Our
Location and Choosing a Hut
Walton-on-the-Naze is a seaside town on the North Sea coast and (as Walton le Soken) a former civil parish , now in the parish of Frinton and Walton, in the Tendring district in Essex, England.
It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. Frinton-on-Sea is to the south of the town
Note that there are two distinctly separate beach hut developments in Walton-on-the-Naze, both of which have beach huts for hire.
Walton-on-the-Naze is nice and easy to get to either by rail or by car.
There is plenty of parking nearby and the town’s train station is practically on the beach, just 90 minutes from London Liverpool Street.
Do just be aware that on those hot summer days or during the Clacton Airshow, Walton is accessed via an a-road and can be very congested. Arrive early and stay late to avoid sitting in traffic and/or missing most of your beach hut day!
Most of Essex beach huts aren't directly situated on the sand with the exception of a handful in Felixstowe and the beach huts in Mersea. Our Beach Huts in Walton-on-the-Naze, like so many others, are situated on a promenade which is next to the sea wall.
Steps are at frequent points along the promenade with direct access down to the beach.
At Walton-on-the-Naze, when the tide comes in it comes directly up to the sea-wall leaving the vast majority of the beach inaccessible directly in front of the beach hut.
It's super easy to plan your day around this (ie. plan your brunch/lunch/dinner or take a wander along the pier). But I'd strongly advise checking out the tide times on the day of your visit to plan ahead. You’ll find a great tide chart here.
It’s also worth noting that for those huts on the front row, when the tide is in, iit can have two impacts: It can feel a little cooler If sea levels are high, there can be spray onto the promenade
Have you heart set on a front row beach huts?
In Southcliff, Walton-on-the-Naze: Bonnie Lass, Hope, Rosie Posie, Sunnysands
I’m always surprised by how many people insist on a Front Row! While I personally own a front row, I always find myself gravitating to other owners' beach huts which aren’t front row, particularly during the busy summer season.
Why? Well personally I prefer a hut further back when:
- Busy summer season you can have people constantly walking by and ‘admiring’ (aka peering into your beach hut), so it feels more private not on the front row
- Most huts situated further back have more outdoor space with some having their own verandas. And I love to sunbathe!
- My spaniels get quite excited by passers by and the beach itself. I find it much easier to get them to relax in a non-front row beach hut.
- When the tide is in a beach hut further back can be a proper sun trap, slightly protected from cooler tide coming in and also the wind too.
Don't get me wrong I love my own beach hut but if we didn't also hire her out, then I’d have a hut further back from the front.
Everyone has their own preference and my preference won’t be the same as yours, so weigh up the pros and cons (or maybe you deserve a second trip and try out both!).
We have just one set of side by side huts but they are super special!
You'll find Mickey and Minnie side by side in Eastcliff, Walton on the Naze. They are second-row beach huts but raised above the front row with joined private balconies - the views are amazing but with the perfect spot for privacy too.
You can book them both here.
All bar one of our beach huts are dog friendly.
However, the one exception is The Hideaway - while the owners would love to accept dogs, due to a family member having extreme allergies, there are no exceptions permitted to this - do check out our other huts that can all welcome dogs!
However our beach huts in Eastcliff (Loopy Lou, Mickey and Minnie) are also impacted by summer dog restrictions on the beach. There is a small 500m section in front of these three huts where dogs are not allowed, so you would need to walk to the parts of the beach they are allowed between 1st May and 30th September.
Our beach huts aren't accessible as we'd like them to be and all have standard door frames.
However, depending on the exact mobility requirements, Rosie Posie is the closest to the Pier enabling level access and then there is just one step into the beach hut. She is 13 beach huts from the Pier. Sunnysands is a very close second in terms of distance (70 beach huts from the pier) but has one larger step to an area in front of her, then the step door itself.
Tendring Council does have a Changing Places toilet situated in Southcliff, close to the Pier. You can find more info out here if you believe you qualify.
I honestly wish it was super easy to answer this question! However one hut may be closer to a tap, but slightly further away than other huts to the closest toilet.
In reality those differences are more than minimal (think 1 min walk difference) as all of our huts are within a few mins walk of toilets and taps and the closeness to the beach is determined by the row which is just a few steps up from the front row itself.
Unless you have specific mobility needs, then there really is no wrong answer and all of our guests choose based on different factors:
- For some the beach hut name may have a particular draw to them
- For others, the style and decor of a hut may influence
- While others may prefer privacy and purely make a decision based on location
While all huts differ in style and name, we do insist on a standard level of beach hut and do not accept all owners who approach us. So you can be assured you won’t have a bad day and there is no wrong answer!
