Reel in sea views from your bed with a stay at one of these wonderful waterfront pubs.
Here we present 12 British taverns by the sea that you can spend the night in, with the list of waterside gems including a 17th-century Cornish fisherman’s inn, a tavern in Scotland with its own cricket team – and a pitch on the beach – and a charming Norfolk pub that hosts lobster barbeques.
They can be booked directly with the pub or via the accommodation website Stay in a Pub, which lists around 1,500 pubs with rooms. When it comes to rooms with dreamy views, these boozers should sail right to the top of any self-respecting seaside staycation bucket list…
Rock Point Inn, Lyme Regis, Dorset
Plonk yourself right next to the sea at The Rock Point Inn, a fortress-thick 18th-century tavern with rooms occupying an eye-opening spot in the picture-perfect town of Lyme Regis
Stay in a Pub notes that the property has nine ‘stylish’ bedrooms with ‘panoramic coastal views’ that are arranged as deluxe king doubles and king/twin rooms
Stay in a Pub notes that there’s lots to do ‘on the doorstep’ of the pub. Not to be missed is a walk along the nearby 13th-century Cobb, which Meryl Streep stood dramatically at the end of in The French Lieutenant’s Woman
Plonk yourself right next to the sea at The Rock Point Inn, a fortress-thick 18th-century tavern with rooms occupying an eye-opening spot in the picture-perfect town of Lyme Regis on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, a stunning 96-mile-long Unesco Heritage Site stuffed with dinosaur remains.
Stay in a Pub notes that the property has nine ‘stylish’ bedrooms with ‘panoramic coastal views’ that are arranged as deluxe king doubles and king/twin rooms. One of the rooms is dog friendly and located on the first floor with easy access to an outdoor space.
On the refreshments front, this pub serves up an array of seafood – think platters of cider and leek mussels, smoked mackerel and Atlantic prawns – and an ‘eclectic range of drinks’, says Stay in a Pub. There are St Austell beers and ‘wines from Lyme Bay made from grapes picked, crushed and fermented in Devon’.
Stay in a Pub notes that there’s lots to do ‘on the doorstep’ of the pub, with highlights including fine dining restaurants, ‘quirky shops’, boat trips and strolls along the Jurassic Coastal path. And not to be missed is a walk along the nearby 13th-century Cobb, which Meryl Streep stood dramatically at the end of in The French Lieutenant’s Woman.
A room for two at The Rock Point Inn costs from £145 and includes breakfast.
The Ship Inn, Mousehole, Cornwall
The Ship Inn is located on the harbour front in the cute Cornish fishing village of Mousehole
The pub has 11 nautically themed ’boutique hotel-style’ rooms that feature handmade Vispring beds
The vibe in the summer, says Stay in a Pub is ‘bustling’, while it’s ‘romantic and cosy in the winter’
Dishes served at the pub include West Country burgers and fish and chips made with St Austell Ale and seaweed batter
The Ship Inn is located on the harbour front in the cute Cornish fishing village of Mousehole.
The vibe in the summer, says Stay in a Pub is ‘bustling’, while it’s ‘romantic and cosy in the winter’.
The site notes that the ground floor restaurant has an all-day menu serving up ‘great value, traditional Cornish pub food’. Dishes include West Country burgers and fish and chips made with St Austell Ale and seaweed batter.
After having your fill for the day, you can roll upstairs to one of the 11 nautically themed ’boutique hotel-style’ rooms that feature handmade Vispring beds.
On the activities front, you may like to relax on the nearby sheltered beach or simply wander the village’s winding lanes that thread between chocolate box cottages. The pub also serves as a great base for exploring west Cornwall.
Tripadvisor reviewer David T wrote after his stay: ‘The panoramic view from our room was breathtaking and watching the changing scenery as the tide came in and out was a joy.’
A single room at The Ship Inn starts from £100, while a room for two costs from £105.
The Seagate, Bideford, Devon
After enjoying all the Devon coast has to offer, return to The Seagate for a ‘hearty feast and a few well-earned local ales’ before retiring to one of its 17 bedrooms
This pub, ‘situated at the heart of the pretty fishing village of Appledore’, is the only hotel on the quay and it overlooks the River Torridge
There are ten en-suite bedrooms in the main 17th-century building ranging from suites to singles, while a recently refurbished ‘sail loft’ a short walk away offers an additional seven en-suite rooms, each with ‘dramatic sea or estuary views’
After enjoying all the Devon coast has to offer, return to The Seagate, says Stay in a Pub, for a ‘hearty feast and a few well-earned local ales’ before retiring to one of its 17 bedrooms.
