15 best hotels in Cornwall, according to someone who lived there
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I'm well acquainted with the best hotels in Cornwall having grown up there for the better part of 11 years. I'd call myself a bit of an expert, even, as I literally lived in one.
My parents owned a 12-bed B&B in the heart of St. Ives – a fishing town in the South West of England – so from the age of seven to eighteen, I experienced the travel/hospitality industry first-hand. Truthfully? You'll find some of the greatest hotels in the UK down there.
I'm not exaggerating when I say it's one of the most beautiful places to go on holiday in the world, let alone England, but with that comes a slew of accommodation choices which can be super confusing. So, if searching for the best hotels in Cornwall has landed you with even more questions than you first started out with, let me be your personal guide.
Skip to: The best hotels in Cornwall | What is the best part of Cornwall to stay in? | How we chose the best hotels in Cornwall.
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What is the best part of Cornwall to stay in?
I may be biased, but St. Ives is definitely up there. It has seven beaches (!), a Tate gallery, museums, independent shops and the tastiest pasties you'll ever eat. That said, it's not the only must-see place, so I've narrowed down my top 5 locations in Cornwall below – with a small summary as to where you'll find them and what they're best for.
- St. Ives – Best for: its beaches and art scene. Located: West Cornwall.
- Padstow – Best for: its food and coastal trails. Located: North Cornwall.
- Fowey – Best for: its old-fashioned fisherman cottages and pretty cafes. Located: South-East Cornwall.
- Porthleven – Best for: its historic harbour and markets. Located: South Cornwall.
- Falmouth – Best for: its maritime history and tourist spots. Located: South-West Cornwall.
How we chose the best hotels in Cornwall:
As well as living there for over a decade, I now visit from London as often as I can, so I have real insider experience when it comes to which hotels in Cornwall are worth staying at. While compiling this round-up, I took things like catering, room size, amenities, and location into consideration, as well as noting if the hotel has a spa and rooms with sea views. I've included a mixture of luxury properties, boutique, and lesser-known boltholes – so you'll definitely find what you're looking for here.
Of course, there are plenty of quaint bed and breakfasts, rental cottages and Airbnbs in Cornwall to consider, but if you're looking for somewhere to really put your feet up and relax while exploring all that Kernow has to offer, a hotel is the way to go. My current favourite? St. Michaels Resort, Falmouth. I stayed there just last month; read my full review below.
Below: the 15 best hotels in Cornwall to book for a 2024 trip
For more from GLAMOUR UK's Senior Commerce Writer Georgia Trodd, follow her on Instagram @georgiatrodd. Save when you book the best hotels in Cornwall – from adults-only Georgian guesthouses, the Watergate Bay Hotel and driftwood decorated Victorian buildings, to places in St Mawes, Mawgan Porth and the Roseland Peninsula – with these Booking.com discount codes and vouchers at checkout.
Best Hotel in Falmouth Cornwall
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Beachy interiors and relaxation.
- Price per night: From £176.
Why we love it: "Opposite Gyllyngvase Beach, St Michaels Resort is a 15-minute walk from Falmouth town and harbour – but it really feels like its own oasis. The residence features two restaurants (more on those later), a bar, and a luxury spa and a Health Club.
The room myself and my partner had was actually one of their newer Spa Garden Lodges, nestled in the serenity of sub-tropical gardens. Thanks to sunny weather it actually felt like we were in a jungle, too. With a large, comfy bed, waterfall shower, Elemis toiletries to help ourselves to, and an outdoor bathtub, we were like pigs in mud.
A bit about the restaurants: There are two on site, one called Brasserie on the Bay which offers a relaxed AA Rosette Cornish dining experience, and one called the Garden Kitchen which provides fresh and seasonal plates. Think stone-baked pizzas with a mesh of local toppings and leafy, zingy buddha bowls. Both of them are divine, and if you get the chance to eat at both you absolutely should. I highly recommend any of the fish dishes – because if you don't have fish when in Cornwall, you're doing something wrong.
