charging on site, plus a former fisherman’s cottage that now sleeps four as a self-catering let.
Small doubles from £135 including breakfast, with discounted ferry travel if booking direct with the hotel, seaviewhotel.co.uk
Merchant’s Manor, Falmouth, Cornwall
This country house has uplifting sea views from its high vantage point. Owners Sioned and Nick Rudlin revived the Victorian building, exposing wood floors and mixing vintage and designer furniture. The indoor heated pool, treatment rooms and three AA Rosette restaurant, Rastella, make it great value for money, with Gyllyngvase and Swanpool beaches just a 10-minute walk away.
Doubles from £137, ‘Sunday Sleepover’ rates include a roast dinner, use of the spa and pool, and breakfast the following morning, merchantsmanor.com
East Coast
Roslin Beach Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Overlooking Thorpe Bay beach, this bright yet cosy hotel has contemporary rooms and does the job of making you feel like you are on a seaside holiday. Adventure Island theme park, Cliffs Pavilion and Southend Pier are all within walking distance. Dog-friendly and family-friendly rooms are available.
Doubles from £124, roslinhotel.com
The White Lion, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
This pretty, whitewashed house on the seafront faces the shingle, the fishing huts and the moored boats. You couldn’t get more salty if you tried. There are 38 stylish contemporary rooms (some dog-friendly), all within easy reach of Aldeburgh town centre. Its restaurant, Sea Spice, serves fine Indian cuisine, while The Brasserie is traditional British. A stroll along the beach towards Thorpeness will lead to The Scallop by sculptor Maggi Hambling, a tribute to composer Benjamin Britten, who lived in Aldeburgh.
Inland-facing doubles from £120 including breakfast and free parking, whitelion.co.uk
The Cliftonville, Cromer, Norfolk
A typical Edwardian seaside hotel, The Cliftonville blends into the Cromer seafront. However, its grand interior is in the midst of an impressive overhaul, which has transformed its public spaces and restaurant (which still retain original features such as stained glass windows), alongside many of the bedrooms. The beach is moments away, accessed from a coastal path down cliffs grazed by Bagot goats.
Doubles from £99 with breakfast, thecliftonville.com
The Grand Hotel, Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear
Locals know and love The Grand as a place for weddings and afternoon teas, but it’s equally a majestic seaside hotel set at the southern end of the spectacular Long Sands and nearby King Edward’s Bay, which is home to the much-lauded Riley’s Fish Shack. Tynemouth Village and the ancient priory are a stroll away too.
Seaview doubles from £139, grandhoteltynemouth.co.uk
Bike and Boot, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Designed for cyclists and walkers, colourful modern décor allied with a can-do attitude has revived this sea-facing grand dame of a building. It is all about the attention to detail here, from hot drinks in the 24-hour Retreat, film club screenings, on-site dog grooming and bike storage and maintenance.
Doubles from £115, bikeandboot.com
Welsh coast
The Stackpole Inn, Stackpole, Pembrokeshire
This award-winning gastropub with rooms is one of those independent seaside hotels that gets everything just right, from the weekly specials board in the restaurant to the four seaside-themed bedrooms, two with sofa beds for kids. Barafundle Bay and Broadhaven Beach are just two of the stunners close by.
Doubles from £130 including breakfast, stackpoleinn.co.uk
Ty Milford Waterfront, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire
This new addition to the Celtic Collection has picture-postcard views across the Milford Marina across its four floors of bedrooms. For something a bit different, the hotel also has four floatel cabins (two dog-friendly) right among the moored boats.
A Coastal Escapes package offers doubles from £63 room-only, bed and breakfast from £83 and dinner, bed and breakfast from £133; floatel cabins from £147, ty-hotels.com
Fron Haul, Aberdyfi, Gwynedd
Just about as close to Cardigan Bay as you can get, Fron Haul punches well above the normal B&B standards with breakfast in bed should you want it. Most of the five bedrooms have sweeping sea views (with binoculars to hand), plus you are right in the heart of Aberdyfi, a particularly good spot for sailing.
Doubles from £74 including breakfast, rarebits.co.uk/hotels/fron-haul
The Bull, Beaumaris, Anglesey
With medieval, Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture and an imposing 13th-century castle, Beaumaris is a pretty base from which to explore Anglesey. The Bull is in a Grade II-listed, 15th-century building moments from the seafront, its rooms singing with bold textiles and wallpapers.
Doubles from £140 with breakfast, inncollectiongroup.com
Scottish coast
The Dundonald, Culross, Fife
This cottage guesthouse is housed in a 17th-century stone house on a cobbled street that’s typical of the picturesque village of Culross. Less typical are its interiors, which are Scandi-bright. The two rooms are named after local saints and are furnished in mid-century and contemporary style.
Doubles £160 including breakfast, thedundonald.com
No.12 Hotel & Bistro, North Berwick, East Lothian
North Berwick is one of those old-school seaside escapes within striking distance of Edinburgh that has a surprisingly cool edge. No.12 epitomises this with 11 modern rooms and a stylish bistro. The beaches, harbour and links golf courses are all on the doorstep.
Singles from £80, twins or doubles from £140, including breakfast, no12hotelandbistro.co.uk
The Ship Inn, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
Just 20 minutes from Aberdeen, and you are breathing in the Scottish sea air of Stonehaven. This white-washed stone-fronted hotel sits right on the harbourfront with 11 no-nonsense, comfy rooms. The restaurant is bright and airy and the bar will serve you a descent whisky after a day exploring the local Art Deco pool, nearby castles and beaches.
Doubles from £115 including breakfast (family rooms with double bed and single pull-out bed or bunk beds available), shipinnstonehaven.com
The Station Hotel, Portsoy, Aberdeenshire
Tradition and family values lie at the heart of this three-star, 14-room hotel owned and run by Euan and Susan Cameron. From the tartan carpets to the whisky selection behind the bar, there is no mistaking that you are north of the border. Local attractions include the Salmon Bothy, which explores the salmon fishing industry and clifftop walks with views of the Moray Firth.
Two nights in double room including breakfast and dinner from £258 (£129 a night), stationhotelportsoy.co.uk
Gairloch Hotel, Gairloch, Highlands
Gairloch Lodge is a beautiful base for a Highlands seaside escape with views of the Isle of Skye. Within striking distance of many secluded beaches, lochs and mountains plus the famed Eilean Donan Castle, there is plenty to explore from this 72-bedroom hotel. Dog are welcome too.
Seaview twin rooms from £159, bespokehotels.com/gairloch-hotel
Oban Bay Hotel, Oban, Argyll and Bute
Oban is the jumping-off point to Scotland’s Western Isles and Oban Bay Hotel is set right on the seafront, with idyllic views over to the Isle of Kerrera and Mull. The hotel has a traditional-meets-modern feel. Guests can relax in the Sunroom and watch the CalMac ferries go by or try out the Thermal Experience at the bijou spa.
Doubles from £157, crerarhotels.com/oban-bay-hotel
