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If your idea of the perfect holiday involves sand and sea views - and the possibility of an exceptional meal and some great surfing, sailing or walking — then Cornwall is an obvious choice. The difficult choice comes when choosing the best beach hotels in Cornwall, but never fear, our Gurus have taken care of that for you! Whether you're after art in St Ives, food in Padstow, summer fun in Newquay, stunning coastlines around Bude or remote charm in Penzance, there’s a recommendation on our Guru’s list of the best beach hotels in Cornwall for you. And they've included some Cornwall's best beach hotels for families, some of Cornwall's most romantic beach hotels and some of the best value beach hotels in Cornwall too.
For the Album
- The Scarlet is a creatively designed, eco-friendly, adults-only resort hotel overlooking Mawgan Porth Beach. The architecture aims to add to the spectacular scenery – with flat roofs covered in sea thrift resembling cliff tops, and infinity pools that blend into rockpools. And the views are lauded throughout the hotel – especially in the fantastic Ayurvedic spa, the chic cocktail lounge and the stylish hotel restaurant. There are 37 rooms and suites, all with floor-to-ceiling windows, and our favourites with private, sea-view balconies too. The décor is simple and contemporary, with design pieces and art by local artists to add interest.
For a Special Occasion
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- The Tolcarne Beach Colonial Rooms are a collection of nine beach cabins and suites, quirkily, yet luxuriously, decorated, and arranged right on the waterfront of a private stretch of beach along from Newquay. This is a great pick for a special occasion, you’ll never forget the ceilings with their bamboo inlay, the bamboo and raffia chairs, the tropical murals, and the private stretch of sandy beach. The seafood restaurant is pretty memorable too. Adults only.
For the Views
- Lewinnick Lodge is a restaurant with rooms sitting on top of a cliff around a rocky cove from Fistral Beach, which is just one beach along from Newquay. So while it’s not directly on the beach, there’s nothing between you and the ocean when you stay in one of these ten simple, yet stylish rooms and suites. Thankfully all the windows are huge, including those in the fantastic Cornish restaurant, but best of all the restaurant’s terrace juts out over the ocean, with just glass walls as a barrier.
For a Beach Break
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- The Nare is a country house hotel right on the beach, with lush gardens that end where the sand begins. The 36 rooms and suites are spacious and comfortable, and the atmosphere is of a stylish, very comfortable home from home – think antiques, Persian rugs, printed wallpapers and huge windows overlooking the ocean. The Nare has country house hotel facilities, like a spa, tennis courts, croquet pitch, indoor and outdoor pools and two restaurants. Plus seaside extras, like a hotel yacht and motor boat fleet, and a hot tub overlooking the ocean. Children and dogs are welcome too!
For a Bucket and Spade Holiday
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- The Bedruthan Hotel is a crowd-pleaser of a seaside hotel, with 101 contemporary rooms and suites, all with floor-to-ceiling windows — the best with sea views. In the small space between the hotel and the ocean are two pools, and an expanse of lush grass and garden, and you’re minutes' stroll from Mawgan Porth Beach. There’s also an indoor pool and spa, and a choice of two restaurants.
For Romantics
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- The Primrose Valley Hotel has been carefully converted from an Edwardian home, and sits just above the beach in St Ives, offering great views of the lively bay. There are just nine rooms, all stylishly mid-century minimal, and a comfortable lounge and bar. There’s no restaurant, but the bar turns cafe and serves breakfast, and you’re surrounded by options for your other meals. Romantically simple.
- Trevose Harbour House is a stunning, nautical inspired B&B in arty St. Ives, with wonderful views of the Cornish coastline from the windows of almost all of its six, individually designed rooms and suites. There’s a snug and honesty bar downstairs, and the all-organic breakfasts are legendary. Lovers of mid century design will approve, along with lovers of Klein blue.
- The Fistral Beach Hotel in Newquay is a large, clifftop, adult-only hotel, with a full service spa, and sleek, minimal décor that makes way for the fantastic views to shine. The 71 rooms and suites vary in size and facilities, from simple singles, to fancy suites complete with hot tubs on private sea-view terraces. The Cornish fine dining restaurant is romantic and grown up too.
For Foodies
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- The Idle Rocks is a 20 room boutique hotel right on the harbour wall in St. Mawes — a location difficult to top for sea views. The terrace gets best access to those vistas, then the popular ground floor restaurant, with its award winning Asian-twist-on-Cornish-classics-menu, and then the ocean view rooms on the first floor — some of which have French windows onto private, sea-view balconies. The decor feels fresh and on-trend, there’s plenty of people watching to enjoy, and it’s all just stylishly simple.
