The Whittling House

It’s not hard to put together a great seaside break – a walk along the beach, a terrific meal and a comfortable night in stylish surroundings. Even better if you can do it all in the same place and under the same roof. Step forward The Whittling House in Alnmouth, a restaurant with rooms in an under-the-radar location on the spectacular Northumberland coast, just yards from the most alluring of golden beaches.

The pretty village is something of a timewarp, with its painted houses and quiet streets, set back from a wide, sandy beach that’s perfect for pottering, beachcombing and long coastal walks. However, while The Whittling House fits right into the overall vibe, there’s nothing old-fashioned about it at all. Ten gorgeous, characterful bedrooms offer a comfortable night’s sleep in king-size or super-king-size beds, each with a smart en-suite bathroom. Colours and furnishings echo the overall seaside-country theme, and amenities have been carefully thought through, from bathrobes and ironing boards to coffee machines. Some of the rooms are dog-friendly too – and your pooch even gets their own bed.

Meanwhile, the restaurant is their secret weapon – a handsome wood-panelled, fire-warmed space where a hearty cooked breakfast is included in the rate. Enjoy an Alnmouth G&T here while they up a mostly Northumberland-inspired menu – big on the local seafood, from Lindisfarne oysters to locally-caught lobster from around the Northumberland shores – the same owners run the renowned Potted Lobster in nearby Bamburgh. The restaurant is a modish British delight throughout, whether it’s rib-eyes and fillets from the grill, rare-breed pork, or classic fish and chips (with lager-and-lemon batter, pea puree and triple-cooked chips).

Suitably fortified, it’s time for you to discover what the locals already know – that the Northumberland coast really is one of the UK’s hidden gems. The sands and dunes stretch from Alnmouth up to historic Bamburgh and Lindisfarne (Holy Island), and beyond to the border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed and its extraordinary stone ramparts. There are amazing, ruined castles at places like Dunstanburgh and Warkworth; or you can spend the day just five miles up the road at mighty Alnwick Castle and Garden, film location for ‘Harry Potter’. That’s just for starters on a great seaside break staying – we couldn’t help ourselves! – at the magic Whittling House.