This pub, ‘situated at the heart of the pretty fishing village of Appledore’, overlooks the River Torridge.
There are ten en-suite bedrooms in the main 17th-century building ranging from suites to singles, while a recently refurbished ‘sail loft’ a short walk away offers an additional seven en-suite rooms, each with ‘dramatic sea or estuary views’, Stay in a Pub reveals.
Fancy touring the coast with your four-legged friend? This inn prides itself on being dog-friendly and up to two dogs per guest can stay the night for an additional £15 each.
A room for two at The Seagate starts from £80.
Old Success Inn, Sennen Cove, Cornwall
Lap up prime sea views at this historic 17th-century fisherman’s inn in Sennen Cove on the Penwith Heritage Coast, which boasts beautiful sandy beaches and turquoise waters
The bolthole is perfect for ‘exploring all that West Cornwall has to offer’, with nearby attractions including Land’s End, Cape Cornwall and the photogenic beach at Porthcurno
The pub has 24 bedrooms with timber-clad feature walls, pops of sunny colours and ‘cool coastal tones’, says the pub, ‘perfectly complimented by warm, contemporary furnishings’
One of the inn’s highlights is its large outdoor terrace, which has a covering and outdoor heaters for the cooler months
Lap up prime sea views at this historic 17th-century fisherman’s inn in Sennen Cove on the Penwith Heritage Coast, which boasts beautiful sandy beaches and turquoise waters.
The pub has 24 bedrooms with timber-clad feature walls, pops of sunny colours and ‘cool coastal tones’, says the pub, ‘perfectly complimented by warm, contemporary furnishings’.
Catering to all guests, several of the rooms are dog-friendly, one is suitable for wheelchair users and there are some twin configurations.
One of the pub’s highlights is its large outdoor terrace, which has a covering and patio heaters for the cooler months.
The site says that this inn is the ‘perfect bolthole for exploring West Cornwall’, with nearby attractions including Land’s End, Cape Cornwall, and the photogenic beach at Porthcurno.
A room for two at Old Success Inn starts from £120.
Old Custom House, Padstow, Cornwall
Stay in a Pub declares that Old Custom House is ‘one of the finest buildings’ in the Cornish town of Padstow, and ‘occupies a prime position on the quayside’
There are 23 en-suite bedrooms within the Grade II listed building and for larger groups, there is a self-catering apartment housed within a barn conversion that can sleep five across two bedrooms
Stay in a Pub declares that Old Custom House is ‘one of the finest buildings’ in the Cornish town of Padstow, and ‘occupies a prime position on the quayside of the pretty medieval harbour’.
It continues: ‘Inside there’s a welcoming and traditional atmosphere created by the wooden beams of the bar, or enjoy the pub’s light and airy conservatory dining area. Wherever you choose to sit, guests are well placed to soak up the Cornish seascape around them.’
While lapping up the views, you can gorge on an ‘enticing’ spread of food, with pan-seared South West scallops, salt and pepper squid, torched mackerel salad, West Country sirloin steak and sticky toffee pudding on the tavern’s menu.
On the accommodation side of things, there are 23 en-suite bedrooms within the Grade II listed building and for larger groups, there is a self-catering apartment housed within a barn conversion that can sleep five across two bedrooms.
A room for two at Old Custom House starts from £120.
The Ship Inn, Elie, Fife
Gaze out over golden sands and the sea beyond at this beachside pub in Elie on the east-central coast of Scotland
Four of the six Egyptian-cotton-linen-festooned bedrooms provide ‘stunning views over Elie Bay’
Diners can expect to feast on a fine array of Scottish produce, with offerings ranging from Cullen skink to Shetland hake and lobster landed along the East Neuk coast. Pictured above is the pub’s private dining space, The Ship’s Cabin
One of the quirkier features of this pub is that it is the only inn in Britain to have its own cricket team and a pitch on the beach
Gaze out over golden sands and the sea beyond at this beachside pub in Elie on the east-central coast of Scotland.
