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Peaceful, sunny, and culturally and culinarily unique, Cornwall is just far enough away from from ‘everything’ to make it a romantic escape. Take windswept walks along the spectacular coast path, enjoy great food with a great view, relax on the beach or just spend time together not being in a rush: our Gurus’ recommendations for Cornwall’s most romantic hotels are these sorts of places. They’ve picked out Cornwall’s most romantic hotels for foodies, and Cornwall’s most romantic hotel views, as well as Cornwall’s most romantic spa hotels, and the most romantic hotels for a Cornish beach break. So hopefully there’s something to please your paramour.
For The Album
- The Scarlet is an elegant, eco-design hotel with amazing views over Mawgan Porth beach, and the dramatic cliffs and ocean beyond. It has 37 rooms and suites, decorated with contemporary furniture and art — many of them have private sea-view terraces. The spa facilities are state of the art, and there’s both indoor and outdoor pools, and a log-fired clifftop hot tub which guests are able to rent by the hour. The cocktail bar and restaurant benefit from the same incredible views, and a reputation for creative use of local produce.
For a Special Occasion
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- The Hotel Tresanton is a traditional seaside charmer in St. Mawes, with boutique style decor, and a relaxed, but stylish atmosphere. The 33 rooms and suites are individually decorated, and there are friendly communal lounges, plus a huge terrace overlooking the water. The popular restaurant offers a seasonally changing menu that reflects local farming conditions, and the bar is well stocked. The hotel also has a private yacht and a fleet of motor boats.
For the Views
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- The Boskerris Hotel is a sophisticated seaside hotel overlooking Carbis Bay in St Ives. With 15 light, airy rooms, and decor that hints towards the Mediterranean, this feels like a summery spot, though it's cosy in winter too. Most of the rooms have fantastic ocean views, and there’s a large wrap-around terrace which makes enjoying the views over sundowners a serious pleasure. They also serve charming breakfasts, afternoon teas and supper from a regularly changing menu.
For a Romantic Retreat
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- The Lugger bills itself as a 17th century smuggler’s inn, and it’s certainly old and charming. The cove-side location, in quiet Portloe, close to the South West Coast Path, would certainly be convenient for smugglers, but is also convenient for a romantic holiday! There are 24 rooms in the inn, simply decorated in fresh, nautical shades. Our favourite rooms are those with a view. The restaurant is cosy, and has a fantastic terrace for the warmer months. Hearty Cornish fare all round!
For Foodies
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- The Old Quay House Hotel is a luxurious, 11 room boutique hotel in a wonderful location on Fowey’s waterfront, overlooking the estuary. The decor is contemporary and minimalist, with nautical touches in the few spaces where you can’t actually see the sea, and broadly speaking you'll find more traditional rooms in the original building, and more contemporary in the extension. The terrace and ground floor is taken up with a creative restaurant known for doing inventive things with local seafood.
- The Driftwood Hotel is an intimate, charmingly nautical hotel directly overlooking Gerrans Bay, near Portscatho, with a coveted restaurant which is undoubtedly one of the best in the region. The 14 rooms and suites are simply, yet elegantly, decorated in pale, summery colours, and there’s a broad terrace overlooking the water. At the bottom of extensive gardens is a crescent of sand, which is the private beach for the hotel, and halfway between the hotel and the ocean is a romantic cabin, and a pavilion where you can have a private meal, or massage treatment with a view. Spoiling, yet comfortable.
- Merchants Manor is a stylish and luxurious restaurant with rooms in the heart of Falmouth. Accommodation is in small but beautiful rooms — which wouldn’t be out of place in an interiors magazine, or in five separate self-catering holiday cottages, complete with chic, cabin-style timbered walls, living space and outdoor hot tubs. Of course the restaurant, Rastella, is still the main event, serving the very best of Cornwall’s produce and cuisine, to an AA 3 Rosette standard. And there’s a spa offering a range of treatments and massages.
