Hotels in Nieuwpoort

Nieuwpoort sits at the Belgian coast where the Yser river meets the North Sea, split between a workaday town centre with a genuine fishing harbour — reputedly one of the largest in Europe by boat numbers — and Nieuwpoort-Bad, the purpose-built seaside strip with the beach, promenade and marina crowd. It's known for sailing and watersports as much as sunbathing, and for its First World War history: this is where Belgian forces flooded the polders in 1914 to stop the German advance, and the King Albert I memorial still marks that.

Be honest: the resort side is fairly generic Belgian coast architecture, all apartment blocks and seasonal shutters, and it's quieter and less characterful than Ostend or De Haan. Ostend-Bruges International Airport is close by, useful if you're flying in. Stay in Nieuwpoort-Bad if you want beach access and restaurants on your doorstep; the town centre suits those more interested in the harbour and history.