It’s a long drive to the beautiful Roseland Peninsula in south Cornwall, but 100% worth it for the quiet beaches, blue seas, stunning countryside and pretty villages you'll discover. And at the very end of this peninsula you'll find the welcoming white facade of The Rosevine, the hotel/apartment cross that's made UK family holidays a heck of a lot easier and a whole lot more chic. Yet despite its lovely interiors, there's an unpretentious, homely charm about the place that's perfect for calming post-journey frazzled nerves.
This grand Georgian house is imbued with a fresh, seaside style and the team really thought of everything. Comfortable accommodation, check. Inviting communal spaces, check. A heated indoor pool and lovely playroom with a train set, board games and kids' films - check! Add to this in-room kitchenettes for preparing snacks, a sea-view restaurant, a vast garden with a playground, and a sandy beach just a stroll away. Family holiday heaven, indeed - but also a great place to enjoy Cornwall's charms in quieter months - dogs are welcome in certain rooms. Above all, what we really loved about The Rosevine was its small, intimate size, and homely ambiance. Staff are friendly, the vibe casual and relaxed.
Highs
- Stylish accommodation: studios or 2-bed apartments. All have a reasonable amount of space and many have sea views
- Heaps of kids' paraphernalia to borrow, including buggies, sterilisers, baby backpacks and beach toys
- Beautiful Porthcurnick Beach is just steps away, as are foodie destinations The Hidden Hut and Driftwood
- The restaurant serves modern British food, afternoon teas and early kids' suppers.
- A real treat for grown-ups: adults-only lounge with wood-burning stove, heavenly beds and a candlelit restaurant - pack your baby monitor and 'dine out'
Lows
- A strict cancellation policy
- Couples may prefer to avoid school holidays but don't write this place off, it's perfect for hiking the rest of the year
- The in-room kitchenettes are basic - no hobs, just a microwave-oven
- The indoor pool could become crowded in peak season
- Some rooms lack sea views, but all have their charms
There's plenty of kit to borrow, thus lessening your packing:
- Baby backpack
- Buggy
- Steriliser
- Bottle warmer
- Changing mat
- Nappy bin
- Highchair
- Travel cot
- Baby bath
- Children's plates and cutlery
- Beach toys
Some equipment may need to be requested in advance
Fully qualified babysitters are available for day and night-time sessions, by prior arrangement.
The restaurant has a kids' menu, plus baby monitors reach here from most apartments (check when booking) so you can 'dine out'. Breakfast is served daily from 8.30am. There's a good buffet spread to satisfy all hungry kids. The kitchenette in your apartment is great for preparing early morning toast and general snacks (note there are no hobs, only microwave-ovens, toasters and fridges).
- Indoor heated pool
- Table tennis
- Playroom (books, Lego, a train set, toy cars, Sticklebricks, a dolls' house, DVDs, jigsaws, board games and an X Box)
- Outdoor climbing frame and a wendy house
- Garden games, such as football
- Beach (swimming, sandcastle-building, rock-pooling)
- Kayaking
- Fishing
- Bike hire
- [l:http://www.flambards.co.uk:Flambards] theme park
- The [l:http://www.nmmc.co.uk:National Maritime Museum]
- The [l:http://www.edenproject.com:Eden Project]
- Boutique Hotel
- 15 apartments for 2-5
- Restaurant + basic self-catering
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Indoor 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
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Concierge Service
- Laundry room
- Electric car charger
Rooms
There are 15 apart-rooms spread between the main house and a quieter annexe; those in the former have a seaside-chic style whereas those in the latter have a contemporary-cool vibe. Beds are seriously comfy with doubles for adults and twin or bunk rooms for kids. Bathrooms have a shower and/or tub plus fluffy bathrobes (handy for the pool). Each room has a kitchenette, too, for preparing snacks.
In the main house, each is elegantly decorated in stripes and seagrass flooring, with linen cushions and lovely nautical details. We especially liked the sea facing Family Apartments, which have 2 bedrooms (a double and a twin or bunk room), open-plan living areas and double doors opening onto a decked terrace and the sea-view garden beyond. They are extremely popular so book early. Kids will love being close to the indoor pool!
Of the upstairs Family Apartments, Caerhays was our favourite as it felt so spacious. Our kids loved Hemmick's attic bedroom and Porthluney's bunk room. You'll also find the sea-view Studios in the main house, these can interconnect and are ideal for a couple with a baby or 1 child.
