When Aston Martin supremo David Richards and his hands-on wife Karen took over this prime seafront hotel in idyllic St. Mawes, they didn’t hold back. Out went the fusty English-hotel décor; in came a bright, nautically themed look with hints of St. Tropez and Scandinavia. Chilled music, cheerful Chino-clad staff and colourful Cornish artworks are set against white walls, sea-grass carpets and the azure waters of the Fal estuary. A long sea-facing ground floor segues seamlessly from snug fireside cosy to laidback lounge to moodily lit bar and white-napery dining room. French doors lead to the hotel’s trump card: a gorgeous terrace lapped by the tides. Upstairs are 15 chic bedrooms – all bar four face the sea, the remainder the village – with artful seashells and disguised flatscreens, free-standing tubs or monsoon showers; plus four more cottagey, tranquil harbour-facing rooms in an annex alongside.
We arrived on a flawless, magnolia-strewn April day – the kind when Cornwall seems the most beautiful slice of land on earth – just 2 days after it re-opened. Already the terrace was buzzing with the happy chatter of beautiful people who know they’re in one of the southwest’s plum seats. The vibe is more cocktails than cream tea, more eggs Royal than full English breakfast, but this is the kind of place you can get both, whenever.
Highs
- The setting: right on the azure waters of the Fal estuary, with bobbing boats and passing kayaks, plus a small beach at low tide
- The youthful vibe: chilled music on the terrace, cocktails at sunset, your first name chalked on the door, and an adventurous 20-something chef
- We loved the room décor: chic but not overly fancy, with gorgeous bold fabrics, cleverly concealed technology, pretty seashells and sticks of rock for a maritime touch
- We found the young staff friendly to a fault, and ably led
- St. Mawes itself: a stylish fishing village with a busy little harbour, several beaches, plus a 15th-century castle and leafy Lamorran gardens; families love it here as much as anybody
Lows
- At this price you might hope for more facilities – gardens, pool, spa – but the narrow sea-frontage does not allow space for that (however, a spa is planned at their sister hotel on the harbour)
- Seaward rooms get hubbub from the terrace until late, while village-side rooms overlook the lane
- Some bedrooms, though impeccably equipped and decorated, are on the small side
- Allowing non-residents onto the terrace can make it a little crowded
- High chairs
- Baby cots and bedding
Some equipment may need to be requested in advance
Available with 5 days advance notice
iPad video monitors are available so parents can eat downstairs while the kids are sleeping
Separate high tea for children in the sea-facing restaurant served from 5.30 to 7pm. Menu choices include pasta with tomato choice, chicken burgers and fish goujons. Bottles can be warmed up at any time
- Younger ones will enjoy the first-floor play room with games and books (Brio traintrack, play stove etc), which has its own separate loo with baby changing facilities
- Large flatscreen TV for CBeebies sessions
- Craft materials
- DVD selection
- St Mawes\' Beach for rock pooling and paddling
- Buckets and spades, crab lines and nets to borrow
- Rent kayaks and paddle-boards to explore the coastline and creeks
- Tennis courts
- Country walks
- Fishing trips
- Boat trips
- Boutique Hotel
- 19 rooms
- Restaurant and bar (open daily)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Babysitting
- Creche / Kids Club
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Concierge Service
- Bicycles Available
- Electric car charger
Rooms
Karen has invested heavily in the bedrooms, and revealed an eye for design too. The look is understated nautical chic with tasteful pastel colours (dove greys, sky blues) offset by bright raspberry throws or bold bedheads. Salvaged glass bottles, giant sea urchin shells in a jar, hand-painted dressers and fresh tulips lend artistry. We liked the vintage Roberts radio and the flatscreen TV/browser cleverly disguised as a white-framed mirror.
Half of the 19 rooms look straight onto the harbour, with windowfuls of glorious blue sea. Some (Seaview) have balconettes, a few (Grand Seaview) are more like suites, with small sitting or dressing areas. Many have free-standing tubs in underfloor-heated bathrooms, with a separate wetroom too. All Village and most Harbour View Rooms come with a shower only, but it’s a real deluge, with Aromatherapy Associates smellies to pep you up.
We saw all the rooms and #15 was our favourite: up on the 2nd floor, it feels as if you’re in your own tower, with fittingly grand sea views, plus an open tub and small trunk room. But you don’t need to go top of the range. The Village Hideaway (#16) offers great value for floorspace, with a walk-through dressing room to boot. Harbour Room #2 stood out for its generous bathroom (tub and shower) and twin seaward windows; and L-shaped #12 for its cosily divided sleeping and sitting areas. None are huge, but even the smallest (#10) is adequate for a weekend away without too much luggage.
Mattresses are exquisitely comfy, pillows plentiful and goosedown duvets (almost overly) warm. All Seaview Rooms can be set up with kingsize or twin beds; the rest are kingsize only. Note that the attic Village Hideaway can connect with a Seaview Room to make a lovely family suite.
