Faithdog

We are heading to the United Kingdom for the first time and want to spend a few days in Devon. We are looking for a hotel or B&B that is on the water. Any suggestions of what town to stay in and where to stay?
Thanks in advance.

wrrllw

Try looking at Salcombe or Dartmouth, two towns on the South Devon coast (actually on a river estuary just back from the coast). Both very scenic (though they can be busy in peak summer season).

janisj

Devon is a big county - and both north and south Devon are coastline. Any idea which part of Devon you want to visit?

victoria52

for something completely different look at Burgh Island Hotel. It is an art deco hotel on a tiny island and you can walk over to it at low tide. Beautiful sandy beaches all around it.

janisj

Burgh Island is an absolute must if you are at all Agatha Christy fans . . . .

Grassshopper

On the North Coast, Lynmouth is a pretty place. The Bath Hotel is quite nice. http://www.torslynmouth.co.uk/

Faithdog

Thanks for the responses - some towns we were thinking of (and I know these are all over the place):

Clovelly (doesn't seem to be much lodging here)
Dartmouth
Ilfracombe (go over to Lundy Island)
Plymouth

Any more recommendations?

thanks!

londonengland

Faithdog - firstly just wanted to say you are considering a beautiful part of the UK for your first visit. I'm sure you will not be disappointed with your choice.

North and South Devon are quite a distance from one another so you should consider grouping what things you would really like to do

If staying in North Devon which would be my recommendation for a first visit try the beautiful thatched village of Croyde complete with its own beach - from there you can do Clovelly, Lundy Island, the market town of Barnstaple, the beautiful walks of Watersmeet and Exmoor (Lorna Doone country) and even a day trip to King Arthur's castle at Tintagel in Cornwall.

South Devon is a get away from it all kind of place - tranquil bays and walks but perhaps less overall to do. Burgh Island as already mentioned is rather special, Salcombe is a sailing mecca and Dartmouth a pleasant river town but I would prefer one of the beautiful villages with character like Thurlestone.

Be aware that Plymouth (despite its interesting naval history) is a 1960s concrete monstrosity and one of the few working dockyards left in Britain.

Ilfracombe despite some recent gentrification is a rather faded Victorian resort on the North coast (trust me you'd be better off almost anywhere else on the coast than here)

It is an absolute must on visiting Devon to eat clotted cream!

kleeblatt

Here's my trip report of North and South Devon from last summer. It might help you to plan your trip. Devon is beautiful and the scones and clotted cream are to die for.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...thwest+England

londonengland

To give you a start here is info on Croyde

http://www.croydedevon.co.uk/

and some info on Thurlestone

http://www.south-hams.co.uk/content.asp?content=157