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 Cornwall Hotels
Devon & Cornwall, England's West Country: scintillating coastlines, bucket-and-spade seaside villages, wild moorland, secret valleys and deep, high-sided lanes. On Cornwall's south coast there are sparkling seas, hidden coves and tropical gardens, while the north coast is known for its sweeping surfing beaches. Devon's countryside is as impressive as its two very different coasts, with Dartmoor and Exmoor rising from a landscape of patchwork fields, thatched whitewashed cottages and traditional longhouses. Our favourite hotels are either dramatically sited on the coast or lost deep in countryside. Many of them reflect the region's chic new image, spearheaded by Olga Polizzi's Hotel Tresanton; others are cosy old favourites. The hotels are listed by price category, and their order bears no reflection on our preference.
 Reviews by Fiona Duncan |
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| Luxury: Delightful seaside chic hotel in a stunning position |
| Location: ROSEVINE, SOUTH CORNWALL; in 7 acres of coastline, south of Truro |
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| In summer Driftwood feels more Côte d’Azur than Cornwall, with Mediterranean views and a perfect crescent of private beach at the end of the garden. Inside, it has the air of a stylish Provençal house, while halfway down the cliff there’s a romantic cabin, perfect for lovers, and a pavilion for a private lunch or an aromatherapy massage. Bedrooms are charming and the food is superb. A very special place. |
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| Luxury: Britain's chicest seaside hotel |
| Location: ST MAWES, SOUTH CORNWALL; in the town overlooking the sea |
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| Effortlessly elegant and understated, it has no obvious entrance and no swimming pool, but offers instead a wide terrace, stunning views, inviting bar, coolly sophisticated bedrooms, a screening room, a private yacht and motorboats for beach picnics. The seafood-oriented cooking fits the setting perfectly. Still Britain's sexiest seaside hotel. |
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| Luxury: Breezy, family-friendly hotel with golf and beach on the doorstep |
| Location: ROCK, NORTH CORNWALL; overlooking the Camel Estuary |
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| Families have flocked to Cornwall's north coast for their bucket-and-spade holidays for generations, but hotels that are both stylish and child-friendly were thin on the ground until the emergence of St Enodoc, solid and dependable, with clean lines and easy-going comfort inside. The Mediterranean style restaurant has a wide terrace for outdoor dining and bedrooms are like bedrooms rather than hotel rooms. |
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| Luxury: Attractive accommodation, perfect for combining with a visit to Rick Stein's famous restaurant |
| Location: PADSTOW, NORTH CORNWALL; in several buildings in the village |
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| Rick and Jill Stein's Padstow empire includes not just the famous -and recently refurbished – Seafood Restaurant and three more restaurants (as well as shops) but also 39 rooms divided amongst the Seafood Restaurant, St Petroc's Hotel, St Edmund's House, Rick Stein's Café, Prospect House and one bedroom Bryn Cottage. All have a breezy seaside feel, with fresh colours against white walls and wood floors, crisp linen, and power showers. The best are very light with sea views. St Petroc's has sitting rooms and café, St Edmund's a garden. |
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| Mid Price: excellent family-friendly beach hotel |
| Location: MAWGAN PORTH, NR. NEWQUAY, NORTH CORNWALL, overlooking beach |
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| A great choice for families, this modern hotel may not be a beauteous building but it enjoys breathtaking views over a fabulous beach and offers perfect pampering for frazzled parents, from Maharlika treatments (as used on Liz Hurley and Kate Moss) to indoor and outdoor pools, a Balinese-style bar and excellent food in the adults-only dining room. Plus an OFSTED-inspected nursery, kids' clubs, babysitting, wonderful sunsets and great new spa. |
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| Mid Price: contemporary style in charming Fowey, with fabulous estuary views |
| Location: FOWEY, SOUTH CORNWALL; in town centre, overlooking the estuary at the rear |
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| Its core is a characterful old building in the centre of Fowey, with a new extension overlooking the estuary and harbour. The harmonious interior is embellished by funky artworks, and the informal restaurant spills out on to a teak deck with spectacular waterfront views. Bedrooms are traditional in the old part of the building, contemporary in the new, all with state of the art technology. One is in a glass turret – magical. |
