Devon, United Kingdom

Sidmouth Harbour Hotel

Rates per night from$137.43

Price information

If you haven’t entered any dates, the rate shown is provided directly by the hotel and represents the cheapest double room (including tax) available in the next 60 days.

Prices have been converted from the hotel’s local currency (GBP109.17), via openexchangerates.org, using today’s exchange rate.

Sidmouth Harbour Hotel Photos

Style

Nautical New England

Setting

Jurassic parkland

Explore

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Set within a bona fide Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Sidmouth Harbour Hotel is an equally attractive proposition: a bright, breezy boutique hotel on one of England’s most spectacular shores – the rugged Jurassic Coast. Huge windows in the Upper Deck restaurant survey the sands, and superb freshly caught seafood is served. There’s water, water (almost) everywhere, with several sea-view suites and a sunlounger-surrounded pool, which adds a little Miami glamour to the great British seaside.

Smith Extra

Get this when you book through us:

A set of the hotel’s own nourishing hand wash and hand cream

Facilities

Photos Sidmouth Harbour Hotel facilities

Need to know

Rooms

57.

Check–Out

11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm, but also flexible.

Rates

Double rooms from $137.43 (£109), excluding tax at 20 per cent.

More details

Rates include breakfast (freshly baked pastries, yoghurt, organic oats, cereals and juices).

Also

Don’t miss the Devonshire tea, served with sea air on the terrace, or in the lounge, at 3.30pm daily. The hotel happily hosts seaside weddings – there’s room for up to 100 guests and a terrace supplies pictures with a beautiful bayside backdrop.

Please note

dir="ltr">Construction works will be taking place next door to the hotel until spring 2020; guests may experience some noise disruption during the day from about 8.30am to 5.30pm.

At the hotel

Spa, gym, parking and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: TV, Nespresso coffee machine, kettle with a selection of teas, a minibar, free bottled water and White Company bath products.

Our favourite rooms

Keep watch over Lyme Bay in one of the sea-facing suites; opt for a Superior and you’ll have a balcony to admire it from, too. The Courtyard rooms are set away from the hotel in a separate two-storey building and might seem a little motel-like at first; don’t be fooled – they have all the breezy, beach-y charms of the main house.

Poolside

There are two heated pools: a heated open-air pool with stylish sunloungers (open from July to September) for summertime swims in water that’s less chilly than the Channel, and a heated indoor pool in the spa. Both are family-friendly and welcome children from 8.30am to 10am, and 4.30pm to 6pm, daily.

Spa

The spoiling Harbour Spa offers all kinds of Espa-employing pampering, with facials, mani-pedis, pregnancy massages and body polishes, as well as options for children and men. There’s a gym, hydrotherapy pool, sauna, and steam room, and a sundeck by the pool to head to in a post-treatment trance.

Packing tips

Bring a fossil handbook for help identifying the archaeological relics strung along the coastline; and stylish swimwear for lounging on one of the white sunloungers around the pool.

Also

The restaurant, bar and lounge are suitable for wheelchair access.

Pet‐friendly

Dogs can stay in some rooms for £10 a night. See more pet-friendly hotels in Devon.

Children

All ages welcome. Baby cots and extra beds can be added to certain room categories on request.

Best for

Older kids.

Recommended rooms

The Superior Double with Sea View and Balcony have space for a cot or extra bed.

Swimming pool

Both pools are family-friendly, but only at certain times: 8.30am and 10am, and 4.30pm to 6pm.

Meals

Children are allowed in the restaurant and bar at all times. Highchair and Tommee Tippee bibs are available to borrow and the menu can be adapted to suit younger tastebuds. Staff will also happily froth up a babyccino or a create miniature ice-cream sundae. 

No need to pack

Colouring books, bibs, travel cots and highchairs.

Food and Drink

Photos Sidmouth Harbour Hotel food and drink

Top Table

Bag a seat by the double-height windows for the best sea views with supper, or slump onto the cushion-strewn, camel-coloured banquette for added comfort.

