Pubs with Rooms by the Sea
Pubs right on the harbour or quay, and others a short walk from the water, with what we could and couldn't confirm.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Plenty of pubs say they’re near the sea. This guide sorts out which ones really are: pubs with rooms you can step out of onto a harbour, quay or seafront, and others where the water is a short walk away. They’re in Norfolk, Devon, Cornwall and North Yorkshire, and they range from a handful of rooms above a harbour bar to a 24-room inn on a quay.
We’ve gone by what each pub says on its own website, backed by map distances where the pub gives none, and we say which is which. Sea views are only mentioned where the pub or another source claims them, and even then they’re usually from some rooms and not others, so ask for one when you book. We haven’t visited, and we haven’t ranked these: they’re very different places to stay.
Practical points: quayside and harbour pubs can be noisy at weekends and short of parking, and some have steep access. Dog policies differ a lot, even from room to room, so check each pub’s page before you book.
Right on the water
CromerPhoto: Oast House Archive, CC BY-SA 2.0
Cromer, Norfolk. On the clifftop above the beach, with the pier and beaches steps away, according to the pub, which advertises sea-view rooms. Only some of its 14 rooms have the view, so ask when booking. Dogs are welcome in the bar, restaurant and bedrooms (£20 a night, per the pub). Parking isn't mentioned on its site.
CromerPhoto: Oast House Archive, CC BY-SA 2.0
Mundesley, Norfolk. Overlooks Mundesley beach, and the pub claims panoramic sea views. Many but not all of its seven rooms look out to sea, so ask for one. Dogs are welcome in every bedroom, the bar and the restaurant (£20 per dog a night, up to two). We found nothing on parking.
SheringhamPhoto: Oast House Archive, CC BY-SA 2.0
Sheringham, Norfolk. A seafront pub on the promenade, with the beach outside. Listings say four front rooms have sea views, but the rooms were redone in 2022, so confirm what's current. The bar is dog friendly, but Booking.com says no pets in the rooms and we couldn't confirm a bedroom policy. No car park of its own, though a public one is next door.
DartmouthPhoto: John Nickolls, CC BY-SA 2.0
Dartmouth, Devon. On Bayard's Cove, the cobbled quay on the River Dart, in three converted fishermen's cottages. The pub says some rooms have cove and river views. Dogs are widely reported welcome in the bar, but we couldn't confirm the bedroom or restaurant policy. Ask about parking, as the pub's site has a page for it but no details.
Photo: Mike White, CC BY-SA 2.0
Dartmouth, Devon. On The Quay facing the River Dart, with 24 rooms, so more hotel-scale than village pub. The pub says the bedrooms have views across the river. Dogs are allowed in the bedrooms (£20 per dog per stay) and the bar; we couldn't confirm the restaurant. It's a busy quay and parking isn't described.
Lynton & LynmouthPhoto: Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0
Lynmouth, Devon. On the Harbourside at the mouth of the River Lyn. The pub calls it a sea-view location and quotes a guest on sea-view rooms, without saying which rooms have them. We couldn't find a dog policy, so phone before bringing one, and parking isn't covered on its site.
FoweyPhoto: Martin Bodman, CC BY-SA 2.0
Fowey, Cornwall. On the riverside with its own river frontage, about 30 metres from the harbour waterline on a map. The pub says three rooms overlook the river. Dogs are confirmed welcome in the informal dining area; river-view rooms are widely reported dog friendly, but we couldn't confirm it. Fowey's centre is narrow and parking isn't described.
FoweyPhoto: Martin Bodman, CC BY-SA 2.0
Fowey, Cornwall. On Town Quay, in the middle of the quayside, with views across the water and some rooms overlooking the river, per the pub. Dogs are not allowed in the main bedrooms or the restaurant, only in the self-catering apartment (£20 per dog per stay).
PadstowPhoto: Rob Farrow, CC BY-SA 2.0
Padstow, Cornwall. On South Quay at the edge of the working harbour, with 23 rooms. The pub advertises harbour views without saying which rooms have them, so ask. Dogs are allowed in the bedrooms and bar, on leads in public areas (£20 per dog per stay); we couldn't confirm dinner. Parking isn't mentioned on its site.
