The 12 best hotels in Cornwall

Artist Residence brings a touch of urban style to Penzance, with the mix of casual comfort and arty decor provided by the 22 rooms. Each room in this converted Georgian house is different in style, though they all have organic Bramley toiletries, Roberts radios, TVs and free wifi. Some have showers, others roll-top baths. You can also book a three-bedroom cottage, if that’s what you’re after. Both the relaxed restaurant and buzzy bar – with a beer garden – focus on Cornish produce, right down to the local cider. It’s in a great central location, close to the seafront and an easy walk from the station.

As the name suggests, this hotel couldn’t really be any closer to Bude’s Summerlease beach: a deservedly popular spot. Its stylish, bright rooms are filled with modern furniture in oak and Lloyd Loom, all with TVs, iPod docks, fridges, free wifi and Orla Kiely toiletries. The larger, grander rooms have sea views and terraces. There’s a restaurant and a bar with a sun terrace – or if you fancy venturing out instead, it’s a five-minute walk into central Bude for more dining options.

Newquay is best known as a favourite destination of surfers, bodyboarders and all those other thrill-seeking waterbabies. But The Headland Hotel and Spa has a slightly different vibe (while still being all about the amazing powers of water). From the outside, the cliff-top building might look imposing but the staff pride themselves on creating an unstuffy, relaxed atmosphere. The view across the sea is transfixing, but step inside the resort and you’ll discover a stunning array of pools – part of their ‘AquaClub’ and a soul-soothing spa for treatments, yoga sessions and sauna time. Two fun facts about The Headland: it was the location of the 1990s film of Roald Dahl’s The Witches, and it served as an RAF hospital in WWII (keep a look out for ghostly nurses wandering the corridors when you stay).

Located in a gorgeous setting near St Ives, Boskerris Hotel's panoramic vista takes in the sweep of Carbis Bay. Most of the 15 rooms in this 1930s, refurbed boutique-style hotel, look over this. All of them have TVs, bathrobes and slippers, White Company toiletries and free wi-fi. The beach is just a short walk away, or guests can walk further along the coastal path to St Ives, about 20 minutes’ away. The restaurant serves Med-influenced dishes, using Cornish suppliers where possible. 

Given Padstow’s reputation as a rather ‘posh’ bit of Cornwall, it’s hardly surprising that this timeless fishing village is home to some nice places to stay. One of them is the Padstow Townhouse, an 18^th century home owned by two locals who also own two great eateries in town. The Padstow Townhouse offers the best of a boutique hotel experience: it’s filled with luxurious extras and elegant furnishing, but is also intimate, friendly and offers a more ‘personalised’ experience of a hotel. There are six suites on offer and all have enticing names: Rhubarb & Custard, Popcorn, Marshmallow, Bon Bon, Toffee Apple and Honeycomb. Which will you choose?

This lavish country estate has much to offer: a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, a pool, a spa with a hot tub and 65 acres of lush woodland and sub-tropical gardens rolling down to a private foreshire on the Helford River. There’s a total of 57 rooms and a small number of self-catering cottage – some are traditionally decorated, others more bright and modern. They’re all stocked with Elemis toiletries and free wi-fi. The restaurant is a rather formal affair, but food is also available in the bar and conservatory. Falmouth is the closest town, and there are plenty of walks and boats trips possible from the hotel.

Perched above Fowey village, its namesake hall is an auspicious Victorian mansion with views over rolling, landscaped grounds and the sea. Period furnishings and details are paired alongside modern fabrics – it makes for a cosy, inviting mix. There’s an all-day restaurant and bar, plus plenty else to keep you occupied: an indoor pool for everyone, games and a play area for children, and a spa for adults (the hot tub has sea views). Wi-fi is free throughout.

Falmouth is among the most popular holiday spots in Cornwall – and this hotel has a top location beside the harbour. It even has its own pontoons. Dating back to 1640, it’s the oldest accomodation in town, and counts Florence Nightingale among its guests. Its been extensively modernised, but keeps a traditional vibe – the brightly decorated rooms have White Company toiletries, TVs and free wi-fi, and lots of sea views, so do eqnuire. The Water’s Edge restaurant and bar is a good spot for watching the boats bob by. Dogs are welcome, albeit at an extra supplement. 

Based in the fishing village of Portloe, which is found on the Roseland Peninsula, the Lugger is a twenty first-century hotel residing in a seventeeth-century inn and a collection of fishermen’s cottages. Luxurious and white-washed, decorated with elegant restraint, it has an open fire and an atmospheric restaurant with a summer terrace. The 23 rooms are en-suite and have TVs; some even have sea views. You’ll find free wi-fi available throughout the public areas.

St Moritz is a sleek hotel suited for family beach holidays, romantic weekends or spa getaways. It has a spa by Cowshed, a fitness centre, an indoor and outdoor pool and tennis courts. Based in Trebetherick, it’s in a good location for nearby Rock and Padstow, and looks out over the Atlantic and the Camel Estuary. Accommodation here swings between rooms to self-catering apartments – all have complimentary wi-fi, TVs, bathrobes and Cowshed toiletries; some have large balconies. Two restaurants and a bar complete the picture.