For me, Cornwall has an unexplainable magic to it. So turning up to a hotel with sweeping Atlantic views, cool coastal aesthetics, a real foodie leaning *and* with children’s entertainment and a soft play bigger than the ones in my London adjacent town? Bedruthan Hotel – I’m interested.
At a Glance
- Two-room family suites
- Heated indoor pool and two unheated outdoor pools
- Children’s activities – such as craft sessions are available but not on a childcare basis
- Two restaurants and an on-site bakery
- Direct beach access to one of West Cornwalls best spots
How to get there
My general advice when it comes to Cornwall is “you’ll need a car” as relying on public transport could become, shall we say, frustrating.
However, the Bedruthan Hotel is a stones throw from Newquay Airport. Couple this with direct beach access, a couple of restaurants and stacks of children’s entertainment and it *might* just be the spot that proves my theory wrong.
This location also means tiny (or adult!) plane spotters can watch flights come into land across the bay.
When to go
During August we had a few of those days where you cannot believe you ever venture off this island we call home. Bright, warm sunshine and long beach days were the order of the day. However, Lady Cornwall can be known to throw several weathers at you in a day but I’m a firm believer that a bracing beach day here at any time of year is good for the soul. Couple that with a cinema room and a plethora of child pleasing activities and you’ve got yourself a year round holiday.
How long to stay
The size of the rooms, stacks of activities and a ‘home away from home’ feeling mean I can confidently state you can bed in for a week or more here and feel totally able to switch off.
The Room
We stayed in one of Bedruthan’s family villas, which was an incredible generously sized room with our own patio and sea views. The room was well sectioned with a double pull out bed which could be further cocooned behind a curtain, a large king size bedroom and a seating area positioned to maximise the view.
The room had a shower rather than a bath – but the shower was a large walk in rainfall so felt luxurious and perfect for what we needed.
There were also a couple of little things that made me believe this hotel *really understands* families. Cavernous walk in storage, a large in-room fridge and streaming services meant we were all incredibly comfortable here.
The Food
When I turn up to family friendly hotels I want (nay expect!) the food to be good but often I’m realistic that I might not get the sort of meals to write home about. This was absolutely not the case at the Bedruthan Hotel. Think seabass with cauliflower puree and a scallop sauce, which much to my delight included large juicy scallops. Or a children’s menu which was well pitched but thoughtful (our 6yo particularly coveted the ham hock, egg and chips…). It was a veritable feast. What was also delighting was the wide range of Cornish wines on offer – the Bacchus particularly caught my attention.
Breakfast was aided and abetted by the incredible on site bakery, Bakery Cornwall, with fresh cinnamon buns and a range of sourdoughs available at the buffet. The breakfast is a luxurious feeling continental buffet with pancakes, smoothies and Cornish goodies. There is a small hot food menu (including a “full Cornish” which can be added for a supplement of £8.
The bar had panoramic views and was a perfect spot to watch the sunset over the bay with a Cornish gin and tonic! Adjacent to the bar is a games and cinema room which may give you a fighting chance of a drink and unbroken conversation with the right age children!
Amenities
The Bedruthan Hotel is very much a ‘come and stay a while’ kind of place. The amenities span indoor and outdoor – which helps to ward against the weather.
For children, the most stand out thing was the full sized indoor soft play. It would not be out of place as the main children’s attraction in a large town. The hotel has a crafting room which any guests can use throughout their stay and they also host daily craft sessions. There are also films aired every day in the cinema room.
The spa is a compact but sufficient spa which includes the usual heat experiences (jacuzzi pool, steam room, sauna, caldarium) as well as a Hammam and Spa Garden both of which can be booked for an additional cost. The spa, though completely functional and capturing the stunning views, is not a destination spa for my tastes. So if this is something that is important to you that is worth bearing in mind.
Want to leave the hotel?
The closest main town to the Bedruthan Hotel is Newquay, which is around a 20 minute drive away. If you’re seeking more beaches, activities and food than this lovely hotel can offer – then tap up my Newquay guide for more information.
Anything else?
One thing I should mention is that in some of the public spaces it can be evident that this is a coastal 70s building. One of the subterranean corridors had a damp smell and the fascia of the building can look a little worn in places. While it would be remiss of me not to mention this, this is a) not typical of the property or b) something that spoiled our enjoyment of this amazing family hotel find on the Cornish coast.
Is the Bedruthan Hotel worth it for families?
You might come for the views but the delightful rooms, entertainment and *punches well above its weight* food offering are the things all the family will stay for.
That Holiday Mum x
(Hosted stay)
Looking for more family hotels in Newquay that really deliver? Check out this detailed review of SeaSpace hotel.