Brisk walks on an empty beach, lunch at a cosy pub in front of an open fire and lazy mornings in bed listening to the rain - all things we can start to look forward to as autumn and winter approach. 

While you might be able to do/find all these things at home, if you are looking for a cosy getaway by the coast these are just a few of the things that should be on your wishlist. 

With this and all things cosy in mind, The Times has come up with the top 10 best cosiest seaside stays in the UK for autumn and winter.

Western Telegraph: The St Brides Spa Hotel has been named among the top 10 cosiest stays in the UK by The Times.The St Brides Spa Hotel has been named among the top 10 cosiest stays in the UK by The Times. (Image: St Brides Spa Hotel/Tripadvisor)

Emily-Ann Elliott, from The Times, said: "Now is the ideal time for a trip to a UK beach — hear me out.

"After years spent living in Scarborough and Brighton, I’ve concluded that autumn is when the beach is at its best — not to mention that room rates are usually lower too.

"The choppy tide grumbling back and forth is so much more interesting to watch than a perfectly flat expanse of water and the stretch of empty beach feels as if you’ve been let in on a secret the summer visitors don’t know about.

"Brisk stomps along empty beaches and warming lunches in cosy pubs — my favourite is the Ginger Pig in Hove — simply can’t be beaten.

"It’s even better if the weather is miserable, it gives you a free pass to enjoy where you are staying, whether you’re having a lazy morning in a hotel spa or an afternoon in front of an open fire."

The top 10 cosiest seaside stays in the UK

The top 10 cosiest stays in the UK, according to The Times, are:

  1. Seaham Hall, Seaham, Co Durham

  2. St Brides Spa Hotel, Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire

  3. The Terrace, Ventnor, Isle of Wight

  4. Raithwaite Sandsend, Whitby, North Yorkshire

  5. Ballygally Castle, Ballygally, Co Antrim

  6. Links House, Dornoch, Highland

  7. Port Hotel, Eastbourne, East Sussex

  8. The Suffolk, Aldeburgh, Suffolk

  9. The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow, Cornwall

  10. The Midland, Morecambe, Lancashire

The Pembrokeshire Hotel named among the cosiest seaside stays

St Brides Spa Hotel, Saundersfoot

Address: St. Brides Hill, Saundersfoot, SA69 9NH

St Brides Spa Hotel, located in Saundersfoot, was named the second-best place for a cosy seaside getaway this autumn/winter. 

The Times, describing the hotel, said: "Perched dramatically on the clifftop overlooking Saundersfoot in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, St Brides offers an inviting space to unwind after a blustery coastal path walk.

"Its marine spa specialises in recovery treatments and has an outdoor heated hydrotherapy infinity pool, from which guests can watch the autumn tides.

"Its 34 bedrooms and six apartments have a nautical nod (blue and white stripes) and abstract landscapes of Pembrokeshire by Ian Lindsay-Edwards elevate the public areas.

"Local seafood comes with a sea view in the Cliff restaurant (mains from £22) and in the evening watch the sunset over the bay with a G&T in the Gallery Bar."

St Brides Spa Hotel has a 4.5-star rating on Tripadvisor from 1,489 reviews.

Guests have described it as "spot on", "superb" and "excellent in every way".

One visitor posted on Tripadvisor: "What a location. The room was functional but it was the spa and the views from the lounge and dining room that made our stay so memorable.

"The spa offered good value treatments and the spa pool was fabulous.

"The views that greeted us each breakfast were simply spectacular."