From the coast to the countryside, there's a smattering of gorgeous places to stay that are suitable for the entire tribe across the county
Suzy Bennett Destination expert
Suzy Bennett is an award-winning travel writer and photographer with a penchant for all-things-Devon.
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All hotels have been independently reviewed and selected. We will earn a commission if you book via the links below, but this never affects our rating.
Our expert writers are usually hosted on a complimentary basis in order to gain the first-hand experience necessary for their review.
Devon is a big draw for active families who come to swim and surf from its sandy beaches, explore gently winding country lanes or venture over its vast boulder-strewn hills. Less sporty families are catered for too, with nature trails and animal encounters to seek out and opportunities for beach picnics. Family-friendly hotels abound, and you won't have to compromise on style – all of our choices below have stylish interiors along with sublime food and excellent service.
Most of the hotels in our pick of top family stays are relatively small and independently run, meaning there’s no fighting for space by the pool or beach, or queuing for the buffet. Covering every parent’s budget and every child’s whim, from canoeing and croquet, pool tables to private cinemas, you really are spoilt for choice. Here is our standout selection of family hotels in Devon, in locations including Salcombe, Woolacombe, Dartmoor and Babbacombe, near Torquay.
How we review
All our reviewers are either resident destination experts or travel writers that specialise in hotels. Often they will have stayed at a hotel many times and so can see how it has changed for better or worse over the years. They know what makes a great hotel in that particular destination and will compare it contextually against local competition. When our reviewers first visit a hotel, they stay for at least one night, eat one meal in addition to breakfast and will experience all of the facilities on offer. Whichever category of room they stay in, they will see the entry-level rooms in order to assess them.
After their stay, our reviewers then give the hotel six scores out of 10, rating its location, style and character, service and facilities, rooms, food and drink, and value for money. The average of these scores then determines the overall score. Our experts then select reviews for curated lists like this – the best hotels in a particular destination for families, for instance – together with the Telegraph Hotels team.
This luxury New England-style hotel, near the yachtie town of Salcombe, is one of the few hotels in Devon to sit right on a beach. Expect stylish, clean-cut waterside rest and relaxation in sublime surroundings. The fine, sandy beach (on the South West coastal path) has safe swimming and a ferry to local coves. The dog-friendly restaurant, having responded to feedback from guests, has moved from formal dining to a casual, bistro-style vibe, serving quick-to-prepare dishes for those keen to get back to the beach (or satisfy hungry children). Extra beds cost £35 per night, including breakfast. There are five self-catering beach suites adjacent to the hotel designed for families of up to six.
From £ 246
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The warm, welcoming and well-kept Watersmeet, which presides over a slice of rugged north Devon coast, is comfortable and relaxed while retaining an echo of Edwardian charm. This unshowy hotel, serving up hearty food and dialled-down tech in spacious surrounds, lets the coastal splendour beyond its walls do the talking. While lots of families do stay at Watersmeet, there aren’t specific activities or entertainment for children in the hotel. As the manager will point out to you, with all that beach right on Watersmeet’s doorstep, it probably isn’t necessary. There’s a children’s menu in the restaurant and family-friendly rooms, and you can ask for cots and extra beds, at extra cost.
From £ 253
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The best boutique hotels in Devon
Devon’s coolest coastal hotel, set on the bluff of a cliff near Salcombe, South Devon, has rustic-chic interiors, heated indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, cinema, two restaurants and bars, a sun terrace, cosy bedrooms and stylish self-catering cottages, all cleverly positioned to make the most of spectacular sea views. There are 13 self-catering cottages geared for families and some rooms have interconnecting doors. The two pools have set swimming times for children and several sandy beaches nearby with shallow swimming (though no lifeguards). The restaurant has a relaxed attitude to children and a children’s menu, and there’s a small toy shop at reception. A private cinema shows daily child-friendly films on demand. Do note though, the hotel’s proximity to sheer cliff edges rules out allowing young children to roam free.