For a Romantic Beach Break
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- Westcroft Guesthouse is a chic, four bedroom B&B on the Rame Peninsula, often referred to as the “forgotten" corner of South Cornwall. As well as being out of the way, Westcroft is just a stones throw from a sandy cove, and the ocean. Each of the rooms is uniquely, and romantically decorated, with styles ranging from decoratively romantic to rustically romantic in the attic. They serve a delicious, locally sourced breakfast, with tea and coffee delivered to your room.
For a Romantic Mini-Break
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- The Mullion Cove Hotel is a wonderfully positioned country house hotel on the cliffs overlooking Porth Mellin in one direction and Mullion Cove in the other. The exterior is every bit the white, seaside hotel, with a lovely outdoor pool and gardens. And inside are 30 rooms and suites, with traditional decor, a nice collection of antiques, and huge sash windows. The bar and restaurant are celebrations of all things Cornish.
- Trewornan Manor is a stylish B&B converted from a 13th century manor house, and set in 25 acres of pretty gardens, just outside Wadebridge. Each of the seven rooms is individually decorated, and feature a range of original details — fireplaces, window seats, sash windows etc. — and there’s a large lounge wth an honesty bar. Intimate and adults only.
- The St Mawes Hotel delivers nautique chic in St Mawes. Its seven rooms, cosy communal spaces, and popular Cornish seafood restaurant offering plenty of seaside charm and style, using stripes, pale wood furniture, contemporary art, huge windows and plenty of blue and white. And it has its own 25 seat cinema. All just minutes from the ocean.
For Don’t-Need-to-Leave-the-Hotel Facilities
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- The Nare is a country-house style hotel, but right on the beach with 36 large, elegant, colonial style rooms and fabulous sea views. The atmosphere is very much that of a luxurious home, with carefully chosen antiques, printed wallpapers and fabrics, and Persian rugs. The facilities are stand out as well — there’s an indoor and outdoor pool; tennis courts and a croquet lawn; a luxurious spa; an outdoor wooden hot tub with ocean views; two restaurants, a bar and a lounge. And The Nare is extremely welcoming of both families and pets.
For Great Value
- History and literature are often romantic, so the fact that Thomas Hardy met his wife at The Old Rectory really adds to the charm of this tranquil, secluded spot. It has just four guest rooms, traditionally decorated, with large sash windows overlooking the beautiful gardens. There are lots of lovely pockets to explore, starting close to the rectory, in their walled veggie garden. There’s no restaurant, but they offer a beautifully cooked Cornish breakfast.
- The Fistral Beach Hotel is a relaxed yet luxurious adults-only property just up from the beach at Newquay. The 71 rooms and suites are framed by huge floor-to-ceiling windows — even in the bathrooms — and the unfussy decor doesn’t distract from the views. Some of the suites have private balconies or hot tubs with a view too. The restaurant specialises in Cornish fare, and there’s an impressive spa, with a steam room, vitality pool and long treatment menu.
Best B&Bs
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- 3 Porthminster is a charming, four room B&B in St. Ives, just a short stroll from the beach. Each of the rooms is light and airy, with plenty of white paint and big windows. They offer the sort of breakfast that will really set you up for the day, and guests are well positioned for restaurants and cafes and all the other charms of St. Ives. It’s very friendly and affordable.
- Lower Barns is a charming stone bungalow converted into a six room B&B, in beautiful, mature gardens in the rolling Cornish countryside just outside St. Austell. Each room is individually designed and decorated, with plenty of colour and nic-nacs collected from the owners' travels. Two of the rooms have a private hot tub. Table d’hote style suppers are offered some evenings, and by request.
- Coswarth House is another small B&B recommendation, this time in pretty Padstow. Its four rooms are quite opulently decorated, with feature wallpaper, ornately carved furniture, chandelier lighting, and plush linens. Outside there’s a wide verandah with sea views, and a sunny garden. Some of the rooms have huge bathrooms with roll-top baths. There’s also a separate cottage. Adults only.
Still not sure where to book?