BESIDE THE SEASIDE
The very best British coastal retreats, from the Firth of Forth to St Ives BY LUCY HALFHEAD
A restaurant with rooms on the Firth of Forth, an artistic bolthole in Brighton and a coastal gem on Camber Sands – our top staycation destinations
Created by the Audley Travel founder Craig Burkinshaw and his partner Joanne Le Bon, Three Mile Beach is a brand-new collection of 15 self-catering cottages, hidden among golden sand dunes on the north-cornwall coast near St Ives. The playful beach houses are fun for families and groups of friends alike, with wraparound terraces, sunken cedar hot tubs, barrel saunas and barbecues. Well-equipped kitchens make feasting at home a breeze, but if you’d rather put your feet up, it’s possible to book a private chef, order homemade dishes for the freezer or get a takeaway from the resort’s street-food truck. Three Mile Beach (www.threemilebeach.co.uk), from £1,200 a week for a three-bedroom house.
THE BONNIE BADGER, EAST LOTHIAN THREE MILE BEACH, CORNWALL
When one of Scotland’s most celebrated chefs, Tom Kitchin, opened his first restaurant with rooms about an hour’s drive outside Edinburgh, it was met with much acclaim. Naturally, the food at the Bonnie Badger is delicious, and includes tasty plates of Loch Fyne oysters and roe deer terrine. The setting is equally wonderful, just a short stroll from the crescent of Gullane Bents beach, from which there are glorious views of the Firth of Forth. Relax in the pretty courtyard garden with a glass of champagne, and at bedtime, the turndown service brings a flask of hot chocolate and a freshly baked treat to snack on. The Bonnie Badger (www.bonniebadger.com), from £195 a room a night.
THE GALLIVANT, EAST SUSSEX
As guests of the Gallivant, you can wake up and be in the sea in minutes, thanks to its proximity to the stunning five-mile stretch of Camber Sands. This adults-only, Hamptons-style beach retreat has 20 spacious bedrooms and nautical touches, including framed vintage swimming costumes on the wall and storm lanterns with flickering candles. The room rate generously also includes tea or coffee in bed, all-day snacks, a glass of wine in the evening, dinner in the breezy restaurant, plus four experiences that could involve anything from Pilates and yoga to aromatherapy and cookery workshops. The Gallivant (www.thegallivant.co.uk), from £369 a room a night.
ARTIST RESIDENCE BRIGHTON, EAST SUSSEX
Brighton boasts a pebbly beach, a promenade and pier, and the charming Artist Residence, a bohemian boutique hotel on the city’s Regency Square. As part of a refurbishment, the owners offered artists free board in return for paintings and murals, so there are eye-catching works at every turn; there are also thoughtful details such as Bramley bath products and Roberts radios in the bedrooms. The Clubhouse is a lively restaurant and bar, or you can curate a picnic from nearby delis – try cheese from Barneys or takeaway tapas from Mediterraneo. Artist Residence Brighton (www.artistresidence.co.uk), from £95 a room a night.
THE PIG ON THE BEACH, DORSET
If you’re hoping to explore the sugar-white sands and limestone stacks of the Jurassic Coast, then book a room at the Pig on the Beach. Overlooking Studland Bay, it’s the ideal place to relax after long cliffside walks. The former home of the aristocratic Bankes family of Kingston Lacy, the hotel is decorated with turrets, gargoyles and carved woodwork as a nod to their eccentric tastes. Breakfast is a particular joy, with a lavish buffet of granola, pastries and a station where you can boil your own just-laid eggs. The Pig on the Beach (www.thepighotel. com), from £145 a room a night.