Whether you like it or not, Christmas is coming. And if you’re planning to gather friends and family for a Yuletide break by the beach, now’s the time to book your coastal home for festive frolics.
With wild coastal walks to work up an appetite and buzzing beach towns for fun-packed days out, the UK’s coastline is perfect for a Christmas break.
If you’re considering a Christmas get-together, check out our selection of large family holiday homes by the sea with all the space and facilities you need to take the stress out of hosting a house party for your extended family. All you need to do is wrap the presents, bring a bottle of your favourite fizz, light the fire and let the festivities unfold.
Beach House, Mundesley, Norfolk
For a really big gathering this Christmas, look no further than Mundesley’s Beach House – one of the largest holiday homes on the Norfolk coast. In the heart of the village, yet a few short steps to the sandy beach, this is the ideal place to spend the festive period with the extended family. With seven bedrooms and space for up to 16 people, there’s plenty of room for everyone from toddlers to grandparents. The large dining table was made for this kind of occasion, where all the family can pull crackers and tuck into turkey with all the trimmings. There’s even a covered hot tub and sauna for warming up after a chilly dip in the sea.
Steamer Quay Cottage, Paignton, Devon
Paignton’s a prime seaside resort at any time of year. But it becomes a wonderful winter wonderland when wild seas lash the shoreline and twinkling fairy lights light up the pier. Stay right beside the beach in this contemporary coastal home, where you’ve got all the amenities you need for a festive family break, including a sauna and a games room with a pool table, table football and arcade games. This is a great choice for a festive holiday home by the sea in Devon.
Seaview Retreat, Angus, Scotland
Wrap up and celebrate Christmas in Scottish style at this impressive six-bedroom property in the stunning coastal village of Carnoustie. Step out onto the beach for bracing beach walks, then slink back and bubble in the hot tub, steam in the sauna, and shoot a few games of pool in the games room. If you want to work up an appetite for festive feasting, there’s even a home gym, but you might just prefer to snuggle up with a book in one of the warm and glamorous rooms in your Scotland seaside retreat.
Bank House, Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire
Sleeps 18
£3,892 for 7 nights from 21-27 December
If you’re teaming up with another family or two for Christmas, commandeer this remarkable property sandwiched between a boating lake and sandy beach on the Lincolnshire east coast. A handy porch way beckons you to leave sandy boots at the door after your coastal adventures, then sink into a sofa beside the roaring fire, take your seat at the banqueting table for your Christmas feast, or sip a glass of festive fizz while the kids slink off to the games room.
Gun Hill Place, Southwold, Suffolk
Stay in the heart of Southwold and explore the heritage coastline from this glamorous Grade-II listed Regency property with uninterrupted sea views and direct access to the beach. When you’re not out on sandy-toed forays, soak up the ocean views through almost every window, whether you’re basting the turkey, fixing a drink at the built-in bar or sinking into your sumptuous king-size bed. This is one of the most glamorous holiday homes on the Suffolk coast, and perfect for a large festive family gathering.
Panorama House, Bournemouth, Dorset
Sleep 14 + 1 dog
£8,756 for 7 nights from 20-26 December
Dorset’s Jurassic Coast is made for Christmas capers from fossil hunting to festive parties. And what parties this incredible cliff-top home has seen – built on Lord Wimborne’s estate and owned by Max Bygraves in the 1970s, Shirley Bassey, Eric Sykes and Tommy Cooper have all been on the guest list. Max’s piano still takes pride of place in the magnificent living room, where you’ll no doubt make your own memories beside the fire. But don’t just soak up the panoramic views from your luxury coastal home; make the most of direct access to seven miles of sandy shoreline and the festive fun in buzzing Bournemouth. Surely one of the top choices for a memorable seaside holiday in Dorset this Christmas.
Gladstone, Aberdaron, Gwynedd
Sleeps 12 + 2 dogs
£1,990 for 7 nights from 21-27 December
Get away from it all for Christmas, in this cosy country cottage with exposed beams, stone walls and inglenook fireplaces. Spend your days working up a hunger on the hiking trails of the Llŷn Peninsula, then kick off your walking boots, serve up a Christmas spread on the farmhouse-style dining table, and spend your evenings playing games and dreaming up your next adventure beside the roaring log burner. Welsh holiday homes big enough for a large family gathering at Christmas don’t get much better than this.
Peakaboo, Sidmouth, Devon
Sleeps 12
£3,186 for 7 nights from 20-26 December
A timeless Victorian town with a promenade-backed beach flanked by majestic red cliffs, the quintessential British seaside town of Sidmouth is a stunning spot to spend Christmas. Make your base this contemporary cottage tucked into a woodland garden on Peak Hill, where you can squirrel away beside the log burner and be immersed in nature from within glass walls, step out into the verdant Sid Valley, or simply stroll along the seafront and soak up the Regency vibes.
Zack’s Seaside Stay, Bridlington, Yorkshire
Sleeps 13 + 2 dogs
£1,635 for 7 nights from 21-27 December
Skip three minutes to the beach for family days in the fresh sea air, then come back for a festive feast and light the fire in the large living room for rounds of charades and board games. This three-storey holiday home boasts plenty of space for the extended family to relax together. As well as the beach on the doorstep, there are plenty of attractions in nearby Bridlington – one of Yorkshire’s coastal holiday hotspots – and you’re not far from the Yorkshire Wolds for winter walks.
Granta, Trevone, Cornwall
We love coastal Cornwall for a Christmas break, with its vast, rugged coastline for winter walks and the chance to hit the waves and wild dip in sea pools between festive feasting. This family beach house on the outskirts of Padstow ensures you can live to the ebb and flow of the tides, and yo-yo between beach adventures, foodie hotspots and the warmth of the flickering fire, from your private water’s edge abode.
Book Your Big Holiday House for a Coastal Christmas
We still have plenty of boutique beach houses and coastal cottages available this Christmas. Whether you’re planning a large family holiday or seeking a cosy Christmas for two, use the filters on our search page to find the perfect pad for your festive break.
