Britain's best hotels for glorious coastal walks, from Sussex to Skye
Britain is fringed by almost 8,000 miles of natural coastline, from sandy shores and rugged headlands, to wind-swept dunes and cliff-top paths. With so much to explore, we've rounded up some of the best hotels, restaurants-with-rooms and b&bs by the coast, including the top places to stay for easy access to coastal paths, private beaches, Michelin-starred restaurants, cosy spas, sun-soaked terraces, oak-pannelled bars and incredible ocean views.
England
North Devon
North Devon's coastline is one of the most varied in the UK. Here you can walk barefoot along miles of golden sand, scramble up wild headlands, stroll through ancient woodlands and hike up majestic tors and heather-topped moors. If you're staying somewhere on the beach, you'll find the South West Coast Path. Keep a look out for basking shark and dolphins, which often patrol this shoreline. Perfect days end with perfect evenings: fish and chips on a pier and a pint in a pub garden or hotel.
Where to stay
Watersmeet Hotel
Woolacombe, Devon, England
8Telegraph expert rating
Watersmeet's beachfront location, looking out onto the North Devon coastline and Lundy Island, is simply sublime. At the quiet end of Woolacombe Bay, the hotel has private steps that lead onto Combesgate Beach, a small, sandy cove that rarely gets busy. And the South West Coastal path is just behind, with the award-winning Woolacombe Beach also just a 10-minute stroll away. Inside, the overall feel is fresh and airy, with wood floors, driftwood lamps and Lloyd Loom chairs, but the views are so mesmerising that you may not even notice. Read expert review From £99per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Woolacombe Bay Hotel
Woolacombe, Devon, England
8Telegraph expert rating
This rambling, gabled building was built in mid-Victorian times and still has a few attractive period features including an Edwardian lift. From the hotel, it's a five-minute stroll to glorious Woolacombe Beach, via six acres of manicured lawns that sweep down to the vast expanse of Woolacombe Sands. This is a three-mile stretch backed by sand dunes. As you'd expect at Devon's top beach, activities are sea-orientated, including surfing, coasteering, stand-up paddle boarding, hand-gliding, horse-riding and hiking the South West Coastal path. Read expert review From £164per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best hotels in Britain with direct access to the beach
The Old Rectory Hotel
Devon, England
8Telegraph expert rating
The Old Rectory is cocooned in lush, well-tended gardens and carefully clipped lawns, and sits in stark contrast to its wild and wuthering surrounds: Exmoor National Park. Woody Bay, with its pebbled beach, natural infinity pool and waterfall is a 40-minute downhill walk from the hotel, a hike so steep it puts off all but the most adventurous visitors, meaning you're likely to have the place to yourself. Whilst there, you can strike out on the South West Coastal Path to the dramatic and lushly-wooded Heddon Valley, pausing for refreshments at Hunters Inn. Read expert review From £190per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
The Rising Sun
Lynmouth, Devon, England
8Telegraph expert rating
Sitting on Lynmouth's pretty harbourside, with views of Lynmouth Bay's steep cliffs and dramatic seas, and the open moors of Exmoor National Park, The Rising Sun's location is hard to beat. With both coast and moor on the doorstep, the area has dramatic and varied hiking: The Valley of the Rocks, South West Coast Path and Exmoor National Park are highlights. The 14th-century thatched inn itself is wonderfully rickety, with creaking floors, wood-panelled walls, and low, beamed ceilings. It brims with character and history. Read expert review From £139per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The most romantic hotels in Devon
South Devon
South Devon is a mix of gentle scenic coastlines and dramatic seascapes – keep your eyes peeled for dolphins and basking sharks swimming by, or grey seals bobbing about in amongst the waves beneath the cliffs. Cross the crystal clear waters of Salcombe estuary by ferry for a breathtaking walk to Gara Rock for lunch, or venture down the rugged path to the remote Soar Mill Cove. Dip your toes in the sea at the coves and caves around Torbay or stop for a while at the hides along the River Exe, a paradise for wading birds.