On our most recent visit, we stayed in one of the newer (dog-friendly) Slate Rooms. Hidden in an annexe at the back of the property, each one opens onto a small terrace and a quiet communal garden. Fresh white floorboards and contemporary leather armchairs filled the generous open-plan space, and the luxe ensuite wet-room was a welcome treat.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Fan
- Hairdryer
- Iron
- WiFi
Eating
The Rosevine's shuttered sea-view restaurant is airy in the day and candlelit at night - we found it wonderfully relaxing. From the modern British menu, we feasted on catch of the day and a delightful smoked mackerel starter. But the Rosevine homemade burger stole our hearts. For pudding, we kept it local with clotted cream rice pudding and a Cornish cheese selection. The wine list was short but reasonably priced and on our stay included the award-winning local Camel Valley sparkling wine.
For breakfast, our omelettes were perfection and 'The Works' full Cornish breakfast hit the spot; preluded by a good buffet of freshly baked pastries and bread, fruit salad and yogurt.
Each room has a kitchenette so you can knock up snacks for the kids or a quick lunch. There's a microwave-oven, kettle, fridge, toaster, dishwasher and plenty of crockery and cutlery, but no hob.
For a change of scene, head along the lane to Michelin-starred Driftwood or to The Hidden Hut on Porthcurnick - a beach-hut café famed for its summer feast nights (book ahead) and hearty lunches with a Famous Five wholesome vibe.
Features include:
- Bar
- Coffee maker
- Dishwasher
- Fridge
- Kids' meals
- Kitchenette
- Meal delivery service
- Microwave
- Restaurant
- Restaurants nearby
- Room service
- Toaster
- Vegetarian options
Activities
- Stroll 5-minutes down the lane to Porthcurnick Beach, owned by the National Trust. This sandy stretch has safe swimming, and rock-pooling at low tide. There are other fabulous beaches a short drive away, including Booby's Bay and Towan Beach
- Walk the coastal path, Porthscatho village is just 20 minutes away. You can also hire bikes or kayaks, go stand-up paddle boarding or take fishing trips - ask reception. If you want to learn to surf, drive to the north-coast beaches for the day
- St Mawes is only 6km away - idle away a few hours in the delightful galleries and shops or hop on the passenger ferry to Falmouth
- Also on the Roseland Peninsula is the beautiful little village of St Just with its picturesque church, plus Veryan with its infamous round houses and St Mawes' Castle
- The National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Trelissick Gardens (National Trust), the Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan are all close by
- Get your aprons on: nearby Philleigh Way Cookery School can arrange packages for the whole family
- Back at the hotel, the adults-only drawing room has a wood-burning stove and peaceful atmosphere for reading and relaxing. Next door, a kids playroom has a cupboard full of toys and games
- The spacious grounds have a large lawn to relax on, plenty of chairs and tables for sunny alfresco dining and drinks, and a lower field with a kids play area
- There's also a great guide in each apartment, loaded with info about the property and how to make the most of your time in the area
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Boat trips
- Cycling
- Fishing
- Golf
- Historical sites
- Kayaking
- Museums / galleries
- Plantlife / flora
- Sailing
- Swimming
- Table tennis
- Windsurfing
Best Time to go
The Rosevine is fantastic come rain or shine. Apartments are cool in summer and cosy in winter. Cornwall is especially lovely in spring and autumn when the crowds have eased, but the beaches cry out for summer holidays and buckets and spades.
Our Top Tips
The heated indoor pool is a treat for parents as well as kids. Many mums and dads take turns sneaking down for a peaceful early morning swim each day, plus there are adult-only swim times too.
Staying with the dog? The dog wash station makes cleaning your best friend even easier after a pre-breakfast walk along the beach. Make the most of the near-empty sands and glorious golden light.
Staying with the dog? The dog wash station makes cleaning your best friend even easier after a pre-breakfast walk along the beach. Make the most of the near-empty sands and glorious golden light.
Location
The Rosevine is on Cornwall's south coast Roseland Peninsula, close to the village of Portscatho and 30 minutes from Truro.
By Air:
Newquay (30km) and Exeter (80km / 1.5 hours) are closest airports, the hotel can arrange transfers from each but they have very limited flights. Bristol is a much bigger hub and a 2.5-hour drive away.
By Car:
We'd recommend driving - see our car rental recommendations. The hotel has a car park and it's a 4.5-hour drive from London. You'll need to bring your own cable if charging an electric car, the hotel can supply an extension lead from inside the hotel.
By Train:
If you'd prefer to travel by train, head to Truro (approx 4 hours from London Paddington) or St Austell. You can then take a taxi or use The Rosevine's SUV transfer service (fully fitted with children's car seats and bottles of water).
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 30.0 km NQY
- Exeter 80.0 km EXE
Other:
- Beach 0.5 km
- Shops 1.0 km
- Restaurant 0.5 km