Another Place, Cumbria
A contemporary take on the traditional country house, Another Place is the sister property to the Watergate Bay Hotel and has much the same fun, contemporary feel. The hotel comprises a Georgian house and modern extension that opens on to 18 acres of grounds, complete with archery field. The lakeside location means kayaking, SUP and sailing are all on offer, with excellent mountain-biking trails nearby and a sizeable indoor pool. The all-day menu in the Living Space means hungry teens can eat whenever they want, with its Rampsbeck restaurant offering an adults-only option for dinner.
Doubles from £240 B&B; another.place
Moonfleet Manor, Dorset
This cream-coloured 18th-century pile on the Dorset coast is guaranteed to please the most sullen of teens. For younger ones, take your choice from ping pong to pool, air hockey to wall climbing, trampolining to tennis and a spot of archery in the garden. If lounging is what they’re after, older teenagers can join you in the indoor pool and even persuade you they completely deserve that Elemis beauty treatment or manicure. Literary teens should appreciate its gorgeous location, overlooking the sea and part of the 18-mile long sliver of desolate shingle that is Chesil Beach, lending its name to Ian McEwan’s novel. Venture up the coast for fossil trips to Charmouth and Lyme Regis or head to nearby Hive Beach for a crab sandwich at their cafe or eEat at Moonfleet’s pretty conservatory restaurant where their pickiest whims should be satisfied with a range of comfort food and lots of vegetarian options. The bedrooms offer old-school comfort with feather down beds and elegant claw-foot baths for long teenage soaks. Good luck getting them down in time for breakfast.
Doubles from £109 B&B; moonfleetmanorhotel.co.uk
Malmaison, Brighton
Brighton is made for teenagers – stomach-churning rides on the pier, vegan-friendly cafés in the bohemian North Laine area, good shopping and chips with everything. Staying at the Malmaison – slotted into the city’s gleaming marina – means being able to dip in and out of the centre, but still enjoy Brighton’s other big draw, the sea. On a sunny day, the terrace bar overlooking the boats feels positively Ibizan, and there are plenty of watersports to try, from SUP to fishing and sailing. Rooms are slick, unfussy and super-comfortable and the in-house brasserie will suit burger-loving teens.
Doubles from £119; malmaison.com
Bluestone Resort, Pembrokeshire
Spread across 500 acres, Bluestone is a great choice for families looking for an active break, with everything from axe-throwing to coasteering and off-roading on offer, alongside aerial climbs and walkways in the giant Serendome. Less outdoorsy teens can join a samba drumming workshop or amble over to the village centre for coffee at Ty Coffi. A programme of festivals and outdoor events runs throughout the year, and the three restaurants, pub and bar mean that even the fussiest eater is catered fo.
Three-nights from £589; bluestonewales.com
Crieff Hydro, Perthshire
This sprawling, much-loved Scottish resort, set in 900 acres of unspoilt countryside, has a huge range of activities that will keep even the choosiest teen happy. Outdoors, in the Action Glen, there’s quad biking, archery, air-rifle shooting and a tree-tops course along with a huge range of watersports on nearby Loch Earn, as well as an excellent café for refuelling. On rainy days, Glen’s Den will keep teens happy with its games zone with air hockey, Xbox, a VR machine and all the popcorn they can eat. Rooms include family apartments and studios, and there are seven restaurants.
Doubles from £197 B&B; crieffhydro.com
The Fish, Worcestershire
There’s something of a festival vibe at this quirky hotel, a cluster of shepherd’s huts, houses and more conventional hotel rooms scattered through the 400-acre Farncombe Estate. It’s a safe environment for teenagers to explore on their own with walks from the door – and plenty to do on wet days, including a games room with pool table, table football and Sky Sports, and a cinema. Alongside the more formal Hook restaurant, the Sliders bar menu offers teen-friendly burgers, and the legendary breakfasts are a great start to the day.
Doubles from £180 B&B; thefishhotel.co.uk
Bingham Riverhouse, Richmond
A jaunt to London is a great option with teens, but central hotels can be eye-wateringly expensive, unless you settle for a Premier Inn. The Bingham Riverhouse, in leafy Richmond, has a hip locals vibe that older teens will love – and offers them the freedom of walking into Richmond to explore the shops on their own. The hotel has partnered with Active360 Richmond to offer bespoke paddleboarding tuition, and has Pashley bikes to hire for exploring the Thames path and nearby Richmond Park.
Doubles from £135; binghamriverhouse.com
Watersmeet, Devon
Newly renovated and fast becoming one of Devon’s best hotels, Perched above picturesque Combesgate beach, Watersmeet is an easy 10-minute walk from the buzzy resort of Woolacoombe. Steps from the hotel lead down to the beach, which rarely gets busy and is ideal for body-boarding. Surfers can follow the South West Coast Path that runs behind the hotel, for the easy stroll into Woolacoombe. If the sea is too chilly for a dip the hotel has both indoor and outdoor pools, and alongside the formal main restaurant, there are simpler meals on offer in the bistro.
Doubles from £170 B&B; watersmeethotel.co.uk
Watergate Bay Hotel, Cornwall
There are few better places to learn to surf than the two-mile stretch of beach at Watergate Bay – and few better places to stay than the hotel that sits above it. Rooms range from family suites and apartments to beach lofts, all furnished in a cool, contemporary style. The Extreme Academy, just outside the door, offers surfing lessons for all levels, and after a day in the water, the hotel’s Living Space is a lovely, chilled-out area offering everything from sharing platters to Japanese ramen.
Doubles from £210 B&B; watergatebay.co.uk
Runnymede Hotel
Fitness-focused teens will find much to love here, with daily alfresco exercise classes, tennis lessons, a huge outdoor pool and the chance to paddleboard along the Thames from right outside the hotel door. Interconnecting rooms and duplex suites cater for all ages, and dining options include the River Hideout – a cluster of beanbags and deckchairs scattered around an Airstream trailer serving hot drinks and ice-cream, with pizzas and hot dogs also on the menu. The hotel has a small fleet of boats, allowing guests to explore the river at their own pace.
Doubles from £215; runnymedehotel.com
• This article was amended on 27 September 2021. A previous version incorrectly placed Crieff Hydro in Ayrshire, rather than Perthshire.