Where to stay
Lympstone Manor
Exmouth, Devon, England
9Telegraph expert rating
The house's Hawthorne-garnished grounds slope right down to Devon's Exe estuary, with its aggressive freshness and busy bird life. From here you can wander towards Orcombe Point, marked by a needle-shaped rock signifying the western edge of the Jurassic Coastline, and follow the South West Coast Path. Be sure to return for the sunsets, which are notorious here. Order a champagne and elderflower cocktail and watch as the river runs the colour of rose champagne. Then head for an eight-course tasting menu at the Michelin-starred restaurant, perfect for a post-hike, fine-dining feast. Read expert review From £305per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best family-friendly hotels in Devon
Orestone Manor
Torquay, Devon, England
8Telegraph expert rating
This peaceful coastal retreat is home to narrative painter John Callcott Horsley, and where he painted the portrait of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, now in the National Portrait Gallery. Its location has the best of both countryside and coast, being located on the English Riviera, four miles from Torquay, and set among winding Devon lanes. It's a 10-minute walk to the thatched seaside village of Maidencombe, where there's a dramatic red-sand beach backed by crumbling cliffs. Top tip: the sun terrace, overlooking the hotel's sub-tropical gardens, with sea views in the middle distance, is the best spot in the house. Read expert review From £71per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
The Cary Arms
Devon, England
9Telegraph expert rating
This delightful haven (like a setting from a Mills and Boon romance and a Famous Five adventure rolled into one) is set beneath the cliffs on the beach at Babbacombe, near Torquay. Its location is nothing short of spectacular, even if its approach, via an alarmingly steep single track road, is not for the faint-hearted – but then you don't get special places without a special effort to reach them. Pebbly Babbacombe beach and the South West Coast Path are the doorstep, the lively harbour towns of Brixham and Dartmouth are within striking distance, and Dartmoor National Park is a half-hour drive away. Read expert review From £92per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best luxury hotels in Devon
Salcombe Harbour Hotel & Spa
Salcombe, Devon, England
9Telegraph expert rating
A pebble's skim from the sea, this coastal south Devon hotel means you can doze at night listening to the bells of bobbing fishing boats and the swoosh of the waves – a rare treat in the UK. Don't be put off by the clichéd collection of seafaring memorabilia at the entrance; this is one of the most stylish seaside hotels in the South West. And on the outskirts of pretty harbour town Salcombe, right on the South West Coast Path, and a short walk, sail or boat ride to Devon's safest swimming beaches, this hotel trumps on location alone. Read expert review From £104per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Soar Mill Cove
Salcombe, Devon, England
9Telegraph expert rating
Soar Mill Cove is set back from the sea, in a valley filled with wild flowers. Its location has a secret and exclusive feel. A 10-minute walk through the fields leads you to the Soar Mill Cove itself, which is sandy, with shallow swimming and rock pooling possible at low tide. From there, you can strike out on one of the most spectacular (and strenuous) sections of Devon's South West Coast Path to the sailing town of Salcombe, or north-west to Hope Cove. For the less energetic, Salcombe is a 10-minute drive away. Read expert review From £142per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best restaurants in Devon
North Cornwall
A walker's paradise, the North Cornish coast boasts sweeping bays and stunning cliff walks with uninterrupted sea views for miles. Explore the South West Coast Path with its wild, rugged landscape, peppered with sandy beaches and coves. The dramatic rock-face is fused with spectacular beaches – head North of Watergate Bay's two mile stretch to Beacon Cove, Mawgan Porth beach and Bedruthen Steps, all with their huge expanse of low tide sands and dramatic sculptural rocks.
Where to stay
The Beach at Bude
Bude, Cornwall, England
9Telegraph expert rating
It's all about the New-England-style rooms with limed-oak furniture, Lloyd Loom chairs and king-sized beds with cloudy duck-down duvets here. Many rooms have decks or balconies with sea views, although you can always sit and watch the world go by on the bar's terrace, drink in hand. Walk to the end of the road and you are almost on the South West Coast Path, which (whichever way you turn) leads to some fantastic sea-eroded rocky cliffs, with strata twisted and turned millions of years ago when Cornwall was seismically active. Read expert review From £135per night Check availability Rates provided by Mr & Mrs Smith
The Scarlet
Mawgan Porth, England
9Telegraph expert rating
This eco-hotel offers comfort and style in buckets and spades, with an imaginative modern design incorporating tall glass walls that blur the boundary between indoors and out. And if you do want to head outside, the rugged South West Coast Path is mere strides away. Turn right from The Scarlet's garden for stunning views of Bedruthan Steps, 15 minutes away, or turn left across Mawgan Porth beach up the cliffs to beautiful Watergate Bay. And at the end of the day there's a 'womb-like' spa to soothe your cockles. Read expert review From £230per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• Cornwall's best seaside hotels
Watergate Bay
Newquay, Cornwall, England
9Telegraph expert rating
'A ski resort on a beach' is how the (ski-mad as well as surf-mad) owners describe Watergate Bay, and it's a description that fits well, with people trotting past reception in wetsuits and a laid-back, happy go lucky feel in contemporary but comfortable seaside style. It's the only hotel on Watergate Bay, a two-mile stretch of beach near Newquay, with fabulous views in both directions and the beach laid out just below. The Swim Club offers an indoor infinity pool with views over the beach and sea as well as spa treatments for after a busy day walking. Read expert review From £185per night
Boskerris Hotel
Carbis Bay, England
9Telegraph expert rating
In residential Carbis Bay, which has a lovely beach, the hotel is just a 20-minute walk along the coastal path to St Ives. The modern interior is light and airy with floor-to-ceiling windows in public rooms and principal bedrooms to make the most of the sea views, and there’s a big OS map of Cornwall occupying a whole wall in the entrance hall, marked up with the staff’s favourite things to do, see and eat all over the county. If you’re not trekking the path, this is the sort of place you can kick your shoes off and curl up with a book on a sofa. Read expert review Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best luxury Cornwall hotels
South Cornwall
The most southerly peninsula of mainland England – home to spectacular coastal scenery and beaches – offers a haven for walkers exploring South Cornwall from the Coastal Path. The sweep of Mounts Bay stretches from Lizard Point to Gwennap Head with Marazion, the gateway to St Michael's Mount – at low tide, its possible to walk the causeway. A mile east sits Perranthnoe, continue eastwards to discover Cudden Point, Prussia Cove, Praa Sands and Porthlevan. See below for some top places to stay while you're there.
