Life’s a Beach! Tens of thousands of Brits rate top British seaside spots
- Bournemouth takes the crown for Britain’s Best Beach, followed by Bamburgh and Brighton according to 70,000 people
- One in five (19%) Brits believe the perfect beach trip is not complete without fish and chips in a deckchair
With schools out for summer this month and holiday season almost upon us, Travelodge reveals which of Britain’s beaches are the best, as voted for by you.
In its latest survey, the budget hotel brand asked 70,000 respondents about their favourite beach in the UK, with Southern superstar Bournemouth taking the top spot, thanks to its miles of golden sand, great facilities and thrilling attractions like the PierZip zipline.
Bamburgh beach takes second place, with visitors wowed by its wild beauty, rolling dunes and views, including the breathtaking backdrop of Bamburgh Castle. Bohemian Brighton follows in third place, with its four mile stretch of pebbly beach and array of artists’ studios, vintage shops and beach bars attracting visitors all year round.
Other beaches the length and breadth of the country which made it into the top 20, include St.Ives in Cornwall, claiming seventh place with its picturesque cliffs and Blue Flag beaches. Blackpool Sands just south of Dartmouth takes the halfway spot at number 10, and iconic seaside spot Skegness secures 20th place.
The top 20 beaches as voted for by Brits:
| 1. Bournemouth | 11. Newquay |
| 2. Bamburgh | 12. Tenby North |
| 3. Brighton | 13. Perranporth |
| 4. Scarborough | 14. Woolacombe |
| 5. Blackpool Pleasure | 15. Camber Sands |
| 6. Llandudno West Shore | 16. Filey |
| 7. St.Ives | 17. Holkham |
| 8. Weymouth | 18. Great Yarmouth Pleasure |
| 9. Whitby | 19. Bridlington |
| 10. Blackpool Sands | 20. Skegness |
When asked how they enjoy their time at the beach, 62% of respondents voted beach walks as their favourite activity, but, in true British style, one in five (19%) believe no trip is complete without fish and chips in a deckchair.
Over a third (36%) said that having clean sand and water is what makes the perfect beach. Beautiful views and scenery (33%) and good facilities such as toilets, showers and cafes (19%) also represented beach perfection for many respondents.
When asked about their biggest beach turn-offs, people ranked litter (44%), no toilets nearby (40%), expensive parking (32%) and crowds (30%) as their top beach bug-bears.
Despite the unpredictable UK weather, almost half (47%) of Brits still head to the seaside in summer, while over a third (33%) enjoy beach visits all year round.
The survey also revealed that people are willing to go the distance for a decent dose of sea air, with over 23% willing to travel more than three hours for the perfect beach, and 30% happy with travelling for one to two hours.
Travelodge has 47 beach hotels to choose from in the UK, including Bournemouth Seafront Travelodge, which is just a stone’s throw from ‘Britain’s Best Beach’. The hotel chain is also due to open a brand new hotel near Skegness seafront this year.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact:
The Travelodge Press Office
T: 01844 358 703
E: pressoffice@travelodge.co.uk
Notes to editors:
*Survey conducted June 2025 with 70,000 respondents (Travelodge email subscribers)
Read more about Britain’s best beaches on the Travelodge blog
About Travelodge
Founded in 1985, Travelodge is Britain’s very first budget hotel chain and today is one of the largest budget hotel chains in the UK, with a portfolio of over 600 hotels and over 47,000 bedrooms across the UK, Ireland and Spain.
In Spain, Travelodge has an established profitable presence and has ambitious growth plans within this market and has identified the top key locations where it would like to open additional hotels in Spain.
Welcoming over 22 million guests annually across the UK, Ireland and Spain, the majority of Travelodge hotels are located in major cities, towns and holiday hotspots as well as by airports and key business hubs. With over 96% of its hotels rated 4* or above on TripAdvisor, Travelodge is proud to offer guests across its diverse customer base a good value experience, whether they are travelling for business or leisure.
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