From £ 505
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The best luxury hotels in Devon
Retreat to this secluded family-run spa hotel to while away the hours watching the seabirds, cows and walkers pass through this peaceful valley by the sea. It's also brilliantly family-friendly. The hotel has plenty of space for children to run around outside – there’s no passing traffic so it’s safe and staff are all chatty and engaging with little ones. There’s a “small appetites” menu in the main restaurant and the hotel’s coffee shop offers light bites in the daytime. DVDs, books and games, cots and baby listeners are also available.
From £ 245
per night
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The best restaurants in devon
Set beneath the cliffs on the beach at Babbacombe, down a vertiginous hairpin lane, this spa hotel’s location is nothing short of spectacular. On arrival, children are given a bucket, spade and fishing net with which to go rock pooling on Babbacombe Bay, a quiet beach by the hotel with calm water. The beach suites and beach huts can fit a cot or extra bed and the self-catering cottages are stocked with board games and children’s books. Free paddle boards and kayaks are available on a first-come basis plus the restaurant has a short but sweet children’s menu.
From £ 353
per night
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The 10 best beaches in devon
There’s a comfortable elegance to this manor house that was once owned by WH Smith – luxurious and grandiose yet welcoming to muddy paws and little feet. Exemplary service, sensational grounds and a plethora of activities are on offer as well as a golf course and spa – all within the bounds of Dartmoor National Park. There’s a KidsZone for younger children and a TechZone packed with digital entertainment options for those aged eight to 18 years (open 10am-5pm; children must be supervised). In addition, there’s a small playground onsite, as well as croquet, a brass-rubbing trail and a free session each morning to meet the resident chickens and ferrets. If you’re travelling with little ones, you can also expect miniature robes and slippers in your room on arrival.
From £ 274
per night
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The best hotels in north devon
Hope Cove House is a classy place to hunker down with delicious food and wine after enjoying a day on the beach, blustery coastal walks or a sea swim, before waking up to the sound of crashing waves. It’s easy to while away a few days in this beauty spot once you slow down to quaint Inner Hope’s pace of living. All nine of the airy and bright bedrooms have sea views – Room Six has a double aspect view with a small balcony and a cushioned window seat overlooking the bay, perfect for storm watching, seal spotting and sunset gazing. The family suite, however, can sleep four people, and one room has an extra day bed. Z beds, travel cots and high chairs are also available.
The best hotels in dartmoor
Restful rooms, miraculous massages and an extensive breakfast buffet sets guests up perfectly for days spent exploring the coastal paths and sandy beaches that surround this luxury spa and golf hotel in the South Hams. There are two well-equipped indoor playrooms for toddlers and older children, plus a wooden playground and mini golf. In school holidays, a busy programme of arts and craft sessions is put on, along with entertainers, movie nights, cooking and sports lessons. There’s a family kitchen, laundry and baby bath, and the restaurant serves children’s teas. Family rooms have clever beds that fold into the wall or sofa beds that turn into bunk beds.
From £ 468
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Where to stay in Cornwall
Surrounded by sun-soaked beaches and sparkling seas, this stylish waterside hotel in yachtie Salcombe is the place to come if you want to feel the sand between your toes. Set back from the water, it sits directly on the South West Coastal Path, and is a short walk, sail or boat ride to some of Devon’s safest and prettiest swimming beaches. Most rooms fit cots and extra beds, and some have interconnecting doors. The spa has child-friendly treatments and there are dedicated swimming times for little ones. There’s a children’s menu, free use of crabbing buckets and even a private 16-seater cinema showing four films a day, complete with popcorn.
From £ 375
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The best hotels in cornwall
Wake up to the sound of cows, birds and bees at this chic, family-run and food-focused guesthouse in the East Devon AONB. It’s a future model of what the classic B&B should look like. Every room sings. It’s a hot ticket for English summer (but just as beautiful in the cooler months). There’s a solar-heated pool in the grounds, big enough to do lengths in, plus a pretty tennis court with uninterrupted views (pool towels and rackets provided). High chairs and cots are available for babies on request and there’s lots of space for little ones to run around outside. Camp beds are available by request for children under 12 years of age and £30 per night (in either The Old Kitchen room or Southleigh Wood).
With contributions by Jade Conroy, Sebastian Lander, Anna Turns, Penny Walker