If in doubt.. Maybe just toss a coin between your final choices or let another family member choose?
Walton on the Naze has two distinct areas of beach named Southcliff and Eastcliff. You may even find reference to Eastcliff Jubilee Beach.
The easiest way to describe the split is in reference to the Pier. so imagine you are standing in front of the Pier facing out to the sea. If you turn right this is Southcliff. But if you turn left, you will get to Eastcliff beach as you head towards the part of Walton with the 86ft historical Naze Tower.
If you are anything like me, you'll prefer a photo or image to help visualise where each is. So you’ll find all the info, map and pros and cons of each beach area in this blog here: Looking for a Beach Hut Hire in Walton-on-the-Naze? Southcliff vs Eastcliff: Which is Best?.
We do! When approached by the programme we agreed for several huts to take part including Harley (now sold), Isla (renamed and redesigned post the programme to Hope) and Rosie Posie.
You can book each hut here.
We've been absolutely blown away by the support from our fellow #hinchers and the very kind support from Mrs Hinch herself.
The beach hut that you will have spotted in Mrs Hinch stories was Minnie. You can book here HERE and you'll find Mickey right next door too!
Some of you may have seen Isla (along with Harley and Rosie Posie) featured in Interior Design Masters on BBC2 with Alan Carr in March 2021.
Having discussed with lots of our regular visitors, we built upon the changes during the show, and refreshed her to fit with our brand.
It felt apt to rename her after her makeover and she's now named Hope!
You can book her here.
Food & Facilities
I'm afraid not – so use those cool bags and make sure phones are charged for those all important Instagram snaps!
Or why not switch off and completely chill out for the day? #relax
While you may want to take the day off cooking, that kettle is super important to us all for a cuppa at the beach.
So as a minimum you’ll find a small single gas stove in each beach hut with gas canisters.
All huts have small saucepans and pot too for simple cooking needs.
Please be aware this therefore means there is a live fire - please do not move the stoves from their position and follow instructions provided to avoid any accidents. While you are using these stoves at your own risk, please be aware of children and animals who may be running around!
As part of our risk assessment - fire blankets are also in each beach hut for emergencies.
I always want to know this too - it's important right!
Unfortunately none of our beach huts have their own toilets. Wondering where the closest one is? Well, the answer varies by beach hut but all our huts have toilets within a few mins walk (4 minute walk max!)
The answer is of course a big YES!
We provide tea bags, coffee and sugar sachets (to protect from moisture) but if you do have a favourite blend or prefer herbal then feel free to bring your own supplies along.
Many of our beach huts also have cafetiere (check their individual contents lists), so pack that ground coffee if you are an addict too!
Just don't forget your grinder or pre grind before leaving home!
While the main town centre is around 10 min walk, during the summer months, you’ll find at least one cafe along both beach fronts at Southcliff and at Eastcliff. In addition, you have the Pier’s catering facilities if you are choosing to hire a beach hut at Southcliff.
Note that during quieter months and days, they do not always open and sometimes choose to stay closed depending on the weather so if not visiting during peak summer holiday months, do consider this pre-arrival.
In this case, you may need to take a short wander into town to the local cafes.
While a new fish and chip offering is now available directly outside of the pier, personally no matter which beach hut I visit, I make the effort to walk to Yates which is on google maps HERE.
If you are at one of the Eastcliff beach huts (Mickey, Minnie and Loopy Lou) - maybe send someone off on their own to collect or in the car ;0)
Of course! We love that there are so many more great businesses offering catering that can be delivered directly to the beach huts.
I pulled together a full guide which you can find on our Instagram.
Numbers & Hours
The maximum number is determined by each beach hut and takes into account their size and location to ensure everyone’s safety. Please bear in mind that if you are all adults and the weather turns on the day, that a beach hut is very limited in size (think shed but a pretty one with great views!). You should consider your overall comfort as a group in all circumstances and within our terms and conditions.
Beach Huts will allow up to 6 people
Mickey, Minnie
Beach Huts allowing up to 6 adults (or 8 including babies and children)
The Hideaway
Beach Huts which allow up to 8 people
The huts are close together and we always ask that you be mindful of our neighbours when visiting to make everyone’s visit enjoyable and safe too.
