Hotels in Scarborough

Scarborough claims to be Britain's original seaside resort, a reputation dating to 1626 when a mineral spring was discovered on the shore and the town began marketing itself as a spa. Scarborough Castle's ruined keep still commands the headland between the two bays, with three thousand years of use behind it, from Iron Age settlement to Civil War siege.

South Bay keeps the traditional trappings, arcades, fish and chips, donkey rides, while North Bay is quieter and better for rockpooling and surfing. It is traditional English seaside rather than glamorous, and can feel worn at the edges outside peak summer weeks, with weather that turns quickly off the North Sea. Stay near South Bay for the harbour, arcades and an easy walk up to the castle.