Dress Code

Push the boat out with nautical navy and captain-worthy whites.

Hotel restaurant

The Upper Deck Bar & Restaurant showcases the English Channel through vast windows. It has playful, sea-faring flourishes, such as hanging buoy-shaped lights and blue-glass candleholders. The chef champions British classics and regularly loots the fruits of the sea. Try various potted things (shrimps, crab, mackerel), the creamy cheesy soufflé with added oak-smoked haddock, salad Niçoise, Lyme Bay scallops or chargrilled pork and octopus. The menu’s predominately pescatarian but there’s a reassuringly carnivorous ‘cow and claret’ option on the menu: a Béarnaise-paired côte de boeuf for two, with thick-cut chips and the promised glass of plonk.  

Hotel bar

Order a vodka-enhanced rhubarb Bellini or a fragrant Bramley Smash and head out to the terrace for sundowners with a sea view. Sandwiches, salads and platters can be ordered here or in the lounge.

Last orders

Breakfast is available from 7.30am to 10am during the week (8am to 11am at weekends). The restaurant serves food from noon right up until 9.30pm. The bar calls time at 11pm, but certain rooms have a free supply of gin and sherry to keep you going.

Room service

The bar’s menu can be transported by trolley to your room between noon and 9.30pm.

Location

Photos Sidmouth Harbour Hotel location
Address
Sidmouth Harbour Hotel
Manor Road, Sidmouth
Devon
EX10 8RU
United Kingdom

Sidmouth Harbour Hotel is on the south coast of Devon, between Lyme Regis and Exeter, in a spot of countryside so charming it’s recognised as an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Planes

The closest airport is Exeter (www.exeter-airport.co.uk), 10 miles away from the hotel by car; the drive should take around 25 minutes. Skybus services fly here from various destinations in the south west of the UK; Flybe has arrivals from major European cities.

Trains

Honiton rail station is the nearest, a 20-minute drive away. Great Western trains (www.gwr.com) arrive from London; there are direct routes from Waterloo (around a three-hour journey), but the train from Paddington takes two-and-a-half hours; from Exeter St Davids, Honiton is half an hour away by train.

Automobiles

From Exeter, the hotel’s a half-hour drive away. If you’re arriving from a northerly direction, leave the A30 just after Honiton and follow signs to Sidmouth. There’s free parking when you arrive.

Other

Arrive via a Stuart Line Cruises ferry (www.stuartlinecruises.co.uk) from Exmouth if you want to get into the seafaring mood early – you’ll land directly onto the pebbled beach.

Worth getting out of bed for

Before you indulge in lashings of cream and yards of craft ale, the Jurassic Coast is on your doorstep and there are several ways to walk it, from the scenic (Sidmouth to Salcombe Hill) to the strenuous (Mutter’s Moor and the Lower Otter Valley). There’s even the annual Sidmouth Walking Festival in September paying homage to the art of ambling. In Sidmouth, improve your astronomy knowledge with a visit to the Norman Lockyer observatory or watch a film at the town’s art deco Radway Cinema. The hotel can help arrange evening cruises, kayaking along the coast or visits to the Donkey Sanctuary. Don’t miss a trip to cliff-backed Jacobs Ladder Beach, one of the biggest in the area and so-named for the series of wooden steps leading to it.

Local restaurants

An outpost of gastronomic boutique hotel the Pig (a fellow Smith stay) can be found eight miles north of Sidmouth – The Pig at Combe and its freshly foraged menu awaits in the Otter Valley. In Lyme Regis, try Hix Oyster and Fish House for superb seafood in a superlative setting.

Local cafés

For a delicious Devonshire tea (top tip: it’s de rigeur to spread the cream on the scone first) and substantial slices of cake, visit Sidmouth’s Clock Tower Café. Axminster has a branch of the River Cottage, where the menu borrows the bounty of neighbouring counties; try Cornish sardines with seaweed salsa verde, courgette salad with Somerset feta, or Hampshire mozzarella with Isle of Wight tomatoes.