Port IsaacPhoto: Richard Croft, CC BY-SA 2.0
Port Isaac, Cornwall. A few steps from the slipway, overlooking the harbour, and our records say four of its seven rooms have sea views. It's an adults-only B&B, and we couldn't find a dog policy, so phone first. The pub's homepage lists daily tide times.
Photo: David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0
St Ives, Cornwall. Beside the lifeboat house on Wharf Road, with the harbour beach close by. The pub advertises sea and harbour views from the bar and window seats, but doesn't say the bedrooms have them. Dogs are allowed in the bedrooms (£20 per dog per stay) and the bar. Parking isn't mentioned.
St IvesPhoto: Jonathan Billinger, CC BY-SA 2.0
St Ives, Cornwall. Right on the harbour front, with only a cobbled forecourt and a road between it and the sea, per the pub, which says many rooms look over the harbour or sea. Only the Bosun's and Lower Deck rooms are named as dog friendly. Its site doesn't mention parking or noise.
St IvesPhoto: Jonathan Billinger, CC BY-SA 2.0
St Ives, Cornwall. On Porthminster Beach, on granite rocks above the bay, with rooms the pub says have harbour and ocean views. Our notes call it more hotel than pub. Dogs are allowed in the bedrooms and bar (£20 per dog per stay) but not in the main restaurant.
Robin Hood's BayPhoto: Bikeboy, CC BY-SA 2.0
Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire. At the foot of the bank beside the Dock slipway, with direct access to the beach, per the pub, and the traditional finish of the Coast to Coast walk. There's no on-site parking and the climb back up is steep. Dogs are welcome in the bar and dock-view rooms. A pub guide says the patio can be hard going at high tide in wind, so check tides before sitting outside.
WhitbyPhoto: David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0
Whitby, North Yorkshire. On Pier Road overlooking the harbour, with rooms the pub says have harbour views. Live music on Fridays and Saturdays and a large outdoor drinking area mean weekend noise in harbour-facing rooms. Reviewers call the bar very dog friendly, but we couldn't confirm the policy for the main rooms. Parking isn't mentioned.
A short walk from the sea
Blakeney, Norfolk. Just above the quay, about a three-minute walk down on a map. The open sea at Blakeney Point is reached by boat or a long walk. Some rooms look over the marshes, others the High Street. Dogs are welcome in the bedrooms and all areas. The quay car park floods on high tides, so check times before parking there.
Blakeney, Norfolk. Just yards from the quay by the pub's own account, and about 125 metres to the slipway on a map. We couldn't confirm any views. Dogs are allowed in only two rooms, so book early.
Overstrand, Norfolk. About 265 metres from the beach on a map. We found no sea views claimed. The pub says dogs are welcome in the bar, conservatory and outdoor areas and in dog-friendly rooms, but gives no room-by-room detail or charge, so call.
Sheringham, Norfolk. The pub says the Blue Flag beach is 100 yards away in one place and 500 in another, so under about 0.3 mile either way. Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the pub and rooms (£10 a night). Sea views are claimed only for a separate cottage, not the pub's rooms.
Sheringham, Norfolk. About 0.4 mile (eight minutes) from the beach on a map, with four rooms. Dogs are welcome in the lounge bar, restaurant and garden, but Booking.com says no pets in the rooms and the pub doesn't say, so call before bringing a dog.
Weybourne, Norfolk. CAMRA calls the usually quiet shingle beach a short walk away, about 0.4 mile by map. Dogs are welcome in the bar, bar dining area and garden, on leads. Booking.com lists the rooms as adults-only, and we found no bedroom dog policy.
Brancaster, Norfolk. About 0.7 mile to Brancaster Beach on a map, roughly 15 minutes, so the furthest from the sea in this guide. A village pub on the main road. The pub says many rooms are dog friendly but not which, so ask.
Holkham, Norfolk. About 0.7 mile (15 to 20 minutes) through the pines to Holkham beach, going by the estate's figures. More hotel than pub, apart from its bar. Dogs are allowed in the rooms (£15 a night), the bar and the restaurant, on a lead.
Dartmouth, Devon. A street back from the quay, about 200 metres from Bayard's Cove on a map. The rooms face the church and the street, not the river. We found no dog policy.
