Forest Guest House
An ivy-covered B&B with a full English breakfast
About this hotel
Forest Guest House offers simple en suite rooms in an ivy-covered building, with a full English breakfast included and an airport shuttle that suits families flying into the North East rather than driving. Its 9.8 rating from 84 reviews places it among the highest-rated stays on this list, reflecting a small, well-run guest house rather than a large operation. Nine minutes by taxi reaches National Trust Souter Lighthouse and The Leas for a coastal walk on the day off from Wet N Wild, and Sea Change Cafe & Arts Venue sits two minutes away for an easy coffee or light meal. It won't suit every family, but for the specific trade-off it offers, it's a genuinely sensible choice worth shortlisting alongside the other options on this coast.
- Free breakfast
- Airport shuttle
- Kid-friendly
Our take
This suits families wanting a high-rated, small-scale guest house with breakfast and airport transfers both covered. It's a strong all-round pick, though its smaller size means fewer rooms than a chain hotel during peak weeks. There's nothing showy about the pitch here, just a straightforward match between what the property offers and what a slides-focused family trip actually needs.
- ✓Book well ahead given the near-perfect 9.8 rating, since demand for this small guest house is likely to outpace its room count.
- ✓Use the airport shuttle if flying in rather than driving, since it removes a taxi or transfer step after travel.
- ✓Visit Souter Lighthouse on the day away from Wet N Wild, since it's a short taxi ride from the guest house.
Why we love it
- Near-perfect 9.8 guest rating
- Full English breakfast included
- Airport shuttle available
- Close to Souter Lighthouse
Why guests love itThe 9.8 rating caught our attention before booking, and it held up: breakfast was a proper full English, cooked well and served without any rush, which mattered before a full day at Wet N Wild. The ivy-covered building had more character than the chain hotels we'd stayed at before. Being close to Sea Change Cafe meant a relaxed coffee stop was always an option, and the airport shuttle would have made our arrival easier if we'd flown in rather than driven.