The 13 best cheap hotels in Devon

For charming townhouse vibes, The Telstar is the place to stay. There’s a lovely lounge with a working fireplace, a pretty tiled courtyard and if you’ve got a dog in tow you can nab the room with access to the garden. It’s well-located too – just a stone’s throw from the station, a 15-minute walk from Exeter University, and a 30-minute drive away from Exmouth.

After a slice of country life without the countryside prices? This traditional, wisteria-covered guesthouse in Dartmoor should tick the requisite boxes. Rooms are large, inviting and oh-so-quaint, while the recently refurbed bar comes with a wood-burning stove for cozy fireside boozing. 

The no-frills decor might be off-putting to some, but for those seeking budget-friendly beach-side accommodation, the Waters Edge hotel will certainly hit the spot. All rooms are ensuite and after a two-minute stroll and you can be unfolding your towel while your other half gets the ice cream in. 

This splendid stately home in Honiton offers beautifully designed rooms, a seasonal menu using ingredients picked fresh from the veg patch and scenic country views. All in all, pretty damn fine. But the real draw here will be the lush grounds – perfect for long woodland walks with your four-legged pals, who are also welcome to stay. 

This lovely hotel is secluded enough for some decent downtime with Mother Nature, but sufficiently close enough to Devon’s many attractions (The Eden Project is a scenic hour’s drive away) should you get itchy feet. The restaurant offers classic country food, while the hotel’s slope-side position means guests can enjoy expansive views all the way to the sea. 

Each room at this stylish B&B in Ashburton is meticulously designed to impress – nab the one with the roll-top bath if you can. Breakfast includes homemade jams and local produce. Nick, your host, is full of recommendations of nearby things to do and see – if you can tear yourself away from his B&B, which is as easy on the eye as it is on the purse-strings. 

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North Devon’s beautiful beaches are just a ten-minute drive away from this welcoming hotel which is part of the Brend chain. Those with an aversion to sand between their toes can take advantage of the good-sized inside AND outside pools. There’s also a health and leisure club, and a brasserie-style restaurant. Not bad, given just how the affordable this hotel is.

Seaside towns often come with a rep for attracting retirees after the sedate way of life, but if you stay at this guesthouse, you’re perfectly located to take up all manner of exhilarating watersports. A three-minute stroll and you can be kitesurfing, windsurfing, kayaking or sunbathing along the Exmouth coast. Rooms are perfectly formed and you’ll find plenty of cafés nearby to refuel after a long day at the beach.

If it’s rustic charm you’re after, this eighteenth-century inn is full of it,  from the traditional beams to the thatched roof. Said to be the gateway to the Jurassic Coast and a hotbed for antiques dealing, from Honiton you’re in the perfect position to explore the vast greenery of Exmoor and Dartmoor National Parks (an hour’s drive), or the bustling city of Exeter (a half-hour drive). Free on-site parking is a bonus. 

Take your love of the almighty ’Spoons to the next level with a stay at this hotel in the UK-wide boozer chain. Not only are the rooms spacious, well-kept and reasonably priced for the location but you can sleep in as long as you like safe in the knowledge an all-day breakfast is served in the pub downstairs. 

We’re not saying the carvery menu with an all-you-can-eat veggie buffet is the only reason you should stay at this wallet-friendly inn – but it’s a strong one. Other pros include free private parking, a comp continental breakfast and neat, good-sized rooms. Now... which way to that carvery? 

With its chandelier-filled music room, pretty sun-trap of a terrace and high-ceilinged bedrooms, this Georgian mansion oozes charm and elegance. Here you’re more likely to hear birdsong than traffic horns, the buffet breakfast is divine and the vast indoor pool is the indulgent cherry on the top.

The ensuite rooms at this B&B are simply busting with cute cottage vibes. The verdant terrace comes in handy during the warmer months while conservatory dining is also an option if the weather plays up. And you’ll be pleased to know the Great Grubb does, indeed, serve up great grub.