Where to stay
The Nare
Cornwall, England
8Telegraph expert rating
In a sunny, south-facing position beside the lovely Carne Beach on the Roseland peninsula, The Nare is in an excellent position for coastal rambling. It sits in National Trust land close to the South West Coastal Path and is within easy reach of some of Cornwall's most scenic walks: head east towards Portloe along the cliffs or west towards Portscatho and St Anthony's Head. After a long day of exploring, retire to the hotel for drinks and a game of cards. Look out for the watercolours by Prince Charles hanging on the walls. Read expert review From £285per night
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Talland Bay Hotel
Porthallow, Cornwall, England
9Telegraph expert rating
This 16th-century, extended-cottage-style house with subtropical gardens is quite 'Alice in Wonderland': very magical and entirely homely. The Coast Path saunters by just below this hotel, in the shingle-beach hamlet of Talland, where you can look out for celebrity residents Richard and Judy. South-eastern Cornwall feels more slow-paced than the coastline further west. This particularly pretty rural stretch near Polperro is known for smugglers and shipwrecks, and has a history dating to the Domesday Book. Read expert review From £100per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Hotel Tresanton
Saint Mawes, Cornwall, England
9Telegraph expert rating
The hotel was created within the buildings of a 1940s yacht club and its sophisticated and witty style is unique: think printed linens and geometric tapestry upholstery, matt gold walls and bronze wall lamps in the form of rayfish. There are fantastic views across the sheltered bay to St Anthony’s lighthouse and the rolling hills of the Roseland peninsula; and there are river walks, coastal walks and any number of pristine sandy coves and sweeping beaches accessible by foot or boat (via the South West Coast Path). Read expert review From £180per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Mount Haven
Marazion, Cornwall, England
8Telegraph expert rating
It's a fair (but very pleasant) 10 to 15-minute saunter to Marazion's many galleries and causeway across to St Michael's Mount, and slightly uphill on the way back. But Mount Haven is positioned thus for a reason: its seclusion brings tranquility, while the altitude affords uninterrupted, goosebump-inducing views of that famous island fortress. At the front desk, print-outs outline weather forecasts and tidal times for St Michael's Mount's causeway. Massages and facials are available for anyone who overexerts themselves clambering across. The coastal path also passes by just above the hotel. Read expert review From £90per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Kota Restaurant with Rooms
Porthleven, Cornwall, England
9Telegraph expert rating
This charming restaurant with rooms, which has a fantastic Asian-Cornish fusion restaurant downstairs, is right on the long narrow harbour that splits this pretty Victorian fishing village in two. The beach and South West Coast Path are a five-minute walk away, and the village's engaging mix of restaurants, pubs, cafés, galleries and shops are right on the doorstep. The dramatic coast of the Lizard can be walked along, and the delightful River Helford is a short drive away. Penzance, Lands End, St Ives and Falmouth are all less than an hour's drive. Read expert review From £75per night
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Dorset
The 95-mile Jurassic Coast – charting almost 200 million years of geological history across a shifting shoreline – might begin over the border in east Devon but the majority (and some of the most interesting aspects) are found in Dorset. By trekking the path, sidestepping landslides and reaching the south coast's highest point, Golden Cap, you can find a horde of natural features: lesser-known coves, a 'fossil forest' and imposing limestone arch of Durdle Door. There are plenty of places to pitch-up along the way, from traditional seaside lodgings elevated into the 21st-century to gastropubs spilling onto the shingle.
