Places to Stay Near a Bus Stop in Devon

What the bus-stop stays in Devon look like

BritStays lists 527 places to stay in Devon that are near a bus stop. Most are self-catering: 451 are cottages. There are also 30 caravanning stays, 28 camping stays, 11 holiday parks and 7 hotels. If you want to leave the car at home, or at least rest it for a few days, you have plenty of choice.

Other facilities come up often. 405 of these stays have EV charging nearby, which helps if you're driving an electric car down and then using buses once you arrive. 194 are also near a train station, so you can travel without a car at all. A few things are much rarer, though. Only 34 list parking, 28 list WiFi and 26 are pet friendly. If any of those matter to you, filter for them first rather than assuming they're included.

Choosing where to base yourself

The stays are spread unevenly around the county. Here is where most of them are:

• Torquay (73) and Paignton (58): the biggest cluster by far, and a good fit if you want lots of choice and a seaside base.
• Salcombe (47): the next largest single area, in the south of the county.
• Woolacombe and Croyde (32), Westward Ho! (27) and Bideford (23): the options in the north of the county.
• Exmouth (27) and Dawlish (27): further east, with several stays that are also near a train station.

Sidmouth and Ilfracombe are also part of the region, but the figures above don't show how many bus-stop stays they have. Most of the busiest areas are seaside towns. If you'd rather stay in the countryside, perhaps for Dartmoor, our counts don't break down rural bases separately. Read each listing closely to see how it describes its bus links.

What the example stays tell you

Paignton stands out. Turtle Beach, Starfish Shack and Crabby Cove each sleep 4. Shells Shore and Seagulls Rest each sleep 5, and Seahorse Shore sleeps 2. All six are near a bus stop and a train station, and all have EV charging nearby. That combination suits you if you plan to arrive by rail and get around by bus.

Dawlish has a similar mix. Jubilee Cottage sleeps 4, and Brunel Boutique Railway Carriage No 1 sleeps 6, making it the largest of the examples here. Exmouth's Thorne Farm Annexe sleeps 2 and is also near a train station.

In the north, Kittiwakes Cottage Appledore Devon (sleeps 4) and Cobble Cottage (sleeps 2) are listed under Bideford. The Old Workshop in Westward Ho! sleeps 4. Wow Holidays - The Honeymoon Suite in Woolacombe and Croyde sleeps 2. None of these northern examples lists a nearby train station, so you'd rely on buses once you're there.

Upper Forge in Salcombe sleeps 4. Its only listed facility is being near a bus stop, so check for anything else you need, such as parking or EV charging, before you book.

Families, couples and dog owners

Couples have the widest choice. Seahorse Shore, Cobble Cottage, Thorne Farm Annexe and The Honeymoon Suite all sleep 2.

Families and groups have fewer options among the examples. Shells Shore and Seagulls Rest each sleep 5, and Brunel Boutique Railway Carriage No 1 sleeps 6. Look early if you need more space.

Dog owners have the least choice. Only 26 of the 527 stays are listed as pet friendly, so use that filter from the start and read each listing's details about dogs.

Things to do once you're there

From a Paignton base, you could visit Paignton Zoo or the Site of Old Torbay Aircraft Museum, both listed in Paignton.

Further afield, Devon's landmarks include:

• National Trust properties: Coleton Fishacre, Bradley Manor, and Overbeck's Museum and Gardens
• Castles: Dartmouth Castle, Tiverton Castle and Hemyock Castle
• Escot House, a stately home
• Dartmoor National Park

The Coldharbour Woolen Museum is listed under Sidmouth. We don't hold bus route or timetable information for any of these places. Plan each journey with the local operator before you set off, especially for rural sites.

When to book, and practical checks

We don't publish availability data, so we can't promise when dates will run out. The numbers do suggest one thing, though. Pet-friendly stays and stays for 5 or more people are a small share of the total, so give yourself more time if you need either. School holidays are always the busiest time for family-sized cottages.

Before you pay, check these points:

• How close the bus stop is, and where its buses go
• How often the buses run on Sundays and in the evenings
• Whether parking is included, since only 34 stays list it
• Whether WiFi is included, since only 28 stays list it
• Where the nearest EV charger is, if you're driving an electric car