If you do breach these terms and arrive with more than the expected numbers, then beach patrol, and local beach hut association have been granted permission to ask you to leave our own beach huts with no cancellation fee payable.
We know what it’s like. The family has heard you are having a day out or celebration and want to be part of it.
However both you and I know that at some point, someone will need to go grab something, the tide will be in, someone will need to change and for one reason or another, you will naturally all congregate around the beach hut.
We strongly advise not arranging to do this so you don’t feel pushed into a position where our terms and conditions of hire are breached.
Our hire times are from 9am to 6pm.
While we have previously offered until 8pm we find the vast majority of guests leave significantly earlier (personally I’d say bring some layers and take a walk along in the direction of frinton as sunsets are stunning!).
If you have a particularly special request re timing then do get in touch and we can advise.
Absolutely - our new booking system will let you choose more than one day at a time in the same hut and you are happy to leave the belongings in the hut.
Please note this would be at your own risk as our insurance would not cover your personal belongings.
For the last two years, we have always closed after October 2021 and re-opened in the spring (around Easter Holidays).
Not only does this allow for essential maintenance but gives us all as owners time away from the need to be available 24/7.
Winter tends to be very volatile which creates its own issues due to the beach huts location particularly when we’ve seen so many storms in the past years.
Booking, Payments & Vouchers
To ensure you can check up to date information re availability we only accept bookings that are made online.
You can find all our beach huts which are available to book here.
Please note - the date is only confirmed once you have fully completed your purchase.
In 2021 we changed our pricing structure significantly, moving away from an off peak and peak rate.
We now have a pricing structure that separated into:
- April (All dates)
- May to September (Bank Holidays, Weekends and School Holidays versus Midweek)
- October (School Holidays versus other dates)
Each beach hut also has its own individual pricing set by their owners to reflect position and style, which ranges from £40 to £65 per day depending on the timing above.
At the moment you can book up to and including 31st October 2022.
We will update on 2023 bookings later this summer. Do make sure you are sign up to our email list here to keep up to date.
I'd love to be able to respond individually and provide a super tailored booking experience but we have several huts and therefore normally take over 1000 bookings per year.
As you can imagine, by the time we'd gone through them all individually, a date or hut availability would have changed which is why we ONLY accept bookings via our secure website (SSL certified).
The best way to also be informed about release dates is to join our email list - we always email out first, particularly given the change in social media algorithms! You can sign up here.
As someone who loves to be organised! I’d love to be able to do this and its firmly on our wish list. But with 365 days of the year and several beach huts, it's pretty impossible to do this fairly and accurately.
So if you are seeking a cancellation for those peak times, the best way to spot our cancellations is via instagram stories. Make sure you are following us here.
While we did reopen gift voucher sales during Winter 2022, these are not currently on sale.
Why? Given demand we don’t want anyone buying vouchers then struggling to actually book a date with us this year.
Every part of the experience with Millie’s is important to us and this is something we feel we can avoid disappointing anyone with.
Until we are confident we will be able to accommodate further gift voucher sales with enough choice on dates then we will keep the sale of these on hold for now.
This will be reviewed again in May 2022.
If you have a gift voucher that expired while our booking systems have been closed then don’t worry.
Please do just get in contact before the end of May 2022 and we’ll extend your expiry date to 30th June 2022 to book ahead. If you are restricted to certain days or huts, then please do this urgently as huts book up in advance and we cannot be responsible for lack of availability.
Please email enquiries@milliesbeachhuts.co.uk with your gift voucher code, name of purchaser and expiry date and we will make sure it’s all updated to let you book online.
Pre-Arrival
The closest public car park to all beach huts can be found near the station and pier (Church Road, CO14 8DE) which is £6 for the full day.
If you have hired a beach hut in Eastcliff (Loopy Lou, Minnie and Mickey), it’s advisable to park on the residential streets nearby) as the public car park is a good 20 minute walk and may not be so quick if you have younger ones in tow! We have provided nearby streets and directions on each beach huts page.
We do always recommend ensuring you arrive early as parking is very limited and Walton-on-the-Naze beach is a hot spot during those hot summer days!
Please do be courteous, allow time to find a parking space so that you can make the most of the day and note the restrictions that may be in place if parking on a residential street.
While our packing list will be determined by the type of day that you are planning (chilling with a book versus playing games on the beach), we’d always recommend packing:
- Dish Towel
- Milk for those cups of tea and coffee
- Bin Bags to take your rubbish away
- Layers (it can change throughout the day)
- Swimwear/Towels
- Sunglasses, Suncream and Hat (yep even if it doesn't look sunny when you leave for a beach hut - do pack it!)
