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The seaside hotel: a guide to coastal towns, harbours and waterfronts

Some of the most memorable stays in travel happen in a hotel by the sea that is not a resort at all. It might be a grand old building on a promenade, its lobby full of faded photographs of summers long ago. It might be a small hotel above a working harbour, where fishing boats unload beneath your window at dawn. Or it could be a city hotel on a waterfront, with ferries crossing the bay and lights on the water after dark. These are the hotels this page is about: places where the sea is part of daily life in the town, not just a view from a sun lounger.

This guide looks at the different kinds of seaside hotels, why the quiet months can be the best time to go, and what to ask so you end up with the room and the experience you are hoping for.

A short tour of seaside hotel styles

The grand promenade hotel. Many coastal towns grew up around sea bathing, piers and railway lines, and their grandest hotels still stand on the seafront. Think of the classic resort towns on the English coast such as Brighton and Scarborough, Deauville in Normandy, the elegant Baltic spa towns of Germany, Poland and Latvia, or Durban's long beachfront in South Africa. These hotels often have high ceilings, sweeping staircases and dining rooms facing the water. The history is part of the charm, though older buildings can also mean smaller bathrooms and creaking floors.

The small harbour hotel. In fishing towns and ports, hotels tend to be smaller and closer to everyday life. Brittany's walled port of Saint-Malo, the fishing towns of the Irish west coast, the harbours of Nova Scotia and the villages of coastal Maine all have this feel. You fall asleep to the sound of rigging in the wind and wake up to gulls and diesel engines.

The lighthouse and pier town. Some coastal places are defined by a single landmark: a lighthouse on a headland, a long pier reaching out to sea, a breakwater where people walk at sunset. Staying nearby gives your trip a natural focus for evening walks and early photographs.

The waterfront city hotel. Port cities offer something different: the energy of a city combined with the sea. Watching ships and ferries cross Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, the skyline over Marina Bay in Singapore, the busy waterfront of Cape Town beneath Table Mountain or the colourful hills of Valparaíso above its port in Chile is part of the reason to stay there. Montevideo's long waterfront promenade, the Rambla, is a favourite place for locals to walk, jog and drink mate at sunset.

The coastal hot spring hotel. In Japan, many seaside towns are also onsen towns, where hot spring baths look out over the ocean. Places such as Atami, Beppu and Shirahama combine sea views, fresh seafood and a long bathing tradition, and the traditional inns and hotels there offer a very different way to enjoy the coast.

The case for going out of season

Seaside towns change completely when the summer crowds leave, and many travellers come to prefer them that way. The beaches are empty, the promenades belong to dog walkers and locals, and hotels are generally easier to book, with more choice of rooms and often a more relaxed pace. Storm watching has its own fans: sitting by a window with a warm drink while waves crash against a harbour wall is an experience summer visitors never have.

Keep in mind that the calendar is reversed between the hemispheres. The quiet season in Punta del Este, Cape Town or the coastal towns of Australia and New Zealand falls in the middle of the year, while in North America, Northern Europe and East Asia it runs from late autumn to early spring. In tropical regions, the monsoon or rainy season shapes the rhythm of the coast instead, and some regions face typhoon, cyclone or hurricane seasons. Out of season, some restaurants, ferries and attractions reduce their hours or close entirely, so check what will be open before you go.

Eating well by the sea

Food is one of the great pleasures of a seaside hotel stay. Coastal towns tend to be proud of what comes out of their waters, and the simplest dishes are often the best: fish and chips on an English pier, oysters and mussels in Brittany and Normandy, lobster rolls in New England, chowder in Atlantic Canada, grilled fish in Montevideo, fresh sashimi in a Japanese fishing port or chilli crab in Singapore. Ask hotel staff where locals eat, and look for places near the harbour that buy directly from the boats. A hotel with its own seafood restaurant can be a real highlight, but it is worth walking into town at least once.

Coastal walks, ferries and islands

A seaside hotel makes an ideal base for exploring on foot and by boat. Many coastlines have well known walking routes along cliffs, dunes and beaches, and a short walk from your hotel can lead to a lighthouse, a secluded cove or a seal colony. Ferries open up even more: day trips to nearby islands, crossings between harbour towns, or simply a ride across a city harbour at dusk. The short ferry ride across Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong is a classic example. In places such as New Zealand, Australia, Atlantic Canada and the coasts of Scandinavia and Greece, island hopping by ferry is a big part of the travel experience. Check timetables in advance, especially out of season, when sailings may be less frequent or cancelled in bad weather.

Choosing the right room

In a seaside hotel, the room can make or break the stay. A sea view is not always guaranteed, even in a hotel on the seafront, and "partial sea view" can mean anything from a wide panorama to a glimpse between rooftops. Rooms facing a busy promenade or a working harbour can be noisy early in the morning or late at night, which some guests love and others do not. Historic buildings may not have lifts to every floor. If a particular view, a balcony or a quiet room matters to you, ask for it clearly when booking.

Questions to ask before you book

• Does the room have a direct sea view, a partial view or a view of the town?
• Is there a balcony, terrace or window that opens?
• How noisy is the area at night and early in the morning?
• Is there a lift, and are there many stairs in the building?
• Does the hotel have its own restaurant, and is it open all year?
• How far is the hotel from the ferry terminal, harbour or train station?
• Is parking available, and is it on site or elsewhere in town?
• Which months are quiet, and what closes out of season?
• Is the building heated well for winter stays, or cooled for summer ones?

Tips for a good seaside stay

Pack layers and a windproof jacket, because the weather on the coast can turn quickly at any time of year. Bring comfortable shoes for promenades and cliff paths. Check tide times if you plan to walk along beaches or out to tidal islands, and always respect warning signs near cliffs and harbour walls in rough weather. If you are travelling to a popular town in high season, book early; in the off-season, a little flexibility can reward you with the best room in the house.

Browse the sea hotels on this page

The sea hotels on this page are grouped by continent, country and region, so you can explore coastal towns and waterfront cities anywhere in the world. Each link goes to the owner's own website, where you can check availability and book directly with the hotel. Do you run a hotel by the sea? Add your link for free with the button above, and let travellers discover your part of the coast.