The best beachfront family friendly hotels in the UK

We’ve spent hours reading the hundreds of reviews you’ve shared with us, to produce a visited & verified shortlist of the best beachfront family friendly hotels in the UK. We hope you find this really useful, and if you do, we would be most grateful if you could book via the affiliate links in the article meaning we make a small commission (and can keep providing you with this kind of content!)

A bite sized guide to: The best beachfront family friendly hotels in the UK

Best for facilities and freedom – SeaSpace, Cornwall

Best for an elevated Center Parcs-esque escape – CABÜ by the Sea, Kent 

Best for a seafront spa – The Headland Hotel & Spa, Cornwall

Best for FREE childcare – Watergate Bay, Cornwall

Best for group getaways – Blue House Camber, Kent

Best for pawrents and parents – Penally Abbey, Wales

Best for endless activities – Moonfleet Manor, Dorset

Best for dreamy design – Three Mile Beach, Cornwall

Best for being off the tourist track – Bulmer Beach Family Retreat, Northumberland

Best for a beach tasting tour – Auchrannie Resort, Isle of Arran 

Best for foodie fare – The Victoria, Norfolk

SeaSpace, Cornwall 

While not technically ‘beachfront’, the glorious sands of Porth Beach are an easy-peasy stroll from SeaSpace – Cornwall’s hotel-homestay-hybrid that cleverly combines spacious self-catering set ups with hotel facilities. ‘Bedrooms’ here are 1-3 bed apartments, with fully-equipped kitchens and super sweet bunk beds for broods. The coastal location obviously encourages outdoor adventures, but should you be subject to the whims of the British weather, you’re well catered to, too. We can’t think of a prettier place to swim than SeaSpace’s yellow checkerboard lido, where the heated indoor pool gives off major Miami vibes. There’s a game room overflowing with toys, puzzles and Lego, plus a fitness studio with an Apple-watch-approved timetable of classes, should you be able to sneak off. Big on community spirit, you’ll find locals rubbing shoulders with visitors here, sharing under the radar recommendations and nearby events

From: £160 p/night

CABU by the Sea, Kent 

Upping the ante on holistic holiday parks (while offering a much more purse-pleasing price tag!) CABÜ by the Sea offers a stylish stay for parents looking for an elevated Center Parcs-esque escape. Replacing woodland with a coastal campus, the 10 acres of land offer a secure, seafaring space. Just as Goldlicks would like, it’s not big or too small, it’s just right for children to safely roam. The outdoor heated pool comes without rapids, allowing parents an easier-on-the-eye supervising spot.R&R fiends can revel in the alfresco Nature Spa, followed by a treatment in the Shepherd’s Hut. After sandy scrambles on the beach, guests can whip up a storm in The Sitooterie – a communal spot for groups to gather to make use of the barbeque, pizza oven and s’more-beckoning griddle tables. While there aren’t any restaurants on site, the CABÜ House is stocked with gourmet groceries, and alcohol, while the Scandi-chic cabins are decked out with ridiculously comfy beds and covetable floor-to-ceiling windows. While you won’t find quite the same array of activities as the famous forest villages, what you will find is an intimate idyll for memories to be made (and don’t worry, they do have bikes to borrow!)

From: £175 p/night (2 night minimum stays apply)

The Headland Hotel & Spa, Cornwall

There’s beaches and then there’s BEACHES and Newquay’s Fistral beach sits firmly in the latter. Perched above this iconic stretch of surf & sand you’ll find the Headland – a dazzling spa hotel whose Zen-inducing facilities inside go toe-to-toe with the serotonin-sky-rocketing scenes outside. While not a family-focused hotel, parents’ needs are clearly prioritised. Busy books are handed to children at check in, kids menus come complete with colouring in, babysitters are available and ocean family suites are decked out with a seriously boujee bunk bed. Combining a triumph of Mother Earth’s design with next-level pampering, the Headland sets an unbeatable benchmark for seaside serenity. Alongside the award-winning Aqua Club (think couldn’t-get-any-more-scenic-swimming), fine dining is on the menu at RenMor and mind-blowing pampering on tap at the spa  