Four of the six Egyptian-cotton-linen-festooned bedrooms provide ‘stunning views over Elie Bay’ and the vista can also be digested with ease through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the pub’s private dining space, ‘The Ship’s Cabin’, and from the outside terraces.
The bar, meanwhile, is located ‘at the heart’ of the property, with an open fire and wood-burning stove, creating a ‘warm, inviting and cosy feel’, according to Stay in a Pub. It adds that the drinks selection is ‘interesting and varied’, with Scottish malts, real ales, ‘the finest Bloody Marys’ and ‘warming cups of coffee’ among the tipples.
Meanwhile, diners can expect to feast on a fine array of Scottish produce, with offerings ranging from Cullen skink to Shetland hake and lobster landed along the East Neuk coast. For those staying overnight, the breakfasts are described as ‘fabulous’.
One of the quirkier features of this pub is that it is the only inn in Britain to have its own cricket team and a pitch on the beach, with matches drawing touring teams from all over the world.
A room for two at The Ship Inn starts from £185 and includes breakfast.
The Pier House, Charlestown, Cornwall
The Pier House in Charlestown has 27 bedrooms, with the interiors described as ‘elegant with quirky maritime touches’
Parked on the Georgian harbour in Cornwall’s Charlestown – a village that served as a filming location for the BBC’s adaption of Poldark – the Pier House makes for a ‘superb’ base for a Cornish break, Stay in a Pub reveals.
The Grade II listed period building is home to 27 bedrooms, with the interiors described as ‘elegant with quirky maritime touches’.
Many of the rooms offer ‘spectacular views’ of St Austell Bay and Charlestown’s harbour and there are a number of rooms for guests holidaying with dogs.
Communal areas in the tavern include ‘cosy nooks [where] you can sit back, and relax inside’, and a ‘sunny terrace, perfect for dining and drinking alfresco whilst enjoying the fresh sea air’.
A single room at The Pier House costs from £99, while doubles start at £125.
Glenuig Inn, Scotland
Glenuig Inn (pictured left foreground), is nestled on the Sound of Arisaig, a sheltered stretch of coastline in the West Highlands of Scotland
In the winter months, guests might catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights at the inn. Double rooms at Glenuig Inn are priced from around £150 per night
This pub lies in the ‘remote’ Glenuig Bay on the Sound of Arisaig, a sheltered stretch of coastline in the West Highlands of Scotland.
It makes for an excellent base for activities, according to the pub’s website, which says: ‘Whatever your pastime – hillwalking, cycling, kayaking, wild swimming, dog walking, photography, painting, sailing, fishing, wildlife spotting, island hopping, or simply wanting to relax in beautiful surroundings – we are ideally located to make getting away from it all perfect.’
It adds that ‘in the winter months star gazing comes into its own’ at the inn and that ‘if you’re very lucky [you] might even catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights’.
After a day spent immersed in the great outdoors, return to the pub for dinner and to sample ‘a range of single malt whiskies’.
Guests can stay on a bed and breakfast basis with options such as porridge, smoked salmon and eggs and a full Scottish breakfast on the menu in the morning. What’s more, ‘well-behaved dogs’ are welcome to stay.
Double rooms at Glenuig Inn are priced from around £150 per night.
Bamburgh Castle Inn, Northumberland
Bamburgh Castle Inn, pictured, overlooks the harbour in the Northumberland fishing village of Seahouses
Guests at Bamburgh Castle Inn can fall asleep to ‘the peaceful, sleep-inducing sound of the sea and the flash of the famous Longstone lighthouse’
A view from the pub along the Northumberland coast to the 11th-century Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh Castle Inn overlooks the harbour in the fishing village of Seahouses and if you check in to one of the ‘amazing sea view rooms’ your bedfellows could be ‘the peaceful, sleep-inducing sound of the sea and the flash of the famous Longstone lighthouse’, the pub’s website says.
The pub has 46 en-suite rooms, and dogs are welcome to stay the night with a £10 supplement. Overnight guests can also avail of the spa, pool and fitness facilities at the village’s Ocean Club, a five-minute walk away from the inn.
Guests can enjoy views of the Northumberland coast towards the Farne Islands – which are home to thousands of grey seals – and the 11th-century Bamburgh Castle, the website reveals.