Where to stay
Alexandra Hotel & Restaurant
Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
8Telegraph expert rating
Lyme Regis itself, and the view in particular, are of course the reasons why owner Kathryn Haskins, whose mother Nina ran the hotel before her, has always loved the Alexandra. Whether relaxing in the bay window of your room, feet up on footstools, or on the garden deck, it's hard to tear your eyes away from a scene that includes an azure expanse of Lyme Bay, a long chunk of Jurassic Coast and the famous harbour wall, the Cobb. It's a view that’s equally thrilling on a sunny day or a stormy one, when the waves crash over the top. Read expert review From £95per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
The Seaside Boarding House
Burton Bradstock, Dorset, England
8Telegraph expert rating
The boarding house is a modern take on simple coastal lodging: white clapboard exteriors contain rooms that jostle for attention with a restaurant looking to make a mark on the West Country dining scene. Burton Bradstock is a Jurassic Coast highlight: two traditional pubs and winding country trails to meander. It is the only hotel for miles that offers such uninterrupted views over Lyme Bay (when it's clear, you can see from the Isle of Portland down to Devon). The shelving shingle of this Unesco World Heritage Site is accessed down a steep path from the hotel. Read expert review From £139per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best family-friendly Dorset hotels
The Anchor Inn
Seatown, England
8Telegraph expert rating
With white stone walls, a grey roof peaked by chimneys and a thatched cottage next door, The Anchor fits the bill as a shore-perched West Country bolthole. The highlight of tiny Seatown is the beach, and the hotel is brilliantly located. Visitors often skip it in favour of neighbours along the Jurassic Coast – trendy market town Bridport to the east, and fossil-cum-fish favourite Lyme Regis to the west – but this hamlet is a worthwhile stop for those in the know. Walks from here are abundant; trek 30-40 minutes up to Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast. Read expert review From £120per night
• The best hotels in Lyme Regis
The Pig on the Beach
Studland, Dorset, England
9Telegraph expert rating
The hotel stands in a stunning position overlooking the sea, with the dramatic chalk stacks of Old Harry Rocks in the foreground and the Isle of Wight in the distance. The yellow house is a quirky fantasy that reminds one, with its overlapping tiled Portland stone roof, of the witch's gingerbread house in Hansel and Gretel. It's cosy inside, full of antiques and curios, and relaxing outside, with terrace, huge lawn and walled kitchen garden. The beach is a five-minute walk away. Read expert review From £185per night Check availability Rates provided by Mr & Mrs Smith
Kent
Jutting into the Channel, Kent boasts over 350 miles of diverse coastline on its northern, eastern and southern shores ranging from the white cliffs of Dover and chalk stacks of Botany Bay to Whitstable's shingle beaches and the desert landscape of Dungeness. Walking trails skirt much of the coast, the longest being the Saxon Shore Way, which winds 153 miles from Gravesend to Hastings, passing the old sea cliffs of Folkestone, Saxon Shore forts and internationally recognised bird sanctuaries.
Where to stay
Rocksalt
Folkestone, England
8Telegraph expert rating
Rocksalt appears like a clam lying sideways on the harbour, its back to the wharves and its glass front opening to the water. A sun-bleached timber terrace runs the length of the restaurant, with minimalist interiors keeping the focus on the ocean and cuisine. The hotel sits directly on Folkestone harbour, with the Smokehouse and rooms set one alley back from the waterfront. Folkestone's long pebble beach, which runs alongside the Lower Leas Coastal Park, is five minutes' walk away. Read expert review From £65per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Romney Bay House Hotel
New Romney, Kent, England
8Telegraph expert rating
American actress and gossip columnist Hedda Hopper commissioned Romney Bay House in the 1920s, hiring architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, who is otherwise known for the Italianate gardens in Portmeirion. Situated on the Kent coast, the house provides great views across St Mary's Bay, with France visible on clear days. The sea is nearly always soothingly calm, with an enigmatic Mulberry Harbour plainly visible in the middle distance. Read expert review From £75per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Sands Hotel
Margate, Kent, England
8Telegraph expert rating
This is the best hotel in Margate, one of England’s great lost seaside towns, and its story mirrors it. The whole place is submerged in crisp blonde light, and the furnishings are in brash turquoises, moonlit silvers, and effulgent azures. There is edge here too: an enormous LED-lit, acrylic chandelier is suspended in the centre of the main staircase, its over-sized crystal shards pummel down through five floors. Reach Broadstairs in around two hours (just under six miles) via Prince’s Walk, part of the Viking Coastal Trail. Read expert review From £108per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Norfolk
Winding past soft-sand beaches, through thick pine woods and across marshlands flushed purple with sea lavender in summer, Norfolk's 84-mile coastal path is one of the UK's most spectacular trails. Cutting through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), it includes the bird-rich RSPB reserves of Cley-next-the-Sea, Titchwell and Thornham. Small fishing ports and seaside towns offer comfortable, child and dog-friendly accommodation and serve hearty meals based on fresh, local produce.
