By the SEASIDE

Fall asleep to surf and rise to golden beaches, clifftop walks and more at these exceptional British coastal stays

- ALICIA MILLER

THE QUIRKY BEACH HUT

BOURNEMOUTH BEACH LODGES, DORSET

A day at a beach hut is a quintessential British seaside pleasure. But these pastel huts at Boscombe Beach go one step further they are designed for sleeping in. And there's no need to worry about comfort - while they look the traditional part from the outside, inside they're cleverly kitted out.

Sleeping up to six people (plus a dog) over split levels, they are surprisingly spacious, with a small kitchen for rustling up -meals and a terrace for morning coffees. Start and end days with a dip in some of Britain's finest surf, framed by majestic Dorset cliffs. In between, Boscombe Pier awaits, with its retro ambiance, and seafront restaurants serving fish and chips are just a shoeless pad away along the sands.

+ Four nights in a beach hut sleeping up to six from £375; bournemouth beachlodges.co.uk 

THE SPA RETREAT CALS

HARBOUR BEACH CLUB & SPA, DEVON

The only thing better than a seaside stay is a seaside stay with a fabulous spa! Perched on unspoilt golden sands at Salcombe Estuary in Devon, this hotel has launched a new one. It's impressive, complete with reclaimed wood and rattan furnishings, a sunlit 12m swimming pool and, for the virtuous, a healthy juice bar (though good luck resisting the crab nachos dished up in the hotel's on-site restaurant).