As far as family-friendly getaways go, we struck gold with our most recent stay. Planning the trip was a gamble, but after umming and ahhing for weeks as to whether it would be worth hauling three generations to the beach on the last weekend in February, we decided to go for it. On one condition: the place we stayed should be lovely enough – and big enough – for us all to feel like we’d had a mini holiday, even if we couldn’t spend much time outside. The toughest critics? Two two-year-olds and a nine-month-old baby who had yet to experience the sea breeze in his hair.
I scoured my most recent Airbnb saves and deemed Seamark in Camber Sands the winner. Brand new for 2026 with glass doors that ran the length of the building and opened directly onto the stony beach, we’d be able to dart out (and, crucially, back in again) during any uncharacteristically sunny moments without it being a great expedition. Anyone wild enough to brave the cold-water sea swim could also do so without having time to overthink their decision.
The other main draw was the kids’ bedroom, which put any decorative efforts I’ve exercised at home to utter shame. Two army-green safari truck beds stood side by side and surrounded by on-theme stuffed animals, night lights and wall hangings. I’m thrilled to report that at least one child slept through each night as a result, and I have no greater praise to offer than that. The hosts, Emma and Georgia, also arranged for a travel cot and a highchair to be poised and ready for our smallest guest, and we found a toybox with books and games that we deemed our ‘beach house treasure’. In the kitchen cupboards, enough child- and baby-friendly plates, cups and cutlery to feed an army of them. It’s details like this that set Seamark apart from other Airbnb listings, and make travelling with children so much more effortless (read: enjoyable). In hindsight, I didn’t need to pack anything other than their clothes – a holiday for the brain as well as the body.