Where to stay
Blakeney Hotel
Norfolk, England
8Telegraph expert rating
The grande dame of North Norfolk, the Blakeney has been a hotel since 1922 and is located half way along the quayside in one of North Norfolk's prettiest seaside villages. But on a rainy day when the Norfolk Coast is less appealing, the hotel's first-floor lounge offers superb grandstand views towards Blakeney Point over moored boats, narrow creaks and the atmospheric salt marshes. A big plus-point here is the indoor swimming pool, another boon on drizzly afternoons. Splurge the extra £14 on a bedroom with estuary views and small balcony. Read expert review From £170per night
• An expert guide to Norfolk and Suffolk
The Victoria Inn
Holkham, Norfolk, England
8Telegraph expert rating
Just inland from the most beautiful beach along the North Norfolk coast and next to 3,000 acres of parkland which surrounds 18th-century Holkham Hall, the location is a paradise for walkers, cyclists, birdwatchers and outdoor-loving families. If you wanted to explore the coast further away, the Coasthopper bus conveniently stops here. Inside, the atmosphere is appropriately hunting, shooting and fishing. Staff are fitted out in tweed waistcoats, there are antler displays on the wall and pictures depict wild fowling and hunting scenes. Read expert review From £125per night
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The Crown Hotel
Wells next the Sea, Norfolk, England
8Telegraph expert rating
This is an elegant and characterful base in a prime position for exploring the best of north Norfolk's coast and sights. The hotels sits in a buzzing seaside town with a working port, a lively local community and one of the best, sandy beaches along the north Norfolk Heritage Coast. The whitewashed facade of this three-storey hotel dominates the southern end of a broad, grassy square known as the Buttlands. Bag yourself room number 18, with French windows leading to a private, south-facing terrace where loungers, a table and an outdoor copper bath await. Read expert review From £70per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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The Lifeboat Inn
Thornham, Norfolk, England
8Telegraph expert rating
North Norfolk is surprisingly lacking in accommodation positioned on the north side of the coast road, so this old inn scores particularly highly for location. On a quiet lane overlooking marshland and sea, the inn offers direct access to the coastal path and is close to the region's top birdwatching sites. Contemporary accommodation enhances the historical features. With some parts dating from the 16th century, and once locally known as a smugglers' hideout, the snug, oak-panelled bar is a wonderful place to huddle with friends. Read expert review From £70per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Suffolk
Suffolk is brilliantly served by the 50-mile-long coastal path from Felixstowe to Lowestoft, and although there's the small matter of several rivers and estuaries to cross, this is easily managed by a series of foot ferries – and it's otherwise an easy, mostly flat trek, with plenty of interest along the way, including the haunting shores around Shingle Street and Orford, the RSPB reserve at Minsmere and the overall low-key beauty of the Suffolk Coast and Heath's Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You could walk the entire thing in three days, or just dip in for small stretches: the area between the thriving resorts of Aldeburgh and Southwold is arguably the richest in interest – and there are good coastal places to stay – and can be done in a day.