Salcombe, Devon. A couple of minutes' walk from the waterfront, and the pub lists a small cove beach 700 metres away. We couldn't confirm any views. Dogs are reported welcome in the pub, beer garden and bedrooms. Parking in Salcombe is tight, and the pub's own guide points to car parks two and five minutes away.
Salcombe, Devon. A short stroll from the estuary on Fore Street. The upstairs restaurant has views over the water, but we couldn't confirm bedroom views. Only two rooms, one of which takes dogs (£10 a night), so book early.
Lynton, Devon. A clifftop town above Lynmouth, so the sea and harbour are below you: about 350 metres by map, but down a steep slope. The pub doesn't claim sea views. Dogs are welcome in the bar areas and selected bedrooms.
Fowey, Cornwall. About a minute to the estuary waterline on a map. Three rooms in a Grade II* listed building. Dogs are widely reported welcome in the bar, but we couldn't confirm the bedroom policy.
Padstow, Cornwall. About three to four minutes from the harbour by a map estimate, and the pub says moments away. Its roof terrace looks over the rooftops rather than the water, as far as we can tell. We found no dog policy, and folk music evenings may mean evening noise.
Padstow, Cornwall. A few streets back from the harbour, about three to four minutes' walk. The pub says it doesn't accommodate dogs in the rooms.
Port Gaverne, Cornwall. A cove hamlet below Port Isaac. The pub says its rooms are beside the shore, though we couldn't confirm you can step onto the beach from the door. 15 rooms and an AA two-Rosette restaurant. Dogs are allowed in selected rooms (£20 per dog per stay) and most public areas, but not the main restaurant.
Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire. At the top of the village, about half a mile on foot down the steep bank to the Dock, and the climb back is steep. The pub says it has sea-view balcony rooms and a terrace with sea views. Dogs are welcome in designated Captain's Quarters rooms.
Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire. Also at the top of the bank, around 0.6 mile on foot to the Dock, and the hotel says it's only a short walk down to the beach. No car park of its own, but the Station Road car park is opposite. We couldn't confirm sea views. Reviews say dogs are welcome in the bar and a room, though an older listing says no pets.
Whitby, North Yorkshire. In the old town on the east side, about 150 to 300 metres from the harbour on a map. Dogs are welcome in the bar but not in the four letting rooms.
Whitby, North Yorkshire. On the hillside above the shore, about 0.2 mile from Upgang Beck, which leads down to Upgang beach, alongside the Cleveland Way. The pub claims panoramic sea views over the golf course. Dogs are allowed in four annex rooms only (£10 a night, up to two).
Questions people ask
What counts as a pub by the sea here?
Two tiers. "Right on the water" means the pub is on the harbour, quay or seafront, so you can step out of the door to the water. "A short walk from the sea" means about 0.7 mile (roughly 15 minutes) or less to the sea, a harbour or a beach, and most are much closer. Where a pub gives no distance, ours are map estimates, and we say so. We left out pubs that describe themselves as coastal but sit further back.
Which of these pubs let dogs stay in the bedrooms?
From the pubs' own websites, dogs are allowed in the bedrooms at the Red Lion in Cromer, the Ship Inn in Mundesley, the Royal Castle in Dartmouth, the Old Custom House in Padstow, the Lifeboat Inn and Pedn Olva in St Ives and the White Horse in Blakeney, and in selected rooms at several more. Dogs are not allowed in the bedrooms at the Golden Lion in Padstow or the Black Horse in Whitby, and the Haveners in Fowey takes them only in its self-catering apartment. For others we couldn't confirm a policy, so we say so in each note. Every pub's page has the full dog policy.
Why aren't more Norfolk coast pubs in this guide?
Many Norfolk pubs sell the coast but sit by the saltmarsh, with the sea a walk away. The Hoste Arms and the Nelson in Burnham Market are about 1.5 miles inland, and the Lifeboat Inn at Thornham looks over salt marsh with the open sea roughly 2 miles off by map. They're good places to stay, just not by the sea in the sense this guide uses, so you'll find them on their own town pages.
Do tides matter when staying at a seaside pub?
Sometimes. The White Horse in Blakeney warns that the nearby quayside car park floods on high tides, and a pub guide notes that the Bay Hotel's patio in Robin Hood's Bay can be hard going at high tide in wind. If you park by a quay or slipway, check the tide times first.