Where to Stay in England, from Seaside Hotels to Farm Barns

Where to stay in England, area by area

The places in this guide sit in five very different corners of England: the north-east, the Lancashire coast, the east coast, the Kent seaside and the Somerset countryside. Choose the area first, because it decides what kind of trip you are having. Below I have grouped everything by who is near whom.

The north-east, Corbridge and Eaglescliffe

• The Wheatsheaf Hotel, in Corbridge. A hotel with a bar and restaurant and a large free car park. I would give it to couples, walkers and drivers on a road trip who want a simple base and a Sunday carvery, as long as they check the kitchen is open.
• Locomotion hotel, in Eaglescliffe. A traditional pub inn on Station Road, a short walk from the railway station, with simple en-suite rooms, a bar and restaurant, and free parking. It is for budget stays and work trips, not for a romantic break.

The Lancashire coast, Blackpool

• The Berkswell Hotel, in Blackpool. A guesthouse-style hotel in an older building, close to the Pleasure Beach and South Beach. It offers a cooked breakfast, a bar, free parking and a friendly welcome. A good seaside break on a budget, once you have read the mixed reviews.

The east coast, Skegness and Clacton-on-Sea

• Hatters Hotel, in Skegness. A quirky hotel on Drummond Road, known for themed rooms, friendly owners and a lively bar with live music. It suits groups, families and work trips that want character over polish. A few guests found it tired.
• Esplanade Hotel, in Clacton-on-Sea. A seafront hotel a short walk from the pier and the sandy beach, with sea-view rooms, a restaurant and free Wi-Fi in the public areas. Good for families and short breaks, though reviews are mixed on parking and some rooms.

The Kent coast, Broadstairs

• Smiths Townhouse, in Broadstairs. Guest accommodation in residential streets, a few minutes' walk from Viking Bay Beach, with a private bathroom in every room. It suits couples, short breaks and remote workers who want a quiet base by the sea.

Somerset, Wellington

• Brimley Barn, in Wellington. A single-storey barn conversion on a farm near Wellington, with three bedrooms, a woodburning stove, a private garden and parking. It sleeps up to four and suits families or friends who want a quiet countryside base with a dog.

What kind of places you will find in England

Mostly seaside hotels and guesthouses, with a pub inn, a country hotel and one self-catering barn thrown in. There is nothing grand here, and that is the point: these are everyday places for ordinary breaks.

The coastal ones are the classic English holiday stay. Blackpool, Skegness and Clacton-on-Sea are old-fashioned resorts with piers, promenades and plenty of fish and chips, and their hotels reflect that. Expect friendly owners and a cooked breakfast, and do not expect designer interiors. Broadstairs feels calmer and more residential, which is why I would send couples and remote workers there rather than anyone chasing arcades and nightlife.

Inland, the pub inn in Eaglescliffe and the hotel in Corbridge are about practicality: parking, a bar, a meal downstairs. The barn in Somerset is the odd one out and the only place here where you cook for yourself and sit by a woodburner. It has very few reviews so far, so I would treat its rating gently and message the owners with questions.

Which one to choose for your trip

It depends less on the hotel than on what you want the trip to be. For a loud, cheerful seaside break, pick a resort town. For quiet, pick Broadstairs or the Somerset barn. The table sums up my choices.

What to check before you book

Most of these places have mixed reviews alongside good ratings, so read the lower-scoring comments before paying. In seaside hotels the usual complaints are about tired rooms and parking, and a few are worth asking about directly.

• Parking. Some seafront hotels have limited spaces, so ask if it is included and whether you need to reserve.
• Food. Pub hotels sometimes have the kitchen closed on certain days, so confirm if you plan to eat in.
• Room type. Ask for a sea-view room if that matters to you, since not every room has one.
• Dogs. Check the pet policy first if you are travelling with one.

When to go to England and how to get around

The coast is at its liveliest in summer, when resorts are busy and everything is open. Spring and early autumn are calmer and often better for walking, while winter suits quiet breaks as long as you accept that some seaside places go to sleep.

Weather in England changes quickly, so pack for rain at any time of year. Trains connect the big cities and many of the resort towns, and the station-side inn in Eaglescliffe works well if you travel by rail. For the countryside, though, a car makes life far easier: the Somerset barn and the Corbridge area are much simpler with your own wheels. If you want to see several of these places, group them by coast and do not try to cross the country in one go.