The Anchor at Walberswick
Walberswick, Suffolk, England
8Telegraph expert rating
The main inn, housing the bar/restaurant and four bedrooms, is cosy, with a double open fire and tasteful combination of nods to traditional pub character (tankards hanging on walls) and stylish touches such as contemporary tree-patterned scatter cushions and industrial-chic grey metal plant pots. It's in the sleepy village of Walberswick, set near to, but not quite on, the seafront. A stroll on the beach before breakfast is a must, and for longer walks, there are the marshes to your rear. There is nothing really in the way of facilities; the food and the surroundings are what make it so worthy of a visit. Read expert review From £105per night
• An expert guide to Norfolk and Suffolk
The Sail Loft
Southwold, Suffolk, England
8Telegraph expert rating
Think coastal, New England, faux-Hamptons beach shack-chic. There are tables outside for drinking or eating, or you could sit up on the dunes and nurse a drink as it gets dark. It's relaxed and informal, and no one gets up much before 9am. Southwold's harbour is a mile or so outside the town centre at the mouth of the river Blyth, across the marshy food plain of the river. The Sail Loft is the last of a line of mostly clapboard houses that line the harbour road, with the footpath running behind and the dunes and sandy beach in front. Read expert review From £100per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
The Swan Hotel
Southwold, Suffolk, England
8Telegraph expert rating
The hotel, with its distinctive Georgian façade, stands in the Market Square of Southwold. Rooms are soothing and beautifully equipped, with a fresh seaside palette of colours. The front facing suite is a special treat. The beach, with its famously pricey huts, is close by and Southwold Pier is half a mile along the seafront. Head to the southern end where the beach is wilder, with sand dunes and marram grass. This is where you'll find the surfers and kite surfers. Read expert review From £180per night Check availability Rates provided by Mr & Mrs Smith
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East Sussex
Whether it's a wild ramble over the undulating white cliffs of 1066 country, combing Camber's sands or striding the Stade Trail in Hastings' historic fishing quarter, a salt-whipped romp along the East Sussex coast is pure balm to the soul. We've rounded up some of the county's best hotels and b&bs all primed for bracing coastal walks, from a chic beachfront motel in the Camber dunes to an enchanting Tudor-beamed cottage in Old Hastings.
Where to stay
The Gallivant
Rye, East Sussex, England
9Telegraph expert rating
The former 1960s motel is set back from a coastal road, on the other side of which lies Camber Beach, backed by high, grass-fringed dunes. Interiors are inspired by New York's Hamptons beach style. Architecturally unchanged, the motel now benefits from a coastal garden, awash with gently swaying Verbena and Echinacea. A chalkboard shows the daily weather forecast; guests are encouraged to grab complimentary flip flops and borrow wraps and towels to take to the beach; and candles burn in glass storm lanterns. Picnic hampers are available on request. Read expert review From £135per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best hotels in East Sussex
Swan House Bed and Breakfast
Hastings, East Sussex, England
9Telegraph expert rating
In the heart of Hastings' Old Town, you'll find this 15th-century Tudor-beamed house hiding amid a charming collection of terraced cottages; walk 10 minutes along the coast and you're at Hastings Pier. Nothing is look-don't-touch about this stylish-but-relaxed five-room guesthouse. Centuries-old features such as oak beams are cleverly preserved and celebrated in deep Farrow & Ball tones, Melissa White's hand-painted decorations and Deborah Bowness's witty trompe l’oeil add an extra wink. Read expert review From £120per night
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The Old Rectory
Hastings, East Sussex, England
9Telegraph expert rating
Amble down a charming Old Hastings lane of higgledy-piggledy Tudor houses and pubs and you're at the pebbly shoreline, the Jerwood Gallery and the tall black Net Shops in no time. It's witty without being kitsch; Lionel Copley has created a truly unique hideaway that's romantic without being cloying and chic yet utterly inclusive. One corner of a sitting room might treat you to a tableau of Eighties' Sanderson flock wallpaper (inspired by the movie American Hustle), a contemporary piece by Colin Johnson and a chair fashioned from antlers. Read expert review From £95per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
The Printworks
Hastings, East Sussex, England
9Telegraph expert rating
This quirky bed and breakfast is housed in the Victorian offices of a former south coast newspaper, in the once lawless 'America Ground' – a 19th century self-proclaimed corner of Hastings' seafront that blossomed with tradesfolk and warehouses. It offers two luxurious apartment-style loft bedrooms decorated with eccentric antiques and artefacts, which both have gorgeous rooftop views of Hastings castle. It's an easy 10-minute walk to the Jerwood Gallery and the Old Town's Victorian fishermen's huts. Read expert review From £90per night
Scotland
Scotland is a country made for walkers, with around 282 Munros (Scottish mountains) crowning the country with some of the most beautiful, often challenging climbing in the world. But there's plenty of variety too, with gentler long-distance routes like the Ayrshire coastal path offering mile after mile of grassy cliffs and sandy beaches, the distinctive island of Ailsa Craig a constant waymark. Or, if you like your scenery a bit more dramatic, consider the Hebrides where wild mountains are threaded with paths revealing secret shorelines and jewel-like lochans. And your reward? Resting weary legs at the end of the day in well-earned comfort, whether at castle, croft or country house.
