Watersmeet Hotel, Woolacombe
Watersmeet Hotel is in Mortahoe, along the South West Coast Path. This 4-star hotel has over Woolacombe Bay and private steps down to the sandy . It has free WiFi, and a restaurant with sea views.
Nearly all bedrooms at Watersmeet Hotel have a sea view, and some have a balcony or terrace.
Lunch or a Devon cream tea may be taken on the terrace or in the garden.The restaurant has 2 AA Rosettes for its cuisine, and has views of the setting sun. There is a smart/casual dress code. The new Bistro Restaurant is also available for a relaxed and informal dining experience.
Watersmeet Hotel is in Mortahoe, on the quiet edge of Woolacombe. It is ideal for exploring the North Devon coastline and beaches, walking the South West Coastal Path or surfing on one of Britain’s best surf beaches.
Couples particularly like the location — they rated it 9.7 for a two-person trip.
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Facilities of Watersmeet Hotel, Woolacombe
- Free Parking
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Superb breakfast
- Private Beachfront
Good for couples - they rate the facilities 9.7 for two-person stays.
Watersmeet Hotel, Woolacombe | Hotel Review: By Suzi Bennett, Telegraph
This Edwardian resort, fresh from refurbishment, is in Woolacombe Bay and fast becoming a contender for North Devon’s best hotel. The new décor is lovely, but it’s the wildly romantic coastal views – and its setting on one of Devon’s best secret beaches - that sets Watersmeet apart.
Location
Watersmeet’s beachfront location, looking out onto the North Devon coastline and Lundy Island, is simply sublime. At the quiet end of Woolacombe Bay, the hotel has private steps that lead onto Combesgate Beach, a small, sandy cove that’s fantastic for body-boarding and rock-pooling, but rarely gets busy, even in the height of summer. The South West Coastal path is just behind Watersmeet, with award-winning Woolacombe beach a 10-minute walk away. The ferry to Lundy Island leaves from nearby Ilfracombe, while National Trust property Arlington Court is a 30-minute drive away.
Style and Character
The overall feel is fresh and airy, with white and grey walls, wood floors, driftwood lamps and Lloyd Loom chairs, but the views out to sea are so mesmerising that you may not even notice — or care — about the interiors.
Service and Facilities
This is a rare breed of hotel that manages to be both family-friendly and romantic at the same time, with an indoor and outdoor pool, huge lawn and sun terrace leaving plenty of room for everybody. The newly refurbished pool area is small, but squeezes in a hot tub, steam room and spa area. There’s on-site parking. Service is rather laid-back.
Rooms
The sea-facing rooms, built on steeply-sloping hillside with glass frontages, seem to float above the rollers. Each of the 29 rooms have been individually decorated, and although the décor lacks panache, they’re tasteful, clean and comfortable. Private balconies mean you can sleep safely with the doors open, waking to the sound of rollers breaking against the shore. During our stay, the hotel’s girders reverberated loudly in the wind, disturbing our sleep, but we have since been assured this has been fixed.
Dated bathrooms are being replaced by modern, clean-cut versions with walk-in showers. My shower had only one temperature setting – hot – but I was assured this was a temporary glitch. Occitane toiletries are a luxurious addition.
Food and Drink
The restaurant feels fusty compared to the rest of the hotel, and salt-encrusted windows blur spectacular sea views and sunsets. The menu is mostly local — Lundy lobster, Exmoor venison, Brixham fish — and is delicious, although the presentation needs bringing up to date. For a livelier ambiance, the hotel’s bistro is a better bet, with its funky décor and extensive pub-style menu. On a summer’s afternoon, the terrace is a relaxing place to sip a sundowner — unless it’s windy, when you’ll be subjected to loud pop songs played, futilely, to drown out the vibrating girders. The fail-safe breakfast menu includes bubble and squeak and omelette.
Value for Money
Double rooms from £160 in low season; rising to £270 in high. Breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi.
Telegraph rating: 8/10