Places to Stay With EV Charging in Sidmouth

Thirty-five places to stay in and around Sidmouth are listed on BritStays with EV charging nearby. That's a decent spread for one stretch of East Devon, and it covers more than you might expect: 24 cottages, seven caravanning sites, three campsites and one holiday park. So whether you're arriving in an electric car with a boot full of walking boots or towing a caravan behind one, there's something here that will work.

The phrase to read carefully is "nearby". On this set of listings it signals that charging is available at or close to the property rather than guaranteeing a dedicated point on your own parking space. That distinction matters most if you're relying on an overnight top-up, so it's worth a quick message to the owner before you commit.

Where the stays are clustered

The great majority sit in and immediately around Sidmouth itself — 18 listed as Sidmouth, South West England and another 10 simply as Sidmouth. Beer and Branscombe accounts for four, Honiton for two, and Colyton for one. If you want to be near the sea and near shops, the Sidmouth listings are the obvious starting point. If you'd rather have lanes, fields and fewer people, look inland.

• Coastal: The Sail Loft and Beachcomber Cottage in Beer and Branscombe, plus Beer Head Caravan Park and Beer YHA.
• Countryside: Farway Countryside Park near Colyton, Teal Cottage at Honiton, and Salcombe Regis C. & C. Park.
• Family-focused: Ladram Bay Holiday Park, Oakdown and Diggerland’s Campsite.

Matching the stay to the trip

For couples, the smallest places are the easiest to book and usually the cheapest to run. The Sail Loft sleeps two and is listed as near a train station, which is the combination to look for if you want to leave the car on charge and travel without it for a day. Six of the 35 stays are near a train station — a small but useful group that also includes Beachcomber Cottage, Teal Cottage and Beer YHA.

Families have more choice than the headline cottage count suggests. Beachcomber Cottage, Teal Cottage, Parkfield 22 and Farway Countryside Park all sleep six. Ladram Bay Holiday Park lists a swimming pool, hot tub and evening entertainment; Oakdown lists a spa, café and playground; and Diggerland’s Campsite sits alongside the Diggerland theme park, which answers the "what do we do if it rains on Tuesday" question fairly neatly. Beer Head Caravan Park lists a restaurant, takeaway food and toilets, which takes the pressure off cooking.

Smaller groups of four are well served by Wonkey Donkey Cottage, Barn Owls Holiday Bungalow and Monks Thatch Cottage, all in the Sidmouth area.

Dog owners should take care here. Only four of the 35 list pet friendly as a facility, and only four list parking, four list a laundrette and four a gift shop. These are listed facilities, not a complete picture — plenty of owners allow dogs without flagging it — but if you're travelling with a dog, filter first and then ask, rather than assuming.

What to do while the car charges

A long charge is an excuse to leave the car alone for a few hours. Within reach you'll find Hemyock Castle for a straightforward heritage stop, Escot House and Blackborough House if stately homes are your thing, and The Forge, a National Trust property, for a shorter visit.

Rainy days are museum days. Coldharbour Woolen Museum is the Sidmouth option; further afield there's Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life over towards Exmouth, St. Lawrence Chapel and Church House in Devon, Dulverton Heritage Centre near Minehead and Crewkerne Museum over towards Lyme Regis. For a full day out with children, Paignton Zoo is the big one, though it's a proper drive — plan your charge around it rather than hoping.

When to book

With only 35 stays in this set, and just one holiday park among them, the obvious dates go early. School holidays at Ladram Bay Holiday Park, Oakdown and Diggerland’s Campsite are the first to fill; book those four to six months ahead if you need a specific week. Cottages sleeping six — Parkfield 22, Teal Cottage, Beachcomber Cottage — are the next tightest.

Shoulder season is kinder. Spring and early autumn usually leave choice even a few weeks out, and the campsites — Salcombe Regis C. & C. Park and Beer Head Caravan Park among them — tend to have more flexibility than cottages at short notice.

Before you confirm: ask what type of charger it is, whether it's shared, whether it's included or metered, and whether there's somewhere to park within cable reach. Then check a public charging map for a backup within a few miles, and set off with enough range to get there if the first option is occupied.