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| Mid Price: Delightfully unusual coastal hotel, well placed for visiting Cornwall |
| Location: MEVAGISSEY, SOUTH CORNWALL; on outskirts of town, overlooking sea |
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| Built in the 1930s as a cliff-top home with breathtaking sea views, Trevalsa Court offers attractive decoration, oak panelling, stone mullions, Gothic fireplaces, bedrooms and bathrooms that are far from run of the mil and polite friendliness from its new owners, as well as good food in the pretty restaurant. A great base for visiting the Roseland Peninsula and local sights, with the coastal path literally at the bottom of the garden. The beach, far below, is a steep climb down from there. |
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| Mid Price: Peaceful country hotel, well placed for visiting Cornwall |
| Location: ST KEYNE, NR. LOOE, SOUTH CORNWALL; overlooking the Looe valley |
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| Here's a calm, unflashy hotel in the countryside, yet close to the coast, with good food served in an airy, sophisticated dining room. The Victorian hilltop house – built for a tea planter – has fine original features, wooded grounds with delightful hidden corners, a large tennis court and a swimming pool surrounded by flowers, and bedrooms – some with terraces – with fine views. Imaginative special breaks. |
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| Mid Price: Charming, characterful hotel in the heart of old Penzance |
| Location: PENZANCE, WEST CORNWALL; overlooking the harbour |
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| One of our long-time favourite hotels, this delightful sky-blue house makes a perfect base for exploring south Cornwall or setting off for the Isles of Scilly. Still run by Jean ('60s iconic model, Jean Shrimpton) and Michael Cox, together with their son Thaddeus and a small team, it's a marvellous antidote to bland contemporary style with its eclectic, ravishingly pretty mix of paintings, antiques and objects d'art, all in a characterful 1660 house. No restaurant, but plenty around, including the Abbey Restaurant next door. Highly recommended. |
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| Mid Price: A warm welcome in a glamourous setting |
| Location: ST IVES,WEST CORNWALL; high above the harbour |
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| It's sheer Capri at Blue Hayes, a 'private' five-room hotel perched discreetly above St Ives Bay and the bustling harbour, with white balustraded steps and terraces and stunning view. The refurbished 1920s building, elegantly decorated in light colours, makes a wonderfully tranquil place in which to spend time and, best of all, owner Malcolm Herring and his friendly team are charming hosts. Great breakfasts. Light dinners available, or take a cocktail and walk down the path to the much vaunted Porthminster Beach Cafe. |
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| Inexpensive: Fun, informal coastal gastropub with simple accommodation |
| Location: ZENNOR, WEST CORNWALL; on coast road between St Ives and Lands End |
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| A stunning coastal location makes this exemplary inn, sister to the Felin Fach Griffin in Wales (see listing) a magnet for walkers and anyone looking for tranquillity (although the sounds and smells from the neighbouring farm may not be for armchair outdoor types) and the simple life. En-suite bedrooms are simple and tasteful, with handmade. Seasonal menu at dinner, hearty fare at lunch. |
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| Inexpensive: The house where Thomas Hardy met his wife, now a welcoming b&b |
| Location: BOSCASTLE, NORTH CORNWALL; in St Juliot, two miles north-east of Boscastle |
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| Who could resist staying in the very house where Thomas Hardy met and fell in love with his wife, Emma Gifford? Hardy, then an architect, was working on the church and Emma was the rector's sister-in-law; the Old Rectory later featured in Hardy's A Pair of Blue Eyes. Even better, the house is now a welcoming b&b, run with warmth and efficiency by owners Sally and Chris Searle, who grow much of the fruit for the locally sourced breakfasts in their garden, over which the cosy guest sitting room looks. |
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| Inexpensive: Charming farmhouse accomodation, set in rural Cornish farmland |
| Location: BOTELET, SOUTH CORNWALL; near Liskeard, in 300 acres of farmland |
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| Draw up to Botelet farmhouse and it's as if you've stepped into an Enid Blyton story. Stretch out in armchairs by an open fireplace, wander into the flagstoned kitchen that used to be a dairy, or walk to the ancient fort on the hill across the valley. The three big, light-filled rooms are furnished with the same stylish restraint that's evident throughout the house. There are self-catering cottages and two Mongolian yurts in the grounds. |
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