Holiday rentals and lettings in Robin Hood's Bay

Table of contents

• At a glance: what should you know about renting a holiday rental in Robin Hood's Bay?
• Holiday rentals in Robin Hood's Bay: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring Robin Hood's Bay: our top recommendations
• Activities: what are the top things to do and see in Robin Hood's Bay?

• A cosy coastal base: Expect self-catering holiday cottages and flats set along steep cobbled streets or overlooking the bay, most with Wi-Fi, gardens and pet-friendly options.
• Where to stay: Base yourself in the Old Village for character and sea views, or up on the Bank Top for easier parking and level access.
• Loved by guests: Visitors consistently praise the peace and quiet, the charming interiors and how close everything is to the beach and coastal path.
• Best time to visit: Late spring and summer bring the warmest weather and rock-pooling, whilst autumn is quieter and ideal for coastal walks.
• Things to do: Wander the smugglers' passageways, hunt for fossils on the beach, walk a stretch of the Cleveland Way and sample the local tearooms.

Robin Hood's Bay is best known for its self-catering holiday cottages: traditional fishermen's houses tucked into the cobbled Old Village, alongside roomier homes and flats higher up the hillside. Couples love the snug bolt-holes with sea views, whilst families and groups tend to choose larger cottages in Robin Hood's Bay. Whatever you choose, expect the home comforts that make a self-catering holiday easy, including:

• Fully-equipped kitchens
• Wi-Fi throughout
• Allocated parking spaces
• Private gardens or terraces

Travelling with your four-legged friend? There are plenty of dog-friendly cottages, and even a handful of cottages with a pool for a special treat.

What are the best areas to stay in Robin Hood's Bay?

The best area depends on your priorities: the Old Village for atmosphere and sea views, or the newer streets above for parking and level access. The table below details areas for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests who stay in Robin Hood's Bay tend to fall for the same things: the peace and quiet, the characterful cottages and just how close everything is to the sea. Reviews frequently mention waking to views over the bay, the short walk down to the beach and coastal path, and hosts who happily share their favourite tearooms and walks. Families appreciate the safe rock pools, whilst couples highlight the romantic, away-from-it-all feel of the Old Village.

Robin Hood's Bay sits on the North Yorkshire coast, within the North York Moors National Park, roughly 6 miles south of Whitby and about 15 miles north of Scarborough.

✈️What is the best way to get to Robin Hood's Bay?

Getting to Robin Hood's Bay is easiest by car, though train and coach connections via Whitby and Scarborough make a car-free trip perfectly possible. Here are the most common ways to get to the village:

• By car: Most visitors arrive via the A171 Whitby to Scarborough road, turning onto the B1447 which winds down towards the village. The Old Village is pedestrianised and extremely steep, so you park at the pay-and-display car park at the top and walk down. From the A1(M), allow around an hour from York.
• By train: There is no station in the village itself; the nearest stations are Whitby and Scarborough, both on scenic lines linking to Middlesbrough and York. From either town, regular buses run to Robin Hood's Bay, or you can walk or cycle the traffic-free Cinder Track along a former railway line.
• By coach: Long-distance coaches serve Whitby and Scarborough, from where the Yorkshire Coastliner and local buses connect to Robin Hood's Bay.

🥗Where to eat in Robin Hood's Bay?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, Swell Café Bar is among the best-rated places to eat in Robin Hood's Bay. Below is a table showing five highly-rated spots hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest travellers Emma and James recommend the Fylingdales Inn just up the hill in Fylingthorpe: they loved settling in for fish and chips and a local ale after a blustery clifftop walk, with a warm welcome and views out towards the sea.

☀️When is the best time to visit?

The best time to visit Robin Hood's Bay is from late May to September, when the weather is warmest and the beach is at its finest for rock-pooling and fossil-hunting. That said, autumn brings dramatic skies, quieter lanes and superb coastal walking, whilst winter is atmospheric and cosy for a fireside cottage break.

Summer (June to August)

• Best for: Beach days, rock-pooling and long coastal walks.
• Weather: Mild and often sunny, with sea breezes; the warmest months of the year.
• Atmosphere: Lively and popular, especially at the weekend and during the school holidays.

Autumn (September to November)

• Best for: Quieter walks, fossil-hunting and photography.
• Weather: Cooler and breezier, with changeable skies and the odd shower.
• Atmosphere: Peaceful and mellow as the summer crowds ease off.

Spring (March to May)

• Best for: Wildflowers, birdwatching and fresh coastal air.
• Weather: Gradually warming, with bright days and cool evenings.
• Atmosphere: Calm and uncrowded, with the village slowly coming back to life.

⭐Our hosts' recommendation: Our local experts recommend timing a walk down to the beach for low tide, when the wide sweep of sand, rock pools and fossil-filled scars is revealed at the foot of the cliffs. Bring sturdy shoes for the steep cobbled descent, and leave plenty of time to explore the smugglers' passageways on the way back up.

1. Explore the smugglers' Old Village
2. Go fossil-hunting on the beach
3. Walk a stretch of the Cleveland Way
4. Discover Boggle Hole
5. Take a day trip to Whitby and the moors

1. Explore the smugglers' Old Village

   Wander down the impossibly steep, cobbled lanes of the Old Village, where fishermen's cottages cling to the hillside and narrow passageways once hid smuggled goods. Pause at the slipway for classic views over the bay, browse the independent shops and galleries, and stop for tea and cake at one of the village tearooms.

2. Go fossil-hunting on the beach

   At low tide, the beach reveals a vast expanse of sand, rock pools and 'scars' rich in fossils. Robin Hood's Bay is one of the best places on the Yorkshire coast to find ammonites and belemnites washed out of the cliffs. Bring wellies and a bucket, check the tide times before you set off, and remember to collect only loose fossils from the beach rather than hammering the cliffs, which are unstable.

3. Walk a stretch of the Cleveland Way

   The Cleveland Way national trail runs right along the clifftops here, offering some of the finest coastal walking in England. Head north for a scenic six-mile route to Whitby, or south towards Ravenscar and the old alum works. The paths reward you with sweeping sea views, seabird colonies and, if you are lucky, porpoises offshore.

4. Discover Boggle Hole

   A mile south along the beach or coast path lies Boggle Hole, a charming cove named after a mischievous local goblin, or 'boggle'. Its restored mill is now a youth hostel with a café, and the sheltered inlet is perfect for paddling, rock-pooling and skimming stones.

5. Take a day trip to Whitby and the moors

   Robin Hood's Bay makes a great base for exploring the wider coast and countryside. Whitby, with its ruined abbey and Dracula connections, is a short drive or scenic walk away. Inland, the North York Moors offer heather-clad walking and steam trains on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. For a change of scene on a longer break, the region stretches west towards log cabins in Yorkshire and, further afield, cottages in the Lake District.