Lodestar is a 4-bedroom holiday home that redefines waterfront living, perched elegantly on the water’s edge with captivating vistas of the Tamar Estuary and Mount Edgcumbe Country Park. For those seeking aquatic adventures, Lodestar’s private slipway and pontoon offer direct access to the Tamar Estuary’s sailing waters, where enthusiasts can embark on nautical escapades against the backdrop of Plymouth Sound’s scenic vistas. The modern interior is spacious and comfortable, making it great for group stays.
6. Oban Bay Hall, Argyll
Sleeps 14
Nearest beach: Ganavan Sands (5 km)
Oban Bay Hall stands high above the harbour, with Oban spread below and the islands of Lismore, Kerrera and Mull sitting out across the water. It is the sort of house where the view becomes part of the routine: coffee with the ferries moving through the bay, supper on the terrace as the light changes, and everyone quietly checking whether there is time for one more crossing before the day is done.
The house sleeps 14 adults and one infant across seven bedrooms, making it a generous base for families or friends exploring Scotland’s west coast. Inside, the mood is clean, comfortable and unfussy, with plenty of space for the whole group to settle in after days spent walking, island-hopping or eating their way around Oban. Outside, the terraces are made for barbecues, big skies and the particular satisfaction of being close to the sea without having to organise very much at all.
7. Camber Beach House, Sussex
Sleeps 10
Nearest beach: Camber Beach
Camber Beach House sits just moments from the wide, golden sweep of Camber Sands, which is exactly where a Sussex seaside stay should begin. The house sleeps 10 across five bedrooms, with space for two additional guests on a sofa bed at an extra cost. Inside, it is bright, relaxed and sociable, with coastal touches, rustic warmth and a generous open-plan kitchen, dining and living space made for everyone drifting in and out after a day by the sea. Evenings can move to the hot tub under the stars, while shops, pubs and restaurants are close by.
Camber Sands brings the classic beach stay, with long walks, watersports, and plenty of room for children to run themselves tired. Rye is only a short drive away too, with its Medieval cobbled streets, independent shops, cafés and very good seafood.
8. Jade, Dorset
9. The Dunnet Estate, Highlands
Sleeps 18
Nearest beach: Peedie Sands (on the estate)
The Dunnet Estate stands on Dunnet Head, the most northerly point of the UK mainland, with 2,000 acres of Highland estate around it and sea views in every direction. To the south is Dunnet Bay, to the west Peedie Sands, to the north the headland itself, and to the east St John’s Loch and the Castle of Mey.
The house sleeps up to 18 guests across nine bedrooms, with grand, comfortable spaces made for proper gatherings: a sitting room, library, games room, formal dining room and a kitchen backed up by a second caterers’ kitchen for celebrations that require reinforcements. Its history is wonderfully eccentric too, involving naval officers, the Queen Mother, the Castle of Mey and, almost unbelievably, a near-miss as a recording studio for Led Zeppelin.
10. Meadow Manor, Norfolk
Sleeps 14
Nearest beach: Mundesley (Under 1 km)
Parts of Meadow Manor date back to the 16th century, and its clifftop position above Mundesley gives it a Norfolk setting that works in every season, with bright beach days in summer, log fires after winter walks, and the village close by for pubs, shops and a seaside wander.
The house sleeps 14, making it well suited to family holidays, reunions, birthdays and weekends away with friends. Inside, it feels like a classic coastal manor, with room for everyone to spread out. Mundesley Beach is just 100 metres away, and North Norfolk sits just beyond the village. Still, Meadow Manor makes a strong case for staying very close to home.
UK Beach Stays with Oliver’s Travels
