Brits have a new-found (or maybe rediscovered) love for staycations. Gone are the days when holidaying in the UK meant drab caravan accommodation, miserable weather, and bored children. Holidays in the UK are now about outdoor adventures, culture-filled weekends, pretty scenery, and downright stylish places to stay – and yes, even beach breaks. The UK coastline has all kinds of sandy stretches, cute bays and fun-filled promenades, so we thought we’d list our top 10 beach houses in the UK. You don’t need to hop on a plane and go abroad for a beach holiday, explore what’s on your doorstep instead and check out these places right on the coast!
1. Beach Bay Cottage, Devon
Sleeps 8 | Dog friendly
Nearest beach: Croyde Beach (1.5km)
This bright and airy Beach Bay Cottage is in the heart of the village of Croyde, with pubs, shops, restaurants, and beaches all within walking distance. The inside of the cottage is contemporary and lovingly decorated, giving it a homely feel and the outdoor terrace is perfect for alfresco dining and a good old soak in the hot tub. Nearby, sandy beaches Croyde, Saunton Sands and Putsborough offer great surf (Croyde has been voted one of the best surfing beaches in the world), kayaking, SUP and beach yoga.
2. St Ives Cottage, Cornwall
Sleeps 8
Nearest beach: Carbis Bay (800m)
If you’re looking for somewhere to dial back the pace and enjoy a slower style of living, then look no further than St Ives Cottage in Carbis Bay. Being in an elevated position, the cottage commands breathtaking views of the bay, Godrevy lighthouse and the North Cornwall coastline, and the panoramic full-length windows frame it perfectly. The open-plan living area opens out to the spacious sun deck and garden, with a BBQ area to make the most of those sunny summer days. Being situated in a seaside town means beach days are easy, and if you want to turn it up a notch, St Ives is only a stone’s throw away with all of its activities, attractions and art.
3. Sandcrest Cottage, Cornwall
Sleeps 6 | Dog friendly
Nearest beach: Sits on Mawgan Porth
Sandcrest Cottage is about as close to the beach as a Cornish house can reasonably get. Tucked into the dunes at Mawgan Porth, it has direct access to one of North Cornwall’s great surfing beaches, where the day can begin with bare feet in the sand and end with the sound of waves still carrying back to the house.
The location is the real luxury here. Surf lessons, coastal walks and beach days are all on the doorstep, while Watergate Bay, Padstow, Bedruthan Steps and Newquay are within easy reach. There are restaurants nearby, spa treatments at The Scarlet overlooking the sea, and plenty for families who want Cornwall to feel properly outdoorsy without having to plan every hour of the holiday.
4. Opal, Dorset
Sleeps 4
Nearest beach: Church Ope Cove
On the Isle of Portland, within the Dorset Castle Estate, Opal is perched on rugged clifftops, with remarkable sea views out to Church Ope Cove, Portland Castle, Rufus Castle and the lighthouse at Portland Bill, with the Jurassic Coast doing its usual dramatic work all around you.
Lyme Regis, West Bay and the fossil-rich coast are all within reach too, making Opal a smart base for a Dorset beach escape with a little more character than the usual seaside stay.
5. Sunshine House, Sussex
Sleeps 10-11
Nearest beach: Norman’s Bay
6. Lodestar, Cornwall
Sleeps 8
Nearest beach: Whistsand Bay Beach (6 km)
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
A UK beach holiday no longer has to mean compromising on the house. These coastal stays bring the sea properly into the trip, whether that means dunes on the doorstep, clifftop views, ferry crossings, surf schools, hot tubs, manor-house fires or a beach close enough to make shoes feel unnecessary. They are some of our favourite beach houses in the UK, but there are plenty more where they came from. Browse our wider UK collection to find a stay that suits your group, or explore our Villas Near the Beach.
