‘Best-kept secret’ seaside that’s getting popular with seafront restaurants and boutique hotel RIGHT on the beach

WHEN it comes to coastal destinations, you might not have heard of Cooden Beach. But with interest rising, it might be a spot that could soon take your fancy – not to mention it has a beachside terrace, hotel and nearby adventure play park. The Relais Cooden Beach & Spa is right next to Cooden Beach Credit: Tripadvisor Its suntrap terrace looks out across the beach Credit: Ace Media Google search data shows searches for Cooden Beach have jumped by 120 per cent in the past month. Not to mention that other searches like “Cooden Beach hotel menu” and “Cooden Beach hotel restaurant” have risen by more than 5,000 per cent. Sign up for the Travel newsletter Thank you! Cooden Beach in East Sussex is a simple spot in that it has no loud amusement parks to speak of, or arcades. It’s ideal for anyone looking for a simple beach break rather than a resort. The pebble beach is half-an-hour drive away from Eastbourne – but is much quieter, especially in the summer months. One gem of the seaside town is the boutique coastal hotel that opened almost 100 years ago. Saying that, it’s very modern with one of the most popular spots being its Seaview Terrace which on the beach with views across the shingle shore. One visitor said “on a sunny day it looks and feels like the Med!” Most read in Travel Another called it “East Sussex’s best kept secret”. Along with its beachfront terrace, it has bedrooms with sea views and a modern wellbeing thermal spa with heated loungers, rooms for treatments and a gym. Tables and sun umbrellas from the Cooden Beach Hotel sit on the shore beach Credit: Alamy There’s even a hot tub that looks out over the sea and beach-facing sauna. Cosy Double rooms start from £110 per night and Family Rooms start from £190 per night. The beach is on the outskirts of Bexhill-on-Sea which is known as the birthplace of British motor racing as it hosted the first automobile races in the country. It also has a long seafront promenade and a huge De La Warr Pavilion where there are often art exhibitions and events. For anyone heading to the seaside for a summer break, there’s also a nearby adventure park – and you get 10 per cent off if you stay with the hotel. Called Knockhatch Adventure Park – it’s a play paradise for kids with jumping pillows, a pirate ship ride, huge water slides, a splash park and boating lake. Knockhatch has a huge adventure playground with a castle Credit: KNOCKHATCH There are water slides and an indoor soft play centre too Credit: Facebook/Knockhatch Adventure Park There are animal encounters in the owl sanctuary and a huge Dragon Castle playground to explore. Inside there’s the Froggies soft play centre which is a multi-level play area with slides, ball-pools, a spider tower and tunnels. The play park has lots of top reviews – one visitor wrote on Google: “Fantastic day out. So much to do we couldn’t fit it all in.” Another said: “One of the best parks I have visited in a long while.” Day tickets to Knockhatch Adventure Park start from £20.46. You don’t have to book in advance but it’s advised to get a ticket before arrival to guarantee entry. Comment now