Take 5: Coastal hotel escapes

Still haven’t booked a break to shake off all those months at home? Let us recommend five lovely coastal hotels which offer so much more than a few nights in a no-thrills Airbnb

The Royal Duchy Hotel, Falmouth, Cornwall (pictured above)

Old-school glamour in Falmouth

The Champagne Bar is the most decadent spot in the house in which to sip a well-made classic before heading to the hotel’s restaurant to delight in beautifully crafted British and Med-inspired dishes – served with panoramic seascape views.

An indoor pool and a comfortable and roomy lounge with views through the semi-tropical flora on the terrace to the sea make very attractive indoor distractions. However, if the weather’s good, mosey along the promenade to gorgeous Gyllyngvase Beach or pick up the South West Coast Path there and continue on to Maenporth Beach. It’s the perfect way to build an appetite for a delicious supper at the hotel.

The Maritime Museum, Pendennis Castle, lots of independent stores and a daytrip on the passenger ferry to St Mawes are other good reasons for a getaway to Falmouth.

Salcombe Harbour Hotel & Spa, Devon

Contemporary boutique hotel in chic Salcombe

Seaside-smart decor, gin decanters in the room and a bustling brasserie restaurant are three excellent reasons to plump for this destination for your post-lockdown getaway.

Feast on lobster plucked from local waters and well-hung beef from the surrounding south Devon countryside while you savour the panoramic views over the blue-green waters.

A stay at Salcombe Harbour Hotel wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the spa, where tranquil contemplation is to be found in the smart pool area with its luxe loungers and stack of glossy magazines.

Alexandra Hotel & Restaurant, Lyme Regis, Dorset

Lyme Regis’ fresh interpretation of a charming 18^th century building

High on the hill overlooking the Cobb, this lovely hotel is just beyond the bustle of Lyme Regis’ busy sea-front and the perfect spot for a relaxing few days away (don’t forget to pack your copy of Jane Austen’s Persuasion or John Fowles’ The French Lieutenant’s Woman – which both feature the town).

At this elegant eyrie visitors don’t even have to descend into town to eat well as there are two restaurant experiences within the coastal hotel. Choose the Ammonite Restaurant in the orangery – a vision of floral loveliness, thanks to its elegant decor and the wide expanse of windows onto the attractive gardens, or choose the cool blues of the seashell-adorned Alexandra Restaurant for evening feasting.

Housel Bay Hotel and Restaurant, Cornwall

Contemporary feasting at Cornwall’s Lizard Point

Explore chef Joseph Fallowfield’s artful and produce-led dishes at his eponymous restaurant as you swoon over sublime views of the peninsula. An attractive contemporary dining room is the perfect setting for the ambitious young chef’s cooking.

Stay over in one of the 24 attractively designed bedrooms and, after a fortifying breakfast in The Terrace with its huge windows of sea and sky, take advantage of the hotel’s position on the South West Coast Path to blow away the cobwebs (and walk off dinner and breakfast).

The Greenbank Hotel, Falmouth, Cornwall

Smart and lively harbourside hotel in Falmouth.

This Falmouth coastal hotel, surrounded by the shimmering blue of one of the world’s deepest harbours, offers so much more than just a great location.

A relaxed vibe, seaside-chic bedrooms and a delightful circular bar staffed by a crew who absolutely know one end of a contemporary cocktail list from another attract visitors from far and wide.

Foodies will love the Water’s Edge Restaurant, which offers creative fine dining via dishes crafted from local ingredients and featuring inventive flavour combinations. Then, when you want to switch up the elegant dining, head below deck to the hotel’s pub, The Working Boat, to sink a Cornish craft beer and tuck in to ale-battered fish and chips, and Cornish crab doorstep sandwiches.