South Street, Woolacombe, United Kingdom | (618) 248-8274
Modernized 19th-century hotel with period features
Gorgeous location overlooking one of the U.K.'s finest beaches
Set in six acres of well-tended, landscaped gardens
Spa with heated pool, sauna, and extensive choice of treatments
Outside swimming pool with loungers and separate
kids' pool
Uncluttered rooms with luxury touches and some sea
views
Fine dining restaurant and informal bistro on-site
Health club with gym, squash, and tennis courts
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Room decor can
feel sparse
Lots of children during
school breaks
No air-conditioning in
rooms
The 37-room Woolacombe Bay Hotel is an upscale, family-run property
dating back to the mid-19th century that retains plenty of its dashing period
charm. Its setting is superb too -- on a sloping hillside overlooking three
miles of gorgeous beach -- and many rooms have lovely sea views. Facilities are
particularly impressive, with both indoor and outdoor pools, a top-notch spa
and health club with squash courts, as well as excellent dining. Inviting rooms are spacious and homey, with nice touches including electric kettles and wall-mounted flat-screen TVs; some rooms also have balconies and soaking tubs plus separate walk-in showers. With plenty to do for the little
ones, it really has the whole package -- though those wanting to get away
from kids might have more luck at the cliff-top Watersmeet Hotel nearby.
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Scene
Family-run, upscale hotel blending 19th-century charm with modern styling
The four-pearl Woolacombe Bay Hotel has a charming, semi-timbered, red-brick facade. Marble steps lead to an old fashioned revolving wooden door and into
the hotel's high-ceilinged reception area complete with crystal chandeliers and
charmingly traditional wood-paneled front desk with brass hand-bell. Run by the
Lancaster family, much effort has gone into the upkeep of this period
property and in maintaining a balance between modernization and retaining its
historic features -- including a lovely Edwardian-era elevator. The property is
a mix of self-catering and hotel accommodation and is set in six acres of
well-landscaped grounds that slope down to one of the U.K.'s finest beaches.
Clientele are a mix of families -- drawn by the beach and kid-friendly facilities -- and largely retired couples attracted by the views and hotel's nostalgic charm.
During school holidays, however, it can feel a little overrun with children.
Location
Set on a hill overlooking North Devon's Woolacombe Beach
This hotel
features a particularly fine setting at the top of a gently sloping hill
overlooking North Devon's Woolacombe Beach -- three miles of golden sands and generally
considered the best beach in the U.K. The edge of Woolacombe Sands, an extensive
swathe of coastal dune-scape, is just minutes away on foot. The quaint
restaurant, cafes, and traditional pubs of Woolacombe town are also a few minutes away on foot. The area is also
very popular with surfers with lots of surf shops and decent-size waves for
most of the year. There's little public transport in the area beyond some local
buses (the nearest train station is in Barnstable over 12 miles away) so driving
is highly recommended.
Rooms
Simple, uncluttered rooms with quality bathrooms and some sea views
This hotel has 37
rooms, most of which are decorated in fresh and uncluttered -- even a little
sparse -- styling with modern furnishings, striped carpets, and statement
wallpaper or beach-themed touches. Standard amenities include flat-screen TVs,
good quality tea/coffee facilities, and free Wi-Fi -- though no air-conditioning. Clean, contemporary bathrooms provide waffle-towel robes and
high-end toiletries. Some bathrooms have shower/tub combos, while others have separate soaking tubs and walk-in showers. While many of the upper-tier rooms have great sea
views, 2015 saw the addition of three Luxury Sea View suites complete with
Juliet balconies and superb panoramas. The self-catering
apartments are located up the hill just outside the main hotel grounds and each is home to two bedrooms, a seating area, and a fully equipped kitchen. This
accommodation is more basic and not the same upscale standard as in the hotel. Linens are provided, but not beach towels. Dogs are allowed in units on the ground floor.
Features
Impressive dining, leisure, and health facilities plus free Wi-Fi
Breakfast is served
buffet style with a continental selection as well as traditional cooked English
favorites -- all included in the room rate. Doyle's Restaurant's particularly
elegant surrounds serves an a la carte dinner menu of fine, locally sourced
produce, while the Bay Brasserie provides less formal fare throughout the day.
Leisure facilities are excellent, and include a heated indoor pool, an outside
lido-style swimming pool lined with loungers, and a separate splash pool for kids.
Children also have access to a kids' den, full of stuff to keep them
entertained and away from the main area of the hotel; babysitting is also
available. The hotel spa also offers a steam bath, sauna, and whirlpool as well as
a choice of 40 massage and beauty treatments. An impressive health club also
provides a modern gym, two squash courts, and outdoor tennis courts --
though it is also open to non-residents and can get crowded. Wi-Fi is free throughout.
