Hotels in Causeway Coast

Choosing a base on the Causeway Coast comes down to a simple question: do you want a town around you in the evening, or do you want silence and a sea view? Both are available within a fifteen-minute drive of each other, which is one of the real advantages of a stretch of coast this compact. You can stay in a village of four hundred people and still be at a proper restaurant in twenty minutes.

Portrush is the busiest and best-connected option. It has the railway station, the largest concentration of bars and restaurants, two beaches inside the town boundary and Royal Portrush on its doorstep. That makes it the obvious pick for golfers, for families who want ice cream and amusements within walking distance, and for anyone arriving without a car. The trade-off is noise on summer weekends and parking that requires patience.

Portstewart offers much the same convenience at a lower volume, with a Victorian promenade, a two-mile strand and a more grown-up feel. Bushmills is the choice if the Giant's Causeway and the distillery are your priorities, since both are within a couple of miles, and the village keeps a genuine local pub culture. Portballintrae is quieter again, a small crescent bay with a short walk to Bushfoot beach and Dunluce Castle visible along the cliffs.

Further east, Ballycastle is the value option and the gateway to Rathlin Island and the Glens of Antrim, with a decent range of hotels and guest houses and prices noticeably below the western resorts. Ballintoy and Whitepark Bay suit walkers above all else.

Book early for May, when the North West 200 races fill every bed for miles, and for any week in which a major golf event is running. Outside those peaks, September and early October usually deliver the best combination of weather, availability and price on the whole coast.