From the Channel Islands to the Aran Islands, there are enough isles around Britain and Ireland to provide a lifetime of adventures. Here are some gorgeous hotels for you to use as the base for your next escape Words ALICE WESTGATE

1. Braye Beach Hotel, Alderney, Channel Islands

One of Alderney’s pristine beaches is right on the doorstep of this smart four-star hotel, which means you can sit on the terrace and drop a pebble into the sand. Drink in the coastal views from the restaurant, bar and bedrooms, or make use of the cinema room if the weather takes a turn. Access is easy too, as this 27-bedroom boutique hotel is an eight-minute taxi ride from the airport and the pretty town of St Anne – the island’s capital – is just a 10-minute walk away. Price for a double room starts at £126 for bed and breakfast (brayebeach.com).

2. Scarista House, Isle of Harris, Scotland

A small hotel in a wonderfully remote location on the south-west coast of Harris, Scarista House overlooks a beautiful stretch of beach. The Georgian property, which was once a manse, plus adjacent Glebe House, have three bedrooms and three suites, all of which have sea views. Guests can also use the library and first-floor drawing room, which have open fires for a warm welcome, and there are two dining rooms that serve a daily changing set menu. Price starts at £220 per night based on a seven-night stay (scaristahouse.com)

3. Burgh Island Hotel, Devon

This Grade II-listed Art Deco landmark, which sits on its own tidal island in South Devon, can be reached at high water by the only hydraulic sea tractor in the world. Now restored to a glamorous style reflecting its 1930s heyday, this beautiful hotel offers guests fine dining in the Grand Ballroom, swimming in the natural sea-water Mermaid Pool and cocktails in the elegant Palm Court Lounge. It’s no surprise that the likes of Agatha Christie and Noël Coward made it their second home. The price for a double room starts at £565 for dinner, bed and breakfast (burghisland.com).

4. Hell Bay Hotel, Bryher, Isles of Scilly

Escape from it all at this coastal gem on Bryher’s rugged west coast. Wonderfully remote, romantic and secluded, this is the highest-rated hotel and restaurant on the glorious Isles of Scilly and is the perfect place to unwind, whether you want to practise yoga, swim in the heated outdoor pool, be pampered in the Treatment Shed, eat seafood in the Crab Shack or just gaze out over the Atlantic Ocean. Prices for a suite start at £100 for bed and breakfast, or £150 including dinner (hellbay.co.uk).

5. Kirkwall Hotel, Orkney

In a fine Victorian building in the heart of Orkney’s capital with its medieval streets and imposing St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall Hotel is a stone’s throw from the marina and a great base from which to explore these enchanting islands. There are 37 recently refurbished rooms, many of which look out on the harbour, as well as the Harbour View Restaurant serving fine Orcadian food and the Highland Park Bar where you can enjoy a dram or two of local whisky chosen from more than a hundred varieties on offer. Prices start at £95 on a bed and breakfast basis (kirkwallhotel.com).

6. The George, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight

This elegant 17th-century townhouse sits right on the water’s edge between the castle and the pier. Formerly the home of one of the island’s governors, who would often entertain King Charles II here, it is now a beautifully restored hotel with a brasserie-style restaurant, an Italian-inspired beachfront garden and a driftwood-clad beach bar. Many of the luxurious rooms have sea or harbour views. Prices start at £145 per night (thegeorge.co.uk).

7. The Bull, Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales

A stylish seaside coaching inn on the south-east coast of Anglesey, The Bull has 12 bedrooms, a snug lounge and plenty of old-fashioned charm. Its sister hotel next door, The Townhouse, has 13 rooms with colourful contemporary décor, yet both buildings are more than 400 years old and make the perfect choice for your stay on this dramatic stretch of coastline. Prices start at £115 for a double room in The Bull (bullsheadinn.co.uk).

8. Isle of Eriska Hotel, Argyll & Bute, Scotland

This beautiful hotel sits on a private island at the mouth of Loch Creran on the west coast of Scotland, 12 miles north of Oban. If you can take your eyes off the views of Loch Linnhe and the Morvern Mountains, there’s a fine dining restaurant famed for its local ingredients (it has its own salmon smokery and kitchen garden), plus a 17m indoor pool, a spa and a golf course with driving range. Hiking, clay pigeon shooting, mountain biking, sailing and watersports are all close by. Prices for a double room start
at £315 (eriska-hotel.co.uk).

9. Stocks Hotel, Sark, Channel Islands

Built in 1741 and first opened to guests in 1895, Stock’s is Sark’s oldest hotel, and you can still tour the island in traditional style via a private horse and carriage from its own livery stables. Accommodation is in the original farmhouse, the Dower House and the more modern Hayloft, and all are surrounded by gardens that include a 12m solar-heated pool and an organic vegetable plot. This supplies the hotel’s restaurant, which prides itself on serving up the freshest local produce. Prices for a double or twin room start at £189 per night for bed and breakfast (stockshotel.com).

10. Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites, Aran Islands, Co Galway

The least developed of the three Aran Islands, Inis Meáin measures just 5km by 3km. To reflect its rugged landscape and windswept beaches, chef Ruairí de Blacam – a native of the island – and his wife Marie-Thérèse have created a private retreat with five stylish suites plus a restaurant offering simple, seasonal food alongside panoramic views. Guests are equipped with fishing rods, binoculars, beach towels, maps, bicycles and books to enhance their stay in this exclusive destination. Prices start at €675 per suite per night, minimum stay two nights, including many extras such as transfers, a breakfast box and a packed lunch to take with you as you explore (inismeain.com).

If you want to find mout more about a coastal escape to an island, discover 10 best paradise island beaches, 10 best island escapes or discover what it’s like to live on an island.