SalcombeHoliday Accommodation

South Devon

Hope Cove Accommodation

Two small coves under Bolt Tail, facing west into Bigbury Bay and the sunset

51 properties listed

Every place we list in Hope Cove

51 properties, grouped by type. Availability and prices are shown on Booking.com when you open a property.

holiday home (42)

apartment (6)

hotel (2)

inn (1)

About Hope Cove

A guide to staying in Hope Cove

Hope Cove faces west, and that is the first thing to understand about it. Salcombe and the estuary, five miles (8 km) away over the peninsula, are sheltered and green and busy with boats; Hope Cove looks out across Bigbury Bay at open water and sunsets, with nothing between it and the weather but the headland of Bolt Tail.

The village comes in two halves. Inner Hope is the older part to the south, gathered under the bulk of Bolt Tail around a small square of thatched cottages — it belonged to Malborough parish until 1974, when it was united with its neighbour on the other side of a small headland. Outer Hope, a short walk north along the shore, holds most of the newer building and most of the amenities. Both sit in the civil parish of South Huish.

Its history is fishing and rescue. The RNLI opened a lifeboat station here in 1878 and closed it in April 1930; the independent Hope Cove Lifeboat, formed in 2011 and crewed and funded locally, covers Bigbury Bay today. From the village the South West Coast Path climbs onto Bolt Tail in one direction and runs north along the sands towards Thurlestone in the other.

Almost everything available to stay in here is self-catering, and there is not a great deal of it — this is a village, not a resort. The beaches are among the more sheltered on this coast, because Bolt Tail takes the worst of the westerly weather off them, and both are sandy at the right state of the tide.

Find the right stay

Where to stay in Hope Cove, by traveller type

Best for a family week by the sea

Whole houses and cottages within a short walk of the coves, most of them let by the week. The dominant category here by a long way.

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Best for couples

A small number of self-catering apartments, for a kitchen and a sea view without a whole house. Book early — there are very few.

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Common questions

Hope Cove accommodation FAQ

What is the difference between Inner Hope and Outer Hope?
They are the two halves of the same village, a short walk apart along the shore. Inner Hope is the older southern part, tucked under Bolt Tail around a square of thatched cottages; Outer Hope to the north is where most of the newer building and the amenities are. Inner Hope was part of Malborough parish until 1974.
Are the beaches sheltered?
More than most on this coast, because Bolt Tail takes the worst of the westerly weather off them. Both are sandy at the right state of the tide. It is still open coast, so read the local safety signage and check the tide before committing to a walk along the sand.
Is there a lifeboat at Hope Cove?
Yes, but not an RNLI one. The RNLI ran a station here from 1878 until April 1930. Hope Cove Lifeboat, which covers Bigbury Bay now, was formed in 2011 and is completely independent — it works alongside the RNLI and the Coastguard rather than as part of them.
Do you need a car at Hope Cove?
Realistically yes, unless you intend to stay put and walk the coast path — which is a perfectly good plan here. The lanes in are narrow and parking is limited, so check what your property provides before you arrive rather than after.
Why do Hope Cove addresses say Kingsbridge?
Because Kingsbridge is the Royal Mail post town for the whole of TQ7, which covers 23 civil parishes including this one. A Hope Cove cottage is properly addressed "…, Kingsbridge, TQ7". It is a postal convention, not a location — we file properties by their coordinates.

Elsewhere on this coast

Other places to stay near Hope Cove

SalcombeKingsbridgeThurlestoneEvery property we list