British Coastal Retreats
Cary Arms Hotel & Spa
There’s no place quite like home or is there?! After a year of being there, we’re all itching for an escape. Instead of booking the first flight out, why not look closer to home and book a break by the British seaside where you can enjoy big blue skies, local food and sprawling beaches.
The Ship Inn, Fife
New England meets Scotland on this white sandy beach in Elie, a quintessential seaside town in the East Neuk of Fife. The six rooms at The Ship Inn are more akin to those you’d find in a luxury boutique hotel with Egyptian cotton sheets, Nespresso machines, free WiFi and products from Scottish brand Siabann. Four of the rooms have direct sea views and all can be made up as twins; you can bring your four-legged friend with you as two of the rooms are dog-friendly. Food? Some of the best in Fife with the focus on local and seasonal (their fish and meat are 100% Scottish) including Scottish mussels and Isle of Arran ice cream. Visit in the summer and you can watch the pub’s cricket team compete on the seashore - the only pub in Britain to have a cricket team with a pitch on the beach.
Rates at the Ship Inn start from £100 per night B&B
www.shipinn.scot
The Anchor at Walberswick, Suffolk
Set on the unspoilt Suffolk coast, the Georgian village of Walberswick is the perfect place for a family bucket and spade holiday. The award-winning Anchor sits in an acre of garden overlooking the dunes and beach huts. There are 10 bedrooms in total, four bedrooms in the main building and six large family-friendly eco-clad chalets in the garden where dogs are welcome too. Much more than a place to stay The Anchor is a warm and welcoming village local serving exceptional local food with a focus on fish; oysters are from West Mersea and the smoked fish from Lowestoft. Seasonal menus are complemented by local and international beers and a thoughtfully curated wine list with wines from growers such as Huet, Ridge, Anne Gros and John Forrest. Bread is baked in house daily and during the summer months, the outdoor woodfire pizza oven never stops. There are plenty of outdoor terraces and new for 2021 is a heated marquee making outdoor dining a much more pleasurable experience on cooler days. During the winter the crackle of the wood fires will lure you inside to one of the cosy bars.
Rates at The Anchor at Walberswick start from £110 per night B&B
www.anchoratwalberswick.com
Beadnell Towers, Northumberland
Small and cosy Beadnell Towers is a home-from-home in a small fishing village on the Northumberland coast. The 18 rooms at this 18th-century hotel have been styled in a soft nautical theme with seascape oil paintings set against patterned walls. The snug bar, sitting room and kitchen are open all year round with a relaxed vibe; flipflops, muddy boots, bare feet and all ages are welcome, dogs too! The menus bring together local produce and food heritage resulting in delicious seasonal dishes, there’s also a great wine list and ale menu. It’s hard to beat the feel-good factor of returning windswept or sun-kissed from one of the spectacular sprawling beaches nearby to this warm and welcoming boutique hotel.
Rates at Beadnell Towers start from £129 per night B&B
www.beadnelltowers.co.uk
Llys Meddyg, Pembrokeshire
The Pembrokeshire coast stretches for a spectacular 186 miles with a coastal path starting from St Dogmaels in the north to Amroth in the south, the perfect terrain for country lovers and keen hikers. Within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park nestled under Carningli you’ll find Llys Meddyg a Georgian coaching house in the coastal town of Newport. Walking distance from a dune-flanked beach this charming stone house is decorated in a neutral palette and filled with original artworks. After a day’s rambling, return to refuel with simple, seasonal food in the dining room or bar in front of the fire.
Rates from £105 per night B&B
www.llysmeddyg.com
Westcroft Guesthouse, Cornwall
Hidden away in a quiet corner of Cornwall is Westcroft Guesthouse, one of the best B&Bs in England. It’s not accessible by car (the car park is a short walk away) and is close enough to the beach at Kingsand for you to be splashed when the surf is up. Choose one of three exquisite rooms, or take over the whole place for you, your family and your dog. Attention to detail and bespoke service is the norm here; fresh flowers, the latest magazines, warmed coffee cups and a daily changing breakfast are just some of the little luxuries that make this cute B&B the little gem that it is.
Rates at Westcroft Guesthouse start from £135 per night B&B
www.westcroftguesthouse.co.uk
Cary Arms & Spa, Devon
Multi-award winner Carys Arms & Spa sits quietly in Babbacombe Bay in Devon. Set amid pretty tropical coastal gardens and the dramatic red cliffs of the Jurassic coast, the hotel’s enviable location is second to none. It ticks all of the boxes when it comes to a seaside holiday whether it’s for a romantic break à deux, luxury spa break or a family holiday with your dog. The Beach Huts are the latest addition to the rooms, full of seaside charm with contemporary interiors and bespoke furnishings. Soak up the sun on your private deck and enjoy the far-reaching views across Lyme Bay and the Jurassic Coast. If the sky is the limit and you’re after plenty of space book one of the larger Beach Suites.
The Beach Huts and Beach Suites each sleep two and boast a terrace, sitting room, wet bar, feature fire, bedroom and en-suite bathroom. These unique hideaways hug the crystal-clear water’s edge in a sheltered sunny spot next to the hotel.
Rates at Cary Arms & Spa for a Beach Hut start from £335 B&B
www.caryarms.co.uk