For Watersports
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- The Carbis Bay Hotel is a luxurious hotel with idyllic bay views and fantastic facilities onsite and locally. Firstly, the St. Ives location is great for all kinds of watersports, but also for arty jaunts, walking and golf, and the hotel adds to that with a great spa, a gym, a games room, plenty of watersports equipment, a choice of six onsite dining options, a hot tub on the beach you can book by the hour, a host of family-friendly activities, and a fantastic range of room shapes and sizes that allow for something for everyone.
For Families
- Incredibly positioned on a clifftop overlooking the ocean and The Lizard, the Polurrian on the Lizard is a family-friendly pick. The location might sounds dangerous, but there’s a safe walk to a private sandy beach, which you can’t see from the hotel, plus expansive gardens with good fences all around the property. There are 39 rooms, suites and villas, with additional family facilities, including a creche, indoor and outdoor play areas, a cinema, and a family-friendly restaurant — but there’s also a fine dining option, and a pool, spa and gym.
- Once an Art Deco seaside institution, today the St Moritz, in Trebetherick, has expanded to become a super family-friendly, resort style hotel, with a collection of 48 rooms, suites, and self-catering apartments and villas. The gardens are big and tropical, with space for an outdoor pool and tennis courts, and inside there’s another pool, a gym and a friendly brasserie. This is a great spot for walkers, surfers and sailors.
- The Rosevine is a charming, family run seaside hotel on a lush, grassy peninsula between Porthbean Beach and Portscatho Beach, with views of both and the ocean in between. Its 12 rooms, suites and self-catering apartments are spacious, tastefully decorated and comfortable, plus there’s a playroom and kids under 16 stay for free. The restaurant is friendly, known for its Modern British cuisine and kids’ menu – all served with a side order of incredible view. There’s also an indoor pool and games room.
For a Waterside Retreat
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- The Talland Bay Hotel is an idyllically sprawling country house hotel, set on two acres of sub-tropical gardens overlooking Talland Bay. Most of the 27 rooms and suites have water views, and decor varying from plush and romantic, to country chintz and New England nautical. The restaurant specialises in Cornish fare, and has two AA rosettes. There’s lots of walking trails, including a two minute stroll to the beach.
- The Driftwood Hotel is an intimate choice, set in private grounds overlooking Gerrans Bay and Porthbean Beach, but with its own perfect crescent of sand at the bottom of its cliff. It has just 14 rooms and suites, all stylishly decorated with a nod to the nautical, offering the perfect blend of comfort and luxury. The restaurant is similarly balanced, relaxed, but excellent, with an impressive wine list. About halfway between the hotel and the beach there’s a private cabin – perfect for romantics, and close to that is a pavilion where they will serve a private lunch, or an aromatherapy massage.
For Port-town Fun
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- Pedn Olva is so close to the beach that at high tide, sometimes the ocean splashes high enough to sent salt spray into the pool, and onto the terrace. The harbour of St. Ives sits on one side of it, and Porthminster Beach on the other. The largely white décor in the 30 rooms and suites is reminiscent of the Mediterranean, like the hotel’s name, and the restaurant menu. The restaurant, with its ocean-side terrace is a popular pick for non-residents too. Balcony Rooms have the best views, and the family suites are spacious, with a range of bunks and beds to choose from.
- The Lifeboat Inn, St Ives is small, but perfectly formed: seven boutique rooms right on the pretty waterfront, with nothing but the road between guests and the bright aquamarine ocean. Most of the rooms have water views, including both of the larger, self-catering apartments, and the family room, which has a double bed and bunks. The pub is the lively heart of the inn, offering superb seafood and pub classics in the fantastic waterside spot.
For Great Value
- The Godolphin Arms is fantastically positioned just along the coast from Penzance, right on the beach and directly opposite St. Michael’s Mount. It has just 12 rooms and suites, all simple, light and well equipped, and decorated in the colours of the beach, plus a friendly bar and restaurant specialising in Cornish cuisine and seafood. The best of the family suites have balconies with sea views.
- Treverbyn House is an elegant property with three B&B rooms, just a short stroll from Padstow Harbour, and some of the UK’s most beautiful beaches. The property has been under the same ownership for 20 years and a lot of care is taken over the decor — wood floors, fireplaces and antiques, and over the service. And there’s an excellent Full English.
- The Beach at Bude is a simple, but stylish choice perfectly positioned so that it overlooks Bude’s surf beach and channel. Its 18 rooms and suites are light and airy, decorated in fresh pastels and contemporary shapes — our favourites have sea views. The restaurant is relaxed, with a cool bar and a trendy British menu.
Still not sure where to book?