Prices for a double room start at Bamburgh Castle Inn from around £107.
Applecross Inn, Scotland
The Applecross Inn in the North West Highlands of Scotland ‘boasts lovely views across the Inner Sound of Raasay’
Every single guest room at the Applecross Inn offers a vista of the sea – a room, including breakfast, is priced from £90 per person
The pub’s restaurant specialises in using ‘local produce, including seafood and Highland game and meats’
Every single guest room at this pub, which lies on the Applecross peninsula in the North West Highlands of Scotland, offers a vista of the sea.
According to the pub’s website, the inn ‘boasts lovely views across the Inner Sound of Raasay, to the isles of Raasay and Skye’.
Make sure to stay for dinner – the pub specialises in using ‘local produce, including seafood and Highland game and meats’ as well as offering ‘daily seafood specials’.
When the weather is good, the inn runs a ‘retro-inspired food truck’ on the shore, serving fish and chips and ‘Applecross Ices’ desserts. And when temperatures drop, there’s a peat-burning stove in the bar and dining area.
Arrange a kayaking or gorge walking tour with a local guide, or look in the ‘wildlife book’ in the bar for tips on where to go to experience the local flora and fauna.
The price per adult per night for bed and breakfast at Applecross Inn is from £90.
The White Horse, Norfolk
The White Horse is ‘gloriously situated on the marshland coastline of North Norfolk at Brancaster Staithe, an area of outstanding natural beauty’
The pub says that the coastline offers ‘breathtaking panoramic views across tidal marshes and endless sandy beaches’
There are 15 ‘cool and comfortable’ bedrooms at The White Horse, with prices starting at around £140
The ‘Room at the Top’ guest room, pictured, has its own viewing telescope
This pub is ‘gloriously situated on the marshland coastline of North Norfolk at Brancaster Staithe, an area of outstanding natural beauty’.
The inn’s website reveals: ‘The coastline is a magical area to explore with breathtaking panoramic views across tidal marshes and endless sandy beaches.’
In the restaurant, which ‘overlooks the lobster pots, oyster beds and saltmarshes out to Scolt Head Island and the sea beyond’, guests can dine on shellfish from the ‘village fisherman’.
‘During the summer we host special events at the edge of the marsh such as gin cocktail evenings and lobster barbeques,’ the website says, adding that ‘throughout the winter you will be welcomed by roaring fires and steaming bowls of mussels’.
There are 15 ‘cool and comfortable’ bedrooms, but it’s the ‘Room at the Top’ guest room that offers ‘spectacular views’ of the coast and has its own viewing telescope.
For day trips, the inn recommends heading to nearby Brancaster beach, Creake Abbey – the ruins of an Augustinian abbey that dates back to 1206 – or the royal residence of Sandringham House.
Prices for a double room at The White Horse start at around £140.
The Penhelig Arms, Wales
The Penhelig Arms lies in the seaside village of Aberdyfi on the northern side of the estuary of the River Dyfi
Nearly all 16 bedrooms at The Penhelig Arms have ‘fabulous sea views of the Dyfi estuary’
The pub was originally a collection of fisherman’s cottages
‘At this wonderful pub, you can be assured of a warm welcome, genuine hospitality, great real ale, fine wines and excellent quality food.’
So says Stay in a Pub of this Welsh gem, which was originally a collection of fisherman’s cottages and lies in the seaside village of Aberdyfi on the northern side of the estuary of the River Dyfi in the Snowdonia National Park.
The inn’s ‘philosophy is that the quality of their food should be special, prepared with passion and pride and served within a relaxed and friendly setting’, according to Stay in a Pub. A hearty meal might feature traditional lamb faggots – a classic Welsh recipe – or Glamorgan sausage and mash.
After dinner, guests can retire to their rooms to drink in the views. ‘Nearly all of their 16 bedrooms have fabulous sea views of the Dyfi estuary,’ Stay in a Pub says, adding that these guest rooms come with a ‘whole host of little luxuries, including fresh towels, toiletries, hairdryers and good WiFi access’.
‘Beautiful location, the suites were fantastic with a great view,’ wrote TripAdvisor user ‘anthonyIRL’ in their recent review.
Double rooms at The Penhelig Arms are priced from around £68.