Glengorm Castle
Mull, Scotland
9Telegraph expert rating
The castle, a country house built in the 1860s, is very much a private home with an eclectic mix of furniture and pictures, despite its grandiose looks and proportions. It is thrillingly sited on high ground at the northernmost tip of Mull overlooking the Sound of Mull, Ardnamurchan Peninsula, outlying islands and, vivid at sunset in the far distance, the Outer Hebrides. Walk two-and-a-half miles to the site of an old fort at Dun Ara on the coast. Keep your eyes open for otters, and when you reach the open sea 'bathing pool', take a dip – if you dare. Read expert review From £90per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best Scotland hotels for Loch-side living
The Eisenhower at Culzean Castle
Ayrshire, Scotland
8Telegraph expert rating
This is as good as it gets. A regal position on a 100ft cliff overlooking the Firth of Clyde where it flows into the Irish Sea, surrounded by 600 acres of woods, gardens and ornamental ponds. On calm days, views over the sea to the Isle of Arran verge on the ethereal. Activities nearby include famous golf courses, clay pigeon shooting, archery, horse riding, sailing and whisky tasting in a local distillery, and walks along the stunning Culzean coast path, part of the 100-mile Ayrshire Coastal Path. Read expert review From £79per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Knockinaam Lodge
Portpatrick, Southern Uplands, Scotland
9Telegraph expert rating
Is this the most exquisitely located hotel in Scotland? With a perfectly private beach looking across the Irish Sea it's the most relaxing of country house hotels. Being completely hidden at the end of a tangled series of country lanes running down to the sea near Portpatrick on the Dumfries & Galloway coast, it is easy to see why Churchill and Eisenhower chose to plan the D-Day landings here. The lodge is surrounded by steeply wooded hills and the beach sits at the end of a lush green garden of wind-twisted fruit trees and herbaceous borders. Read expert review From £133per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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The Cottage Stein
Inner Hebrides, Isle of Skye, Scotland
9Telegraph expert rating
This terrific bed and breakfast has it all: a dreamy west-facing location just above the shore, overlooking a sea-loch and the headland beyond, and all the comfort you could desire in two delightful bedrooms. The inn – said to be one of the oldest in Skye – is known for its awe-inspiring sunsets in summer and star-gazing in winter. If you're lucky, you may even see the Northern Lights too. There's a good choice of walks around the area, and if you stroll the coast you might see seals, golden eagles, sea eagles and even dolphins. Read expert review From £105per night
• The best hotels in the Outer Hebrides
Mint Croft
Inner Hebrides, Isle of Skye, Scotland
9Telegraph expert rating
As you snake down the single-track lane towards the sea, dodging jaywalking sheep, the tortuous journey to the far-flung northwesterly Waternish peninsula fades into the haar. If you crave peace and privacy you can curl up in your suite or wander down the path to the small pebbly beach to spot minke whales, dolphins and seals. In each room there's a handy Explore the Island kit with a walking sticks, binoculars, guides and maps. This is a place to get away from it all, go for long coast walks and explore brooding Dunvegan Castle. Read expert review From £185per night
• The best Scottish castle hotels
Wales
Pembrokeshire
Think southwest coast and Cornwall probably pops to mind, but Pembrokeshire is every bit as alluring, with cliffs sheering down to the crashing Atlantic, trails threading to hidden bays, and spirit-lifting views on almost every bend of its 186-mile coast path. Whether you choose to explore and stay in Tenby in the south, the cultured, cathedral-topped St Davids, Britain's smallest city, or St Brides Bay for a breezy boat ride over to Skomer to hang out with the puffins, you're onto a winner in this neck of Wales.
Where to stay
Penally Abbey
Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales
9Telegraph expert rating
This delightful, family-owned small hotel on the Pembrokeshire Coast has an elevated position in the coastal village of Penally, one mile south of Tenby. The hotel's website is armed with walking routes such as Penally Abbey to Tenby South Beach and Stack Rocks to St Govans. Come rain or shine, ask them for their illustrated guide on things to see and do in the area: In the Sunshine; the Rain; with Children; in the Bright Blue Skies; Things to See; and Unexpected Delights. Read expert review From £145per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• Penally Abbey: is this Pembrokeshire's most charming hotel?