A short stroll into the town centre (where pubs kitted out with soft-play, nostalgic ice cream parlours, an Aquarium and trampoline park await), the Headland is a prime location for those who like their bucket & spade stays to have a side of indoor entertainment (it is Britain after all). Ease of access to sandcastle-building shores, restaurants and dopamine days out means car seat meltdowns are easily avoided here. Older kids can hit the waves with surfing and stand up paddleboarding lessons, whilst tots with endless energy to burn have met their match with nature’s giant playground here

From: £200 p/night

Watergate Bay, Cornwall

A two mile stretch of golden sand sets the stage for Watergate Bay – one of our most recommended and highly rated family friendly hotels in the UK. A seafront, super stylish, sanctuary – contemporary, coastal interiors are the name of the design game here. Travellers of all ages will be lulled soundly to sleep by the sound of the ocean waves, helped along by the criminally comfortable beds. In a stroke of genius, baby monitors are handed to parents upon check in, which stretch to anywhere in the hotel. We’d argue that all child-free dinners are a luxury for parents, but the onsite restaurant menus here take it up a notch, delivering a foodie fantasy on a plate. Chic cornish aesthetics extend into the complimentary Kids Club (6 months +), where garish plastic is replaced with Scandi wooden toys, messy play, music and science experiments

It’s impossible to get bored at this waterside wonderland, with activities for all ages. Older kids can try their hand at learning to surf or paddleboard, while aspiring inner Attenborough’s will love the boat safaris leaving from Padstow harbour. There’s more than enough room for toddlers to burn off steam, whilst parents sit back and relax (or at least try to!)

From: £210 p/night

Blue House Camber, Kent

Quite literally steps from the shore, Blue House Camber is an architecturally triumphant 4 bedroom Airbnb that offers guests an easy breezy beachfront bolthole. The floor to ceiling glass frontage provides uninterrupted views of sand and sea. Parents can enjoy long lazy lunches at the kitchen table, or on the outside deck (complete with BBQ, smokeless fire pit and pizza oven), within direct eyeline of beachbound tiny travellers. When it comes to the bedrooms there’s no short straw: all offer the type of soothing interiors usually found in luxury abodes. The two upstairs suites give 5* hotels a serious run from their money, with gorgeous freestanding tubs overlooking the ocean

The soft sands and pillowy dunes of Camber are beautiful at any time of year, especially in off-season when there are no crowds. Traditional fish & chips and ice cream can be found on the beach, but for more delightful dining options head into nearby medieval Rye. The ancient cobbled streets are lined with restaurants, pubs and independent shops  

From: £853 p/night

Penally Abbey, Wales

A visit to Penally Abbey is a breath of fresh (sea) air, both figuratively and literally. A dog friendly impeccably refurbished Strawberry Gothic house in the UK’s only national coastal park, in Pembrokeshire. Cosseted comfort reigns supreme, with sultry interiors full of gorgeous nooks and crannies. There are 11 sumptuous rooms, aesthetically adorned with pastoral print wallpaper and heavenly headboards. The icing on the cake? The HUGE bathrooms are large enough to be used as a makeshift nursery

You’re spoilt for choice with sandy stretches in this neck of the woods. A 30 minute walk along the coast is the cute seaside town of Tenby. 30 minutes in the car will get you to Freshwater West, where Dobby, a free elf, lies. A must, not only for Harry Potter fans, the blissfully empty beach is peppered with natural paddling pools made for splashing

From: £190 p/night

Moonfleet Manor, Dorset

Location, location, location – there’s a reason the namesake TV show is so successful. A stone’s throw from Dorset’s stunning Jurassic Coast sits Moonfleet Manor – a period property designed to delight the whole brood. Don’t let the grand Georgian vibes deceive you. A far cry from other stately staycations, tiny travellers are warmly welcomed here. More fun than formal, and stylish than stuffy, Moonfleet Manor proves hotels can be both child friendly and chic. Perks for parents include a complimentary Kids Clubs (3 months +), which tiny travellers won’t want to leave, thanks to the thrilling Escape & Science Rooms, climbing wall, skittles alley and cinema

