Robin Hood's Bay
Where to stay in Robin Hood's Bay: cottages, inns and the top or bottom of the bank
By Jon Cosson · Updated October 2026
Robin Hood's Bay suits people who want a small coastal village with the beach, the Cleveland Way and the Cinder Track on the doorstep, and who do not mind a steep walk. Accommodation in Robin Hood's Bay is mainly holiday cottages, with a few hotels and inns, and where you stay in the village matters because of one long, steep bank between the top and the bottom.
This guide is independent. We take no commission, carry no paid listings and book nothing. Where we name a business, the details come from its own website and were checked in October 2026. For the village itself, see our main Robin Hood's Bay guide.
Which part of Robin Hood's Bay to stay in
The village has two distinct halves joined by a steep street down to the sea.
The old village at the bottom, called Bay Town or simply Bay by locals, is a tangle of red roofed cottages, cobbled alleys and passageways running down to the Dock and the slipway onto the beach. Many of the village's cottages are here. Staying at the bottom puts the beach, the pubs and the tide on your doorstep. The trade off is access: there is no public parking in the old village and vehicle access is very difficult, so you walk up and down the bank whenever you go back to the car or the bus.
The top of the village, along Station Road, is where the two public car parks, Bank Top and Station, and the bus stops are found, along with Hotel Victoria at the head of the bank. Staying at the top means easier parking and the Cinder Track close by, but a walk down to the beach and back up again each day. Hotel Victoria puts the walk down to the slipway at about ten minutes.
Kinds of accommodation in Robin Hood's Bay
Holiday cottages make up much of the accommodation in Robin Hood's Bay. They are let by owners directly, by local letting businesses and by national letting agencies. There are also hotels and inns with rooms at both the top and bottom of the village. Boggle Hole, about a mile south along the shore, has a youth hostel. For camping and caravan parks along this stretch of coast, see our camping and caravanning page, and for inns see our pubs with rooms guide.
Cottages in Robin Hood's Bay: parking, steps and luggage
Parking is the issue that shapes every stay in the old village. Visitor parking is all at the top of the steep hill, in the two pay and display car parks on Station Road, and the National Park asks drivers not to go down past the roundabout by Hotel Victoria. Ask the owner whether a parking permit or a space is included with the cottage, and where it is. Our parking guide has the car park details.
Luggage needs planning. The Bay Hotel, at the bottom of the village, tells its guests they can drive down to unload and must then park in the public car parks at the top of the bank, and it advises unloading first at busy times. Expect the same arrangement for most lower village cottages, and pack so that bags can be carried up and down a steep, cobbled street.
Within the old village, many cottages are reached on foot along the cobbled alleys and passageways rather than by road. Ask about steps to the door and inside the cottage if this matters to anyone in your group.
The village is very dog friendly, but whether a cottage accepts dogs, and how many, varies from one to the next, so check before booking. Our guide to staying with dogs has more general advice.
When to book
Bay Town's cottages book up months ahead, especially for the school summer holidays, and the top car park fills by mid-morning on summer weekends and through the school holidays. If you want a cottage in the old village in summer, book as early as you can. Outside the holidays there is more choice and the car parks are much easier.
Staying in Robin Hood's Bay without a car
Arriving without a car removes the parking problem altogether. Arriva's X93 and X94 buses run between Middlesbrough, Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay and Scarborough, stopping near Station Road at the top of the village. Whitby is six miles north, with trains on the Esk Valley line and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The Cinder Track, the old Whitby to Scarborough railway line, passes the village and is used for walking and cycling, and the Cleveland Way follows the cliffs in both directions. See our guide to getting around without a car.
Places to stay in Robin Hood's Bay: what each publishes
Hotel Victoria
- Type:
- Hotel
- Where:
- Station Road, at the top of the village, YO22 4RL
- Sleeps:
- 30 bedrooms
- Dogs:
- Small to medium dogs in The Captain's Quarters rooms only, not in the main hotel bedrooms
- Parking:
- Limited free parking for resident guests, first come first served
- Booking:
- Direct through the hotel's website, or by phone
- Checked:
- October 2026
The Bay Hotel
- Type:
- Inn with rooms
- Where:
- By the Dock at the bottom of the village, at the end of the Coast to Coast walk
- Sleeps:
- En-suite rooms with sea or dock views; total number not published
- Dogs:
- Dog friendly
- Parking:
- No public parking at the bottom; unload, then park in the public car parks at the top of the bank
- Booking:
- Direct through the hotel's website
- Checked:
- October 2026
Details are what each business publishes on its own website, checked October 2026. We have no connection with any of them and receive nothing for listing them.
Frequently asked questions
Is there parking at Robin Hood's Bay cottages?
Most cottages in the old village have no parking at the door. Visitor parking is at the top of the village in the Bank Top and Station car parks on Station Road. Ask the owner whether a permit or space comes with the cottage before you book.
Can you drive down to cottages in Robin Hood's Bay?
Only to unload, and even that is difficult. The National Park advises drivers not to go down past the roundabout by Hotel Victoria, as there is no public parking and vehicle access is very difficult. Unload quickly, then take the car back up to the car parks at the top.
Should I stay at the top or the bottom of Robin Hood's Bay?
Stay at the bottom, in Bay Town, for the old cottages, the beach and the pubs on your doorstep, if you are happy to walk the steep bank. Stay at the top for easier parking, the bus stops and the Cinder Track, with a walk down to the beach.
What accommodation is there in Robin Hood's Bay?
Mostly holiday cottages, plus hotels and inns with rooms at the top and bottom of the village. There is a youth hostel at Boggle Hole, about a mile south along the shore.
Are there dog friendly cottages in Robin Hood's Bay?
Yes. The village is very dog friendly and dog friendly cottages are available, but policies and limits on numbers vary, so confirm with the owner before booking. The Bay Hotel, at the bottom of the village, also describes itself as dog friendly.
How far ahead should I book a Robin Hood's Bay holiday cottage?
For the school summer holidays, months ahead, as the old village cottages book up early. Outside the holidays you will usually find more choice at shorter notice.
Which is better to stay in, Whitby or Robin Hood's Bay?
Robin Hood's Bay is quieter and smaller, with the beach and coast paths at the door but a steep bank and limited parking. Whitby, six miles north, has much more accommodation, shops, places to eat and rail links. Many visitors stay in one and visit the other by bus or along the Cinder Track.
Sources: Robin Hood's Bay and Boggle Hole (North York Moors National Park Authority); Parking and local transport (Robin Hood's Bay (village website)); Car park directory (North Yorkshire Council); Hotel rooms in Robin Hood's Bay (Hotel Victoria); Frequently asked questions (Hotel Victoria); Accommodation (The Bay Hotel); Room 1, sea view double (The Bay Hotel).
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