Say the name Scarborough to most people and chances are that they’re going to bring up a certain folk song about the town’s fair. But there is much to recommend this resurgent seaside resort beyond parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. It’s today, a conference capital as well as being crammed with classic beach side amusements. Are you going?
Assuming the answer’s yes, and it should be, we’ve selected a bunch of different hotels and guest houses for your consideration. The British seaside town guest house is something of an institution, and there are several of those on our list, as well as some more modern choices for less traditional tastes.
The Ivanhoe
From £40/ night
A good honest hotel attached to a good honest pub, the Ivanhoe is the kind of pit stop that has been catering to travellers in Britain for generations, though probably a darn sight more comfortably. The inn offers WiFi in public areas and has TVs, tea-making facilities, and en-suite bathrooms in all its rooms. A solid, excellent value choice.
North Bay Guest House
From £75/ night
A supremely comfortable and lavish experience. Situated in a perfectly maintained and at turns joyously stylish building, a stay at the North Bay Guest House is like a stay at your wealthy friend’s house – should your wealthy friend live in Scarborough, naturally. It’s right in the heart of things and as well as having all the usual amenities of a four star establishment, the English cooked breakfasts are something to die for.
The Esplanade Hotel
From £52/ night
With its regency stylings, and enviable location above the cliffs looking out across Scarborough proper, this is the kind of destination hotel that could almost qualify for a holiday in itself. There’s a garden, restaurant, and even a roof terrace where you can get the maximum from the already fabulous views, cocktail glass in hand. Rooms, meanwhile, come replete with en-suites, TVs, and tea making facilities, for those lazy holiday mornings when you just want to luxuriate in bed.
The Grand Scarborough
From £45/ night
Now, we’re not going to lie to you, this hotel may not be for all tastes. Indeed, it shops a kind of Britain that many would suspect of having disappeared around the time the Beatles got popular. But it’s also remarkably inexpensive and offers a charming blend of downtrodden elegance and kitsch. There are sea views from some of the rooms, it’s right in the centre and town, and, well, just look at the pictures! Expect nightly live music and bingo in the Cabaret Ballroom, too. It’s a veritable time machine, offering in many respects, peak seaside, even while its days of luxury may be long gone.
Marine Residence
From £45/ night
Dare we say, everything that The Grand is not. This clean, comfortable, modern hotel is a perfect fit for the kind of traveller who likes their accommodation trouble-free and to blend into the background of their holiday. Not that the Marine Residence is without charm, it’s in a nice old building that was refurbished in 2016. Now it offers all the amenities you could hope for from a hotel, it’s close to the town centre, and at incredible value.