Llys Meddyg
Pembrokeshire, Wales
9Telegraph expert rating
A cosy hotel in the pretty and lively town of Newport, which is close to the beach and also to the Preseli Hills (the only part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park that extends inland). The hotel is popular with Pembrokeshire coast walkers, as well as 'ruin-bibbers' heading to see Pentre Ifan, the largest neolithic dolman in Wales. Owners Ed and Louise Sykes run a 'kick off your boots' walker-friendly house with a family atmosphere; Ed is a keen walker and forager (offering courses to guests) and can advise on easy hikes and drives in the area. Read expert review From £82per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The most romantic hotels in Wales
St Brides Spa Hotel
Pembrokeshire, Wales
8Telegraph expert rating
The charming seaside setting, tucked into the south-easternmost fringe of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, puts you within easy range of activities for all interests – walking the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, beachcombing, or exploring the nearby attractions of Georgian Tenby. The hotel is bright, breezy and contemporary with a strong maritime motif throughout. The water theme extends from the in-house art gallery, often featuring work by local artists, to the soothing thermal suite, including an infinity pool, herbal rock sauna and a host of post-hike pampering treatments. Read expert review From £195per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Penrhiw Hotel
St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales
8Telegraph expert rating
This exceptionally smart designer b&b occupies a late-Victorian mansion above a wooded valley on the fringes of St Davids. It's little more than five minutes on foot down the valley to the cathedral, and the centre of St Davids is a 10-minute walk away. Follow the lane that passes Penrhiw and in a mile and a half you'll reach Whitesands, one of Pembrokeshire's best beaches. Inside, Penrhiw has something of the feel of an exclusive club: picture grandly proportioned rooms, imposing marble fireplaces, dark boarded floors, velvety sofas and bold works of abstract modern art that have been specially commissioned for the house. Read expert review From £135per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best seaside hotels in Britain
Twr y Felin Hotel
Pembrokeshire, Wales
7Telegraph expert rating
Twr y Felin is a very useful address for people visiting St David’s cathedral and the world-class beaches along the Pembrokeshire Coast. The hotel is next to Oriel y Parc which combines the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority's Visitor Centre with an impressive art gallery housing the work of Graham Sutherland plus visiting exhibitions. Interiors are also arty, with work by graffiti and street artists, including Pure Evil, Phil Ashcroft and Remi Rough, who were invited to stay at the hotel and take the landscape of the Pembrokeshire Coast as their inspiration. Read expert review From £140per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best hotels in Pembrokeshire
Other spots around the UK...
Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa
Arundel, West Sussex, England
8Telegraph expert rating
This grand, medieval-inspired country mansion was originally created as a holiday home for Walter Guiness. Mellow Somerset stone and narrow casement windows in the main house enhance the illusion. Outside, gorgeous extensive parkland leads to the annex cottages, spa and Crimping beach, a shingle-pebble shore located about halfway Littlehampton and Bognor. Although you can't walk through them, low sand dunes provide the perfect backdrop to a bracing walk along this stretch of coast. It was even used as a location set for a couple of Doctor Who episodes in the 1960s and 1970s. Read expert review From £215per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best luxury hotels in Sussex
Seaham Hall
Seaham, County Durham, England
8Telegraph expert rating
Seaham's beaches are a 10-minute walk away… but we're not talking soft dunes and colourful fishing villages. Seaham is a workaday ex-mining town with small marina, shopping centre and handful of cafés. So while there's not much to write home in terms of attractions, this is a great option for those who love breezy coastal walks and there's a sumptuous spa to soothe your cockles at the end of the day. Walk the Durham Coastal Footpath (11 miles) from Seaham to Crimdon to take in the incredible cliff-top scenery and coastal villages which dot the route. Read expert review From £199per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best luxury hotels in County Durham
St Aidans
Northumberland, England
8Telegraph expert rating
For sea views it doesn't get much better; standing on the outskirts of Seahouses, there's just a road between the b&b and the sea. The atmosphere of this hotel is of a more genteel nature and is popular with empty-nesters and early retirees keen on walking, wildlife-spotting and doing Northumberland's coastal castles. The Farne Islands are opposite, Bamburgh Castle two miles to the north (which can be reached by walking along the white sand beach seen from the windows), and Holy Island (for Lindisfarne Castle) on the horizon. Read expert review From £85per night
• The best boutique hotels in Northumberland
Star Castle Hotel
Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, England
9Telegraph expert rating
Part of the fortifications of Garrison Hill, above the bustling port of Hugh Town, with pubs, restaurants, shops, beaches, a superb museum and a quay from which boats depart for the rest of the Scilly Isles. Shark fishing, wildlife safaris, seal-spotting, archeological walks, boat trips, kayaking and horseriding are all easily organised, and there are superb walks along a coastline punctuated by eerie granite rock formations. For the ultimate coastal views, try St Mary’s Circuit (9.9 miles) which passes right by the hotel. Read expert review Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• Britain's best seaside hotels
Contributions by Suzy Bennett, Sophie Butler, Kerry Christiani, Tracey Davies, Martin Dunford, Gabriella Le Breton, Charlotte Johnstone, Linda MacDonald, Natalie Millar-Partridge, Ben Parker and Anna Turns.