Reviews

Photos Sidmouth Harbour Hotel reviews

Anonymous review

By Mr & Mrs Smith

Every hotel featured is visited personally by members of our team, given the Smith seal of approval, and then anonymously reviewed. As soon as our reviewers have returned from this boutique hotel on England’s south coast and unpacked their jars of jam and pots of clotted cream, a full account of their coastal break will be with you. In the meantime, to whet your wanderlust, here's a quick peek inside the Sidmouth Harbour Hotel in Devon…

The weather might do its best to put a downer on it, but the British seaside puts up a good fight. Whether the sun’s out or not, refined redbrick manor Sidmouth Harbour Hotel on Devon’s Jurassic coast will dazzle discerning guests with its sea-facing suites and traditional white veranda. Set within the East Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the hotel’s surroundings are photogenic – but it keeps up the local standard with its nautical and New England-inspired sage, white and blue colour palette, vast countryside-showcasing windows and bright, breezy interiors. The heated pool, bordered by pristine wooden decking topped with white sunloungers, offers a bath-warm dip for those not up to braving British waters. Locally caught seafood stars in the dishes of the day in the restaurant, but huge hunks of steak and creative combinations such as pork and octopus also take pride of place. Other coastal towns could study Sidmouth for a lesson in ‘how to be kitsch and endearing but not faded and forlorn’. What’s a little rain when you’ve got buckets (and spades) of charm?

The Guestbook

Whenever you book a stay at a Smith hotel or villa, we’ll invite you to review it when you get back. Read what other Smith members had to say in Sidmouth Harbour Hotel’s Guestbook below.

We loved

The decor, the indoor pool and the spa. We didn't love the unreliable hot water in our room (28), which the hotel was unable to fix, but we appreciated their gesture to reduce our bill.

Don’t expect

A lively stay in Sidmouth. We used it as a base for exploring the Jurassic coast.

Rating

Stayed on 5 Jun 2019

We loved

The hotel is perfectly placed for peace and quiet, especially if you get a room in the main hotel overlooking the sea. We found the food to be very good and plentiful, though the bar prices were a bit on the pricey side. We supposedly had the best room in the hotel – it was good but not great, in need of a good refurbishment.

Don’t expect

Wild nights – Sidmouth is a quiet English seaside town.

Rating

Stayed on 10 May 2019

We loved

The comfy bed and the views from the restaurant as the sun set.

Don’t expect

The food from the restaurant, although good, never quite matched what was on the menu. It was like the kitchen staff had a slightly different menu to work from, with the same main ingredient but nothing else. So 'new potatoes with herb butter and salt' came plain. The 'Hamburger with bone marrow and pickled sea vegetables' came with bacon, lettuce and tomato. Fine if you aren't fussy or don't have allergies, slightly worrying if not.

Rating

Stayed on 4 May 2019

We loved

Loved the hotel, rooms, food and friendly staff.

Rating

Stayed on 8 Jan 2019

We loved

The cliff top location and the superb view of the coastline from the window (side) in our room. We had accepted an offer to upgrade our original room booking. The restaurant was of a good standard.

Don’t expect

Our only complaint made to reception was the high room temperature, which was apparent on arrival and which could not be adjusted. There was limited space in the car park with some building work being progressed close to the hotel entrance.

Rating

Stayed on 30 Dec 2018

We loved

We enjoyed the attention to detail and the staff were extremely courteous and helpful. Nice modern hotel. Ideal location. The food was excellent.

Rating

Stayed on 24 Nov 2018

We loved

Well appointed room and really happy to find that the double bed was actually larger than a standard double. Cute little spa area. Staff were all charming and helpful. I was particularly impressed by one of the bar team, I'm guessing he was a more senior staff member (was wearing a purple shirt). He was a proper professional bar tender, sadly quite a rare find. The hotel is good value for money.