- Food and Drink (or just water/snacks if planning on buying when you get there)
Need other suggestions? Check out one of our very first blogs: 5 Thing to Pack for Your Beach Hut Day
No matter how many times we’ve asked our guest, the type of chair always divides opinion.
While many love a deckchair, others prefer director chairs or even camp chairs.
While we would love to ask our owners to provide one of each type for every guest to choose, storage is a little tight in our ‘sheds’ so we’ve tried to choose the best options that fit with each beach hut and you’ll find a detailed contents list for each of them on their booking pages.
If in doubt and worried about being comfortable, feel free to bring along your own. We’d be much happier that you had a comfortable place to sit and watch the world go by and won’t be offended at all!
As with all contents, breakages and accidents can happen - so there may be slight discrepancies to any published content lists for beach hut while repairs are made.
Just like chairs, we’ve found that over the years, there is no right answer to what games and/or buckets and spades we provide. However unlike chairs which are longer lasting, we also find they can be cheap, break easily and incredibly hard to keep them clean as per our Covid policies.
As such we agreed with most owners that they would be removed to ensure we don’t disappoint and provide sub standard items.
The one exception to this is Mickey and Minnie. These two huts are very much geared to the younger ones in our family through their decor so you will find some additional games and beach toys in there. However if you have a favourite do bring along a bucket and spade As with all contents, breakages and accidents can happen - so there may be slight discrepancies to any published content lists for beach hut while repairs are made.
In each hut you’ll find alcohol gel, washing up bowl/liquid plus other cleaning materials for you to use during your hire. We do ask that all guests leave the hut as they found it though we do employ an external cleaner to clean in-between hires and backed up by regular deep cleans by owners.
However, while safety is our immediate concern, they understandably cannot clean every inch of a hut between hires or it would incur several hours cleaning cost on top of each hire cost. Making it unaffordable for you to hire.
And genuinely no matter how many times I sweep Hope, due to her location and the lack of being able to plug in a hoover, I know I’ll miss a piece of sand somewhere!
This doesn't mean we don’t take cleaning seriously but if you are concerned about Covid and cleanliness then I would recommend bringing along your own paper cutlery/plates/cups which may help provide you with more comfort on the day.
For all bookings we send information out 2 weeks in advance and again 72 hrs in advance which contains codes to access a key box on the day. This means that you can be flexible with your arrival time and come and go from the beach hut as you please and we provide lots more helpful information on car parking and how to use gas stoves too!
Do just keep an eye on junk/spam folders as we find this info can sometimes end up being marked as junk/spam due to size of the emails and information contained. We know that some email providers have different 'delete' rules thus why we send the information twice (just in case!).
If you haven't received this information then do get in touch asap and do not leave until the evening before/morning of your visit. We do not operate a 24x7 customer service and it may take a little time to respond to emails/calls particularly during our peak season. We want to ensure your day starts as stress free as possible with having the information in advance.
I’m afraid due to the time required to ensure our beach huts are thoroughly cleaned, this isn't something we can arrange in advance.
An option would be to have some arrive a little in advance or have the person who’s celebrating go for a wander while you set up.
Please note: do be careful hanging up decorations to ensure decor isn’t damaged and leave the beach hut as you found it when leaving.
That would be me! If during standard work hours then do call me via the number on our contact page.
Occasionally I may be tied up on a call or struggle with a signal so if you go to voicemail or it’s outside our normal hut hire times (9am to 6pm) please do drop a text to 07881 285816.
Terms & Cancellations
In our years of trading, we know that rearranging can be super awkward and we can go back and forward on dates, and those dates in the meantime are booked out by someone else on our website.
So in this case, we ask that you advise us via enquiries@milliesbeachhuts.co.uk. We’ll then provide you with a code that you can reuse to book the date on our website - that way you can sit with a cuppa, have the right diaries around you and see our up to date availability.
If cancelled two weeks pre your booking then value paid less a £15 non-refundable fee. With less than two weeks notice, the full value is non-refundable.
Please note that each individual beach hut hire incurs a £15 non-refundable fee (i.e if you have 2 beach huts booked then this would be a £30 cancellation fee).
You cannot transfer the booking to another if unable to attend at short notice without our approval.
Please do advise us of the change and we will need contact information for them plus also confirmation that they are accepting all terms and conditions and any liability for issues on the day.