The hotel’s gardens lead down to a lagoon beach and the gorgeous South West coastal path. Just along the shore is Church Ope Cove, a secluded spot perfect for a spot of swimming or fishing. The award-winning Weymouth Beach, which claims to have the best sandcastle-making-sand in the UK, is a short drive away

From: £175 p/night

Three Mile Beach, Cornwall

Aptly named, Three Mile Beach is made up of 15 colourful clapboard houses on Gwithian’s 3 mile-long sandy stretch in St Ives. Globetrotting glamour, barefoot luxury and inventive seafood fare are on the menu here. The Great British seaside escape design vibe is on the stylish side of kitsch; a colourful collision of handcrafted Cornish furniture and vibrant Mexican & Moroccan influences. You don’t need to pack anything for the kids except their clothes – drawers are stocked with Liewood crockery, whilst highchairs, travel cots, baby baths, monitors and potties are all provided

Framed by dunes and coastal grasses, the beautiful beach is dotted with rock pools begging to be explored. Surf and body boards can be hired out for older tiny travellers. 

From: £310 p/night

Boulmer Beach Family Retreat, Northumberland

With blockbuster castles, white-sand beaches and big sky stargazing, Northumberland is one of Britain’s best kept seaside secrets. The village of Alnmouth, where you’ll find Boulmer Beach Airbnb, boasts the same pastel-hued postcard-perfect scenes as Cornwall or Devon – minus the crowds. Farrow and Ball-esque hues and beckoning sofas set the relaxing tone at this cosy cottage, where you’ll find 4 bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen and a pretty private patio (ideal for fur babies). Days can be spent allowing the coastal air to blow away the cobwebs, with evenings cocooned next to the alfresco fire pit

Wannabe wizards and muggles alike will love Alnwick Castle – the home of Hogwarts in the Chamber of Secrets. Bookworms can find utopia in Barter Books, the largest secondhand book shop in Europe, set in a disused railway station. Not only is there a little wooden train to sit in to leaf through children’s stories, there’s also a vintage companion that runs on tracks overhead – the stuff of dreams on a rainy day

From: £250 p/night

Auchrannie Resort, Isle of Arran

For a beach break less ordinary, it’s high time Scotland made it onto your family friendly radar. Lovingly known as ‘Scotland in miniature’ the beguiling Isle of Arran beckons beach bums and adventure enthusiasts alike. Whilst not technically seafront (Scottish sands are an 8 minute stroll away), we couldn’t not include Auchrannie Resort in this roundup. Arguably the country’s most family friendly island hotel, this luxury lodging is home to 2 pools (including a tots splash pad), 3 restaurants, spa and the all important soft play. Set in 50 acres of woodland, the best of both natural worlds await guests

The shoreline of Arran snakes around the island, with the endless coastline serving up everything from sandy beaches to rocky outcrops. Whether you fancy a spot of seal spotting, swimming, SUP-ing or sandcastle building there’s a stretch of unspoilt sand waiting for you. At only 55 miles in size, it’s possible to explore all of Arran’s beaches in one trip, plus they’re all on the bus routes – so just tell the driver where you want to head next!

From: £90 p/night

Victoria, Norfolk

Movie buffs may recognise the swathe of Holkham sands from the closing scenes of Shakespeare in Love. One of the UK’s most beautiful beaches, it’s as dreamy on a windswept winter walk as it is in a stolen moment of spring sunshine. The 19th century Victoria inn provides an unfussy welcome to welly boot laden families and sandy paws. There is a road to cross to reach the sea, but it’s the closest bed you’ll get to this Hollywood-worthy shore. Making waves with foodie families, good ole’ pub grub is at the heart of a stay here, where estate-to-plate produce dictates the seasonal menu. There’s 4 family spacious suites available for sprogs to stretch out, and tiny travellers will not want to miss the epic adventure playground in the parkland behind

From: £133 p/night

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Themes: The Family Friendly UK Edit, Hotel Hotlists 

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