Don’t expect

WiFi was an absolute pain. Had to keep logging on, which took multiple attempts each time. Although it was possible to receive mails and go online sporadically it was not possible to send mails at all: something to do with unsecure certificate. Intensely annoying Dinner was a bit of a mixed bag. My partner has a particularly good steak. I would not recommend the veal: it was very poor. Popcorn cockles were an excellent snack.

Rating

Stayed on 11 Nov 2018

We loved

Well located in the seaside town of Sidmouth. Walked the beautiful coastal path and enjoyed the charm of the town. Try the lovely fish restaurant Neal's and the Clock Tower Café for afternoon tea.

Don’t expect

Air conditioning in the rooms which made for uncomfortable nights in the summer heat. High quality food service.

Rating

Stayed on 5 Aug 2018

We loved

The lovely spacious rooms, and the spa. The spa is excellent: well run, friendly and inviting, peaceful, with a beautiful swimming pool, sauna, steam room, and marvelous treatments.

Don’t expect

Good food: it's incredibly mediocre from breakfast through to dinner.

Rating

Stayed on 15 Jun 2018

We loved

The sea views, the food, relaxed vibe and the helpful staff.

Don’t expect

Nightclubs or a fast pace.

Rating

Stayed on 23 Feb 2018

We loved

The overall experience was good. The nice little touches like the free gift and the complimentary gin and sherry. Beautiful hotel in a beautiful area.

Don’t expect

A good nights sleep if youre in room 9. Unbearable heat and no way to cool it down made for a terrible nights sleep despite the big comfortable bed. Unable to make use of the restaurant or bar due to a 90 per head black tie event which we weren't informed of until arrival. This meant we had to really struggle to find a place to eat out of the hotel on NY Eve.

Rating

Stayed on 31 Dec 2017

We loved

Really gorgeous rooms – all very cozy and well thought out, including the decanters of gin and sherry that are provided as part of the stay. Very friendly and helpful staff who provided us with a map of the area with all the walks. Dinner at the restaurant was also excellent: good wine choices and good value. We loved lunch at the Pea Green Boat on the esplanade.

Don’t expect

Unfortunately our breakfast order was lost so we had a bit of a 'rushed job', and the water pressure in the shower could have been better.

Rating

Stayed on 28 Dec 2017

We loved

The balcony in our room and the public areas of the hotel. Neil's restaurant – a wonderful fish restaurant a 10-minute walk away from the hotel. The food and service were exceptional.

Don’t expect

A spacious room, great water pressure in the shower or to be cool.

Rating

Stayed on 18 Oct 2017

We loved

The location is exquisite. The hotel is a couple minutes on foot from the sea and the stunning Jurassic Coast. It was lovely to use the indoor pool and sauna and steam room and to have an ESPA facial. I went when it was stormy and raining and still, I so enjoyed my visit to Sidmouth. There are wonderful walks all around Sidmouth, from the hills surrounding it, to the Byes Park along the Sid River. The town is small and really adorable and had a wonderful feel. I visited several times and never got bored. Amazing nature surrounds Sidmouth and according to one local, the most beautiful bluebells in the UK in the spring.

Don’t expect

I was a bit disappointed as the hotel is not as dog-friendly as they say. The dog-friendly rooms looked onto a car park and as a gold member I had no other choice. Also, I could not dine with my well-behaved dog, who is a companion, and therefore I ate in my room as I was on my own and went to the coast to spend time with my dog on long walks and discovering the town, which is absolutely charming. The food was expensive for what it was, and the room, too was expensive for what it was. The tv fell off the wall too which was a bit worrying, and half of the staff were adorable and half were not very friendly, which is not very good in the hospitality industry.

Rating

Stayed on 9 Oct 2017

We loved

The Hotel's location. Room 161, well equipped and comfy. Friendly staff. Sidmouth is a sleepy, yet sophisticated seaside town. Lunch at the Connaught Gardens was very good and coffee at #1 coffee lounge was exceptional.

Don’t expect

We did find the restaurant under-staffed. We were staying for our wedding anniversary and the table booking was poorly handled. Situation was reasonably resolved by the restaurant manger.

Rating

Stayed on 24 Jun 2017

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