The best family-friendly hotels in Cornwall for a dose of coastal fun

A ‘family-friendly’ hotel can often mean a huge compromise on style, not so as this Scandi-inspired beach side hotel. Yes, there are lots of bright colours, but it’s a very deliberate choice, injecting fun into an otherwise grown-up, retro chic interior. There are a few room options, but a sea view family room is a great size with wide clifftop views across the Cornish sea plus a king-sized bed and two separate children’s beds. For some child-free downtime, there’s a pretty unique concept in the spa garden – a self-guided hot (sauna, hot tub, fire pit) and cold (ice-buckets-over-your-head) sensory experience.

Fistral beach is probably one of the most famous beaches in the south of England (it regularly hosts the Boardmasters surfing championships) and the Headland Hotel is arguably the most talked-about place to stay in the area. It’s certainly easy to spot – an imposing Victorian building looming on the precipice of the headland (about 30 steps from the sandy beach). Although parts of it seem grand, behind the impressive exterior it’s supremely relaxed, so nobody will bat an eyelid if you bring the entire pack. In fact kids are embraced here and if you have babies or toddlers under three, they get to stay for free.

Watergate Bay has absolutely nailed that hard-to-manage formula of being all at once spoiling, but also refreshingly low-key, making it one of the best family-friendly hotels in Cornwall. As well as the activities that the hotel itself offers (a Kids Zone where you can leave them for guided play, yoga, Pilates, swimming lessons) it’s so close to the sea that you can almost see the salt spray curling off the
crashing waves. The sand on this stretch is particularly child-friendly – the velvety-soft kind – so you’re likely to spend most of your time exploring the bay. The hotel even offers supervised beach sessions in the summer.

When the sun is dappling across the village of St Mawes, Hotel Tresanton has a distinct Mediterrnean feel to it. Its south-facing terrace is particularly beautiful, jutting out over the ocean and dotted with wooden tables hosting folded cloth napkins and silver Champagne buckets. A subtle nautical theme is seen throughout the polished property, from the gnarly conch shells placed on bedside tables to the blue-and-white striped blankets and contemporary seaside art. During the school holidays children are encouraged to paint and get crafty. There’s also a playhouse, but the real joy for kids here is the hours spent crabbing or dipping teeny fishing nets in and out of sun-warmed rock pools.

The self-catering options here are the real star of the show for families, there’s a generous cluster of them too, meaning you get the practical convienence of a rented house with all the frills of a hotel stay. Pick from traditional-style cottages (perhaps slightly dated with floral curtains and mahogany furniture) or the newer, sleek houses with swish chrome woodburners for winter stays. It may not have a beach location, but the grounds are truly beautiful and perfect for running off energy in. The main restaurant is formal in the evening but the weekly outdoor pizza evenings are a real hit with kids.

St Austell itself may not be the prettiest town (it’s no Port Isaac or St Ives) but The Carlyon is brilliantly situated for great family outings (The Eden Project and Cornucopia children’s park) and the nearby beaches (Carlyon Bay) are the sort of toes-in-the-silky-sand variety that little feet adore. The property itself is large and dominating with charmingly old-fashioned touches – you’re greeted by a white-gloved, top-hatted doorman for example. Because it’s got such a vast footprint, it’s a bit of a natural playground for children, who will have just as much fun on the treehouse outside as they will tearing through the thick-pile carpet corridors.

The Isles of Scilly is one of those spots that you have either been coming to since you were five – or you’re yet to even consider it as a destination. Once you do, there’s no looking back and your kids will thank you for introducing such an idyllic backdrop to their own childhood. A hop over from the main island of St Mary’s, the miniscule island of Brhyer (just one and a half miles long) is home to one of the area’s best hotels; Hell Bay. A new England-style boutique property with a white and sky-blue clapboard exterior and well-worn wicker furniture and quirky art inside. There’s tons of secret coves to explore (some rugged and wild, some calm and flat) and the hotel’s restaurant (or more accurately a shed) The Crab Shack is seriously fun.

Part of Luxury Family Hotels, this clutch of properties puts children front-and-centre (and knows that when the kids are happy, so are the parents). Fowey Hall is a favourite for its fantastic location with views across the estuary and the quintessential Cornish fishing village of Fowey. Lots of messing about on the river is in order here, from sailing and kayaking to simply paddling in the cool waters before pootling into town to find local Cornish ice creams. Back at the hotel there’s so many welcome extras: a baby listening service in the evening, free childcare (90 mins) included for every night of your stay, plus sandwiches and cakes especially for little ones served at 5pm everyday.

This small hotel is precise in so many ways – its service is friendly but always on point, its decor is clean but overall relaxed and even its room categories do exactly what they say on the tin; described as ‘family suite without a view’ for example (a good choice value-for-money wise and it’s still got plenty of natural light). Breakfast is a real high point with juices, muesli, granola and pastries, mixed nuts and seeds, Cornish yogurt, fresh fruit salad and a cafetiere of locally roasted Padstow coffee. Just out of the hotel (turn right down Rock road) you’ll find another super family-friendly place to eat, The Rock Inn has been loved by locals (and their dogs) for years serving up big plates of comfort food.