If you book one of the Spa Garden Lodges you'll have free spa access for your entire stay, but you do still need to book in advance. And, fair warning, it's not quiet. It gets extremely busy, and there are limited places to sit down and unwind both outside by the hot tub and inside by the hydrotherapy pool, so I recommend asking the team when's best to pop by if you prefer less people.
When there, though, you'll have the chance to book yourself in for a treatment of your choice – anything from facials and scrubs to manicures and rhassoul treatments. I had a blissful 60-minute Elemis Couture Touch massage, and felt truly restored after. They select an aromatic oil according to your concerns – be they muscle pain, stress relief, energising or body balance – so you really feel the benefits afterwards.
I'd suggest a two-night stay minimum if you want to explore more than just the hotel and Falmouth, which you'd be mad not to, and recommend it to any couple looking for a restful break from busy life. We already want to go back." – Georgia Trodd, Senior Commerce Writer.
Best Hotel in St. Ives Cornwall: Beachside
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Proximity to the sea and beaches.
- Price per night: From £145.
Why we love it: Overlooking the Atlantic sea and St. Ives Bay, Pedn-Olva offers elegant rooms with truly magnificent views. It has an outdoor swimming pool (though the sea is a matter of meters away), with a spacious terrace and popular restaurant on-site. Each room has a private bathroom, with all the usual amenities you'd expect to find alongside. It's right beside paddleboarding-famous Porthminster beach and St. Ives train station, and Porthmeor (the surf beach) is just a 15-minute stroll.
Best Hotel in Newquay Cornwall
The Headland Hotel and Spa, Newquay
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Fantastic food and a top-rated spa.
- Price per night: From £224.
Why we love it: I've had this hotel on my ‘to-stay-at’ list for a while now – one look at the 5-star reviews and I'm sure it'll wind up on yours, too. With two restaurants (RenMor, which features floor-to-ceiling windows and exquisite British food headed by Fred Goodrich, and The Terrace, which is perfect for a spot of lunch), The Headland Hotel and Spa is worth visiting if only to dine at. If you do decide to stay, however, you'll find the Aqua Club with its six outdoor and indoor swimming pools, a spa with treatments from Elemis, Voya and OPI, and spacious bedrooms you'll never want to leave. Oh, and it's virtually on top of Fistral beach.
Best Hotel in Cornwall: Mousehole Hotels
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Pub style.
- Price per night: From £104.
Why we love it: Mousehole (pronounced mow-zuhl) is a pretty little village between Penzance and Lamorna. It's a short drive away from Newlyn – which is best known for its meaderies – and is full of small shops, pubs and cafes. Along the working harbour front you'll find The Ship Inn, with original oak beams, open fires and cosy bedrooms each with their own bathroom. It's particularly perfect for couples.
Best Hotel in Cornwall: Carbis Bay Hotels
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Aparthotel accommodation with a spa.
- Price per night: From £125.
Why we love it: Approximately 1.7km from Carbis Bay beach, Una offers private lodge-style accommodation for each of its guests with hotel perks on top. You'll find an in-house restaurant and full access to the sauna, hot tub, spa facilities and indoor pool. Each ‘unit’ has a terrace, fully equipped kitchen with an oven (if you do fancy self-catering), a fireplace, seating area, TV, washing machine and private bathroom.
Best Hotel in Cornwall near Land's End
The Old Success Inn, Sennen Cove
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Proximity to Land's End and the Minack theatre.
- Price per night: From £119.
Why we love it: Sennen Cove is a small coastal village, where the South West Coast Path passes through. Great for hikers (dust off those walking boots, folks), and lovers of the arts, it's close to both Land's End and the Minack theatre – both of which are top tourist destinations. The Old Success is full of charm as a 17th-century English property, and features a restaurant, bar and modern bedrooms with sea view availability.
Best Luxury Hotel in Cornwall: Family-Friendly
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Families.
- Price per night: From £165.
Why we love it: Fowey Hall is located in Fowey (shock), a charming port town in the south-east of Cornwall. It's a 15-minute drive to the Eden Project – which is a must-see tourist spot – and features an indoor and outdoor pool, kids' club, spa, room service and 24-hour front desk. The luxurious interiors will have you feeling like you're abroad and likely wishing to extend your stay.