Sea-facing guests should be prepared for some noise from the terrace until 11ish, while village-side rooms may hear passing cars. If you’re after more tranquility, request one of the four rooms in the separate annex next door: lower ceilings and smaller windows make them darker and more cottagey, but Seaview #20 feels rather cosy and special, while Grand Seaview #17 sleeps up to 4 in an open-plan living-sleeping space, using 2 fold-out armchair beds.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Fan
- Hairdryer
- In-room treatments available
- Minibar
- Safe box
- WiFi
Eating
After evening cocktails on the terrace, we were led inside to a linen-clad, sea-facing table, in an atmosphere of fine-dining calm (younger children eat earlier). The menu - which has changed since our visit - features Cornish meat, dairy and fish, and where possible the fruit and vegetables are too. Even the head chef Dorian grew up in Cornwall.
Begin your evening with fresh local oysters, Tabasco, shallots and lemon and peruse the menu. Dorian's dishes might now include starters like confit of Cornish cod with seared squid, chorizo, Yukon gold potation and saffron rouille; and roasted pumpkin agnolotti with sage oil and aged parmesan. Moving onto mains, roast pollock with a shellfish and bacon risotto sits alongside Cornish aged duck and Primrose herd pork belly. Vegetarians can dig into brassicas, coconut dhal, crispy shallot and almonds.
Delectable-sounding desserts could include 'burnt' custard with rhubarb and ginger; a semi-dried date pudding with rum caramel, toffee crisp and milk ice cream; and a lemon tart with fresh grapefruit and lemongrass ice cream.
Breakfast is a combination of buffet - we loved the yog-strawberry-granola in small kilner jars - and fresh cooked menu items, which include porridge, kippers, thick pancakes with syrup, and eggs cooked to perfection (orangey yolks oozing out over spinach, creamy bearnaise and white muffins).
If heading out for a change of scene, try the Tresanton's restaurant just along the road, The Driftwood (9km) for Michelin-starred cuisine, or quirky Melinsey Mill (12km) for home-fired pizzas, light lunches and cream teas.
Features include:
- Bar
- Kids' meals
- Restaurant
- Restaurants nearby
- Room service
Activities
- St. Mawes is a glorious Cornish harbour village, with 3 small tidal beaches (one next to the hotel), kayaks and sailing boats for hire, and an intriguing circular castle from the 16th century, with salvaged cannons and fortified sea walls
- Strolling around the harbour, you'll find a few cafés, galleries and boutiques, including the gorgeous Onda; but the best place to hang out is always The Idle Rocks' own seafront terrace
- A seasonal foot ferry takes you to the rugged headland and lighthouse of St. Anthony, with great coastal hikes; or follow the estuary path from town to St. Just in Roseland, whose churchyard John Betjeman rated "the most beautiful on earth"
- Another little ferry plies to and fro (all year) to the bustling naval town of Falmouth, with its entertaining Maritime Museum, Stein fish'n'chips, and a mirror image Henry-VIII castle on its own headland
- Garden lovers can walk to Lamorran Gardens in town (April-Sept); or drive to the magical Lost Gardens of Heligan near Mevagissey, or the world-famous Eden Project with its rampant jungles housed in giant bubble domes
- There are several beautiful sandy beaches a short drive or cycle ride away, including Porthcurnick (with its Hidden Hut beach café) and Carne
- If you have other plans, from stand-up paddle boarding to going fishing with a local boat, the hotel's concierge service will oblige
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Boat trips
- Cycling
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Kayaking
- Kitesurfing
- Museums / galleries
- Private guided tours
- Sailing
- Shopping / markets
- SUP
Best Time to go
If you can possibly come in June or September, grab the chance; April-May and October can be glorious too. Midsummer is obviously best for swimming, sailing and beachcombing, but St. Mawes can get quite crowded and prices rise steeply. Don't rule out winter either: the sea views can be inspiring in mixed weather, and sunny days feel like a godsend.
Our Top Tips
Location
The hotel is on the seafront of St Mawes, on Cornwall's south coast. St Mawes is 10km from Truro and a short ferry ride across from Falmouth, in the southwest corner of England.
By Air:
Newquay (45km away) and Exeter (162km away) are the nearest airports. Exeter has better links from other cities within the UK and Europe, but if you're coming from further afield you'll probably arrive at Bristol (260km) or London Heathrow (440km away). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.
From the Airport
We'd recommend driving here. Otherwise, taxis are available from the local airports; or the hotel can arrange a transfer.
By Car:
St Mawes is 2.5 hours south of Bristol and around 4.5 hours from London. The simplest routes from London are M4 then M5 to Exeter, or M3 then A303 to Exeter. From Exeter take the A30 across Dartmoor and down to St. Mawes. For car hire see our car rental recommendations.
By Train:
The nearest rail station is Falmouth Docks, from where you can get a ferry ride across the bay. You can also get a train to St Austell, which has regular, direct services from Bristol, Exeter and London Paddington - see Seat 61 for more details.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to the UK and getting around
Airports:
- Newquay 45.0 km NQY
- Exeter 162.0 km EXT
Other:
- Beach 0.1 km
- Shops 0.1 km
- Restaurant 0.1 km