The Relais Cooden Beach

Like to lunge before you lounge? Get ready to sweat it out in style. Pack your snazziest activewear as the brand new gym at The Relais Cooden Beach is as lavish as the hotel itself. Workout with weights or on cardio machines, or head outdoors where on sunny days you might even find the odd outdoor yoga class.

If coastal adventure is more your beach bag, you’re in luck. The hotel is right on the shore, so it’s the perfect spot for paddle-boarding. Book some lessons at reception, but if you prefer to keep your feet on dry land, nothing beats a power walk. You can walk for miles along the shore, taking in the sea air.

Turn left for an hour's amble to the town of Bexhill-On-Sea. Or simply borrow the hotel’s bikes and head inland to Pevensey Marshes Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific rich in aquatic flora and fauna.

Feeling peckish after all that pampering? You’re in luck, because The Relais Cooden Beach is a foodie’s dream. Eat, drink and relax by the sea from fresh, seasonal menus in this boutique beachfront haven.

The Rally Bar & Restaurant

Just steps from the shore, the light-filled Rally Bar & Restaurant is a real showstopper. With a fresh blue and orange colour scheme, the vibe is laid-back Miami beach club, while floor-to-ceiling windows make you feel like you’re eating right on the beach! 

Named for the area’s sporting heritage (Bexhill-On-Sea was the birthplace of British motorsports), you’ll enjoy a catch of the day supplied fresh off the boat by local Sussex fishermen. After dinner you can sit by the bar’s showpiece circular fireplace and sip a glass of English sparkling wine. The hotel partners with local vineyard Rathfinny Estate 

The Terrace On The Beach

On sunny days, head to the spacious terrace for seasonal al fresco wining and dining. The Terrace on the Beach is open between 9 am and 9 pm, weather dependent and operates on a walk-in basis

There’s no swimming pool, but you’ll need to pack your cossie to make the most of all the hydro and thermal facilities on offer. Water babies will be in heaven in the vitality pool. Toasty warm and bubbly, it’s 3.2 metres so plenty of room for socialising while you soak. You’ll also find foot spas, a wellness shower, an aromatherapy steam room and infrared sauna to luxuriate in. 

This late-1920s mock-Tudor building has a fascinating backstory. It was once the private home of the wealthy De La Warr family. In fact, the train station just two minutes away from the hotel was originally introduced to ferry their rich and famous guests to and from London. 

King George VI and his family were regulars - young Princess Elizabeth used to play on the beach with her sister Princess Margaret. It also became a favourite hideaway for the Duke of Windsor and Wallace Simpson as well as Winston Churchill.  

Since then it was known as just Cooden Beach Hotel before being taken over by legendary hotelier Grace Leo’s Relais Retreats group in 2021. 

Grace fell in love with its seaside location, and set about giving it a Palm-Springs-style make-over. Her vision? To make The Relais Cooden Beach a haven for city dwellers looking for a beachside escape, much like the Hamptons is to Manhattan. And with its buzzy, beach-club feel, we think she’s definitely nailed it.

There is. All 45 rooms are fun and stylish, featuring bright colour schemes inspired by the seaside, along with chic zig-zag striped carpets. You’ll feel like you’re waking up in a chic New England beach house! Rooms have two categories (Cooden and Seascape), while Verandah suites have a balcony so you can look out on views from Pevensey Bay to Beachy Head. 

Here on an overnight stay? Lucky you! Bedrooms are available from 3pm on your day of arrival and you don’t have to check-out until 11am on your day of departure. For spa days at The Relais Cooden Beach, arrival times vary. Best to check your booking confirmation for full.

It’s on a private beach, just three miles from Bexhill-On-Sea on the East Sussex coast. It’s just two miles from the fabulously modernist De La Warr Pavilion with its art exhibitions, bar and shop.

No it doesn’t. It only accepts cards and contactless payments.

Yes it is. While you have to be 16 to use the spa or have a treatment, the hotel itself is fabulously family-friendly. There are five spacious family rooms with two double beds so you can all spread out, along with kids’ menus full of family favourites, like burgers and fish and chips. And, with rock pooling and beach fun for the little ones, plus a pool table to keep the teens occupied, they won’t be bored!

Yes it is. There are three spacious, accessible rooms (some with sea views), with wet rooms and shower chairs. The hotel’s public areas are wheelchair friendly, too.

Yes it is. Waggy tails are welcome in a selection of dog-friendly rooms, where they’ll sleep like a prince on their very own dog bed. While they’re not allowed in the main restaurant, they can curl up next to you on the terrace (or sit under your deckchair as you drink a glass of English sparkling wine while the sun goes down). Cooden Beach is dog-friendly too, so there’s plenty of space for walkies if they need to let off steam.

No, there’s no golf club at The Relais Cooden Beach, but there is one just a six-minute walk away. With fantastic sea views, the 18-hole Cooden Beach Golf Club keeps its greens in fantastic condition - many say they’re like walking on a carpet! It’s generally flat but with a few tricky dykes and ponds to navigate. And you’ll need to watch out for those tricky sea breezes!