Best Hotel in Cornish Fishing Village
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Traditional Cornwall.
- Price per night: From £135.
Why we love it: Overlooking Portleven Harbour, The Harbour Inn offers spacious rooms with en suites, a traditional restaurant, cosy bar – which is popular with local fishermen – and sea views. Porthleven is a traditional (and very pretty) town, and is the most southerly port in Great Britain. It was a harbour of refuge when this part of the Cornish coastline was known for ship wrecks, so it's full of history.
Best Hotel in Cornwall: City
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: City perks.
- Price per night: From £101.
Why we love it: Truro is Cornwall's county town, sole city and definitely worth a visit if you're keen for a spot of shopping. It's also the perfect base if you wish to do a bit of sight seeing here there and everywhere, as it's pretty central and accessible via train, car and coach/bus. The Alverton is perched on the outskirts of the city centre and is a magnificent, grade II listed building steeped in history, boasting original architecture dating back to the nineteenth century. The two AA-rosette awarded restaurant overlooks the hotel's lawns and vistas, while each bedroom marries classic stately home touches with contemporary, quirky interiors.
Best Hotel in Cornwall For Foodies
Harbour Hotel Padstow, Padstow
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Foodies.
- Price per night: From £160.
Why we love it: If you're a foodie, you're sure to have heard of Padstow. Some of the world's most renowned chefs – including Rick Stein and Paul Ainsworth – have restaurants here, so it's one to add to your list if it isn't at the top already. Harbour Hotel Padstow is located on the busy harbour front and boasts views of the picturesque town and Camel Estuary. Each room is bright and individually decorated, though with Padstow as popular as it is, you'll likely hardly spend any time there at all.
Best Quirky Hotel in Cornwall
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: History.
- Price per night: From £242.
Why we love it: Ever wanted to stay in prison without, you know, committing a crime? Well no you can thanks to the newly refurbished Bodmin Jail, which has been transformed into a hotel. Is it haunted, you ask? I can't make any promises (there were 55 executions there back in the day, after all), but it will make for an interesting night.
Best Hotel in Cornwall for Ocean Views
Polurrian on the Lizard, Mullion
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Cycle trails.
- Price per night: From £129.
Why we love it: Set in 12 acres of mature cliff-top gardens, this luxury seaside hotel offers wonderful scenes across Mount's Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The hotel features a restaurant, spa and a cinema room. Most of the bedrooms are sea view, but virtually every shared space has panoramic sights to enjoy while indulging on an afternoon tea, so you needn't worry too much about missing out.
Best Hotel in Cornwall for Cyclists
The St Enodoc Hotel, Wadebridge
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Cycle trails.
- Price per night: From £155.
Why we love it: The quaint market town of Wadebridge is a central spot for cycling the Camel Trail between Padstow and Bodmin, as well as being home to the Royal Cornwall Showground and The St Enodoc Hotel. From the seasonal outdoor pool to the beachy bedrooms, this is the place to stay if you're looking to be based in the north of Cornwall.
Best Hotel in Cornwall: Penzance
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Views of St. Michael's Mount.
- Price per night: From £109.
Why we love it: If you're wanting to travel around Cornwall, staying at multiple hotels while you do, Penzance might be on your list (especially if you're going on to the Isles of Scilly). If so, Hotel Penzance is where you should set your sights. It's set in two conjoined Edwardian townhouses and offers award-winning cuisine and boutique bedrooms. Relax in the swimming pool in the laidback Mediterranean-style/sub-tropical gardens, or take a 15-minute stroll to Long Rock beach.
Best Boutique Hotel in Cornwall: Manor House
The Pig At Harlyn Bay, Harlyn Bay
- Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- Best for: Boutique interiors.
- Price per night: From £235.
Why we love it: One of Cornwall's most historic country houses dating back to the 15th century, The Pig at Harlyn Bay has far-reaching sea views, oodles of quirks and character and stacks of original features. It's a stone's throw over the water from the iconic towns of Rock and Polzeath, and plenty to do whether you're blessed with sunshine or Poldark-inspired rain. Each room is decorated to the boutique-y style The Pig hotels are known for, but with hints of the seaside thrown in.
