St Mawes Hotel is a luxury hotel in south Cornwall with beautiful sea views from its tranquil and unbeatable waterfront location right on the harbour of St Mawes. The hotel is so close to the sea that you can lie in bed and hear the waves lapping on the little beach.
There are seven rooms, all decorated in contemporary neutrals with coir carpets and original art or limited edition prints on the walls. Enjoy rooms overlooking a sheltered south-facing bay.
The three rooms at the front all have sea views.
The four rooms behind look over the quirky roofs and chimney pots of the village across the Fal River to Falmouth. Beds have goose feather and down pillows and duvets, superlative Egyptian cotton sheets, and subtly striped blankets by the cult Welsh woollen mill, Melin Tregwynt.
All rooms have televisions, Nespresso machines and kettles.
All ages are welcome. The Falmouth View Family Room sleeps four and children are welcome in the restaurant at all times.
Dogs and bath lovers will enjoy the Village Rooms which are dog friendly and have roomy, egg-shaped tubs. The hotel will also provide dog bowls, beds and treats.
Breakfast is served in the Upper Deck Restaurant and includes croissants, flakes and granola, yogurt, fresh and cut fruit, and a tantalising range of nuts, seeds and sprinkles. Porridge with Cornish honey, full English, smoked salmon with scrambled egg and capers, and a delicious avocado with poached egg on rye feature on the cooked menu.
For lunch and dinner, eat upstairs in the lounge or downstairs in the bar, depending on your mood. The Modern European food is perfectly in keeping with the hotel’s relaxed ethos –epitomised by ‘small plates’ perfect for a light lunch or for sharing over an aperitif – such as sourdough bruschetta with avocado and tomato, seabass ceviche, cod brandade, or beetroot with orange, olives and chicory. Mains naturally include fish of the day, in summer servedwith broad beans, courgette, bulgar and chermoula.
There are heartier meat options too, and plenty for vegetarians (try the courgette fritters). The St Mawes even has its own pizza chef producing stone-baked pizza (try goat cheese, red onion and artichoke) – perfect on a sunny lunchtime, with the balcony windows open – or even as a takeaway on the beach.
The boat-channelling Upper Deck serves up plenty of sea views – along with some hearty modern British fare. Local farmers and fishermen are championed, so you can expect to have travelled further than most of what’s on your plate. Do your best to stick around for the Sunday roast.
You’re encouraged to pop next door to the Hidden Cinema to catch a postprandial flick and other entertainment includes live music on Thursday evenings.
The village of St Mawes itself, tucked into a sheltered, south-facing nook of the Fal Estuary, is one of Cornwall’s most noted sun-traps – and can look and feel positively Mediterranean.
The village lies on the Roseland Peninsula, with fabulous sandy beaches accessible by car, boat, paddleboard or on foot along the South West Coast Path. To get here, take the hourly passenger ferry from Falmouth, or drive from Truro via the historic King Harry Ferry, which crosses the river below the National Trust house and gardens of Trelissick.
The Eden Project, Lost Gardens of Heligan, Padstow, St Ives and Fowey can all be seen in day trips – though many people discover the greater pleasures that are to be had in St Mawes, pottering around in the water and on the beaches, and going for local walks along the coast to Portscatho and Porthcurnick or upriver to the exquisite churchyard of St Just in Roseland. Falmouth, Truro and the Trelissick gardens are all accessible by passenger ferry.
St Mawes harbour is the docking point for the passenger ferry from Falmouth and the car ferry from Truro. Private jets can touch down at Newquay’s airport.
The closest big town is Truro, a 40-minute drive north. It’s worth coming by car if you want to see more of Cornwall.
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