Anchorage Inn

This is an inn for a stay built around the practical pleasures of the North Coast: a proper room, food downstairs and a bar with history. The Anchorage Inn forms part of the Anchor Complex, whose traditional Anchor Bar dates back to 1898. You can finish the day without turning the evening into a logistical exercise.

The atmosphere is lively rather than hushed. Entertainment runs seven nights a week, and the rooms are not soundproofed, so the late-night programme is part of the bargain. Choose this address if you like having the promenade, the bar and the restaurant close at hand; choose with care if absolute silence is your main requirement.

The inn sits on the main promenade in Portstewart, Northern Ireland, with the town around you rather than a resort compound separating you from it. Portstewart Strand is 0.8 miles away, while Whiterocks Beach is 3.1 miles away. The Warren, an adventure park, is about 0.4 miles from the door.

You are also within easy reach of the Causeway Coast by car. Dunluce Castle is about 6 miles away, Mussenden Temple around 11 miles, and the Giant's Causeway about 11 miles. For rail connections, Dhu Varren station is roughly 3 miles away and Portrush station about 3.4 miles away. Several restaurants are only a short walk from the inn, useful when you want something different without organising an expedition.

The room choice is straightforward: doubles for couples, twin beds when sharing, and triple or quadruple arrangements for families or small groups. Every room is en suite and finished to a high standard, with a shower, towels, toiletries and a hairdryer. The rooms are compact, so the family options make more sense for sleeping arrangements than for spreading out a week's worth of dive kit.

A kettle gives you the option of a quiet drink before heading downstairs, while heating, carpeting and a flat-screen TV make the room suitable for a proper wind-down. WiFi is available throughout the property. Daily housekeeping and luggage storage keep the practical edges under control, and a safe deposit box is available for valuables.

There is one caveat worth taking seriously: entertainment runs every night and the rooms are not soundproofed. If you are up early for a serious day outside, ask for the quietest available room rather than assuming the promenade address will behave like a country house.

Food and drink are built into the complex. Skippers Restaurant covers the main meal, while the Anchor Bar provides the traditional pub setting attached to the inn. There is also a snack bar for something less formal, plus Club Aura when the evening needs more volume than conversation.

Breakfast gives you a useful choice of starts: continental, full English or Irish, vegetarian and gluten-free options are available. That range suits both the quick coffee-and-toast departure and the more deliberate plate before a day out on the coast. Special-diet menus can be arranged, and children's meals are available.

The location also leaves you free to eat elsewhere. Spice Spot, Superfry and Flaming Wok are all within a few minutes on foot, so you can vary the menu without sacrificing the convenience of staying on the promenade.

There is no need to manufacture a programme indoors. The promenade gives you an easy excuse to walk, and outdoor furniture provides somewhere to sit when the weather allows. The Warren is close by, while a golf course lies within about 1.9 miles for a land-based change of pace.

The wider coast supplies the more memorable outings. Dunluce Castle and the Giant's Causeway are both practical day excursions by car, with Mussenden Temple offering another route through the region's history and scenery. Mount Sandel Fort is also within driving distance.

Back at the inn, the evening entertainment is the activity rather than background decoration. Club Aura and the nightly programme will suit you if you want the day to continue; the compact rooms and non-soundproofed walls mean that a quiet early night requires a little planning.

Arrival is scheduled between 3 pm and 7 pm, and you need to let the property know your expected arrival time. Check-out runs from 8 am to 11 am. A 24-hour front desk is available, but that does not remove the need to communicate your arrival within the stated check-in window.

City of Derry Airport is about 28 miles away by car, with the journey taking roughly 38 minutes. Belfast International Airport is around 45 miles away, taking about 57 minutes by car, while George Best Belfast City Airport is about 60 miles away and roughly 1 hour 13 minutes by car. Arrange your transfer or car hire around the airport that suits your route.

WiFi is free throughout the property, luggage storage is available, and an ATM is on site. Upper floors are reached by stairs only. Card payment is accepted, cash is not, and a refundable damage deposit is collected by card on arrival and returned after the room has been inspected. Children of all ages are welcome; a cot can be requested for a child aged up to two, subject to availability.