Bedruthan Hotel & Spa review: a stylish retreat with endless sea views
Surf, swim and tour Cornwall's coastal highlights from this clifftop perch

When I arrived at Bedruthan Hotel & Spa, on the rugged north Cornwall coast, its rather unassuming facade was initially reminiscent of a lacklustre conference centre or perhaps a primary school sports facility. Not quite the luxurious, four-star establishment I'd been expecting.
But as the saying goes, appearances can be deceiving. And in the case of Bedruthan, what lay within those walls is what made this hotel sparkle.
Location
Bedruthan Hotel & Spa is perched on a hillside above Mawgan Porth beach, with it exquisite views of the Atlantic. Despite its secluded feel, the hotel is a short drive from the bustling seaside town of Newquay and the culinary hotspot and yummy-mummy haven, Padstow. Beware if you're prone to car sickness: the roads are seriously winding.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But back to those views – those omnipresent, omni-gorgeous views. The Cornish coastline is inescapable from almost every part of the hotel.
Generous windows mean that the crashing waves are on display from the bedrooms, spa, dining areas, various recreational rooms and even some of the loos. I particularly enjoyed having a piping hot shower while watching the violent sea and winds raging outside.
Stylish vibes
Bedruthan Hotel & Spa offers guests the choice of spacious doubles, family rooms and apartments
The hotel's interior décor thankfully bears no comparison to its external appearance, with bright colours, contemporary art, soft carpeting and funky furniture.
The stylish vibes carry over into the bedrooms, and there's a range (both with and without sea views) on offer. Mine had a comfy king-size bed, minimalist light fittings and furnishings, and a bathroom with a luxurious walk-in shower – plus an epic view of Mawgan Porth cove, complete with rock pools, caves and golden sand.
Eating and drinking
You'll find a hearty breakfast buffet at the hotel's informal Wild Café. There are hot and cold offerings – but the baked goods are the main event. On day one, I went hard on the croissant section (there's a self-operated grill area where you can toast a ham-and-cheese combination to your personal level of perfection).
On day two, I opted for the "healthier" choice, filling one bowl with various fruits and another with natural yoghurt, multiple berry compotes and a small mountain of homemade granola.
For a smarter, less child-friendly experience, there's Ogo, a downstairs restaurant offering three courses for £50. This is the place for what my waiter described as "Cornish tapas" – a tasty mix of seasonal seafood, from citrus-cured sea trout to steamed Cornish brill.
Enjoy local delicacies in the hotel's eateries
Local activities
For children, Bedruthan Hotel & Spa would surely be a nirvana. There is an abundance of activities on offer to keep them entertained, including arts and crafts sessions, film screenings, yoga classes and more.
As a non-parent, I confess to neglecting those options. Instead, I used the (adults-only) spa and the (not-so-adults-only) pool. There are three outdoor pools in summer, but as I visited in February, the indoor pool had to suffice.
It will come as no surprise that the surrounding area has a wealth of treats for travellers. The beach just below the hotel offers brilliant surfing conditions – I signed up for a morning lesson with King Surf Surf School and left the cove two hours later suitably battered, having had a brilliant time.
Summer days can be spent relaxing in the outdoor pools
Out and about
The famous town of Padstow is roughly 20 minutes' drive away. At the picturesque harbour I visited the inspiring National Lobster Hatchery, a charity that does fabulous marine conservation work to protect the future of the European lobster.
On another (unfortunately drizzly) day, I headed out on a two-hour mackerel fishing trip by a local company called Emma Kate. A young boy reeled in three mackerel compared to my pitiful catch of… none at all. Despite my humiliation, it was still a marvellous experience.
Further afield, see the stunning Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens near Penzance, the brilliant biomes of the Eden Project and the appropriately and adorably named Mousehole on the south coast (sadly, pronounced "mouzle"). All are between 45 minutes' and just over an hour's drive away.
The verdict
Bedruthan Hotel & Spa was the perfect base to soak up the sights and sounds of England's southwestern tip. It's a prime example of why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover – or a hotel by its facade.
Bedruthan is located near many of Cornwall's most scenic spots
Kate Samuelson was a guest of Bedruthan Hotel & Spa, where rates start from £160 based on two people sharing a room with breakfast included. Mawgan Porth, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 4BU; bedruthan.com.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kate Samuelson is The Week's former newsletter editor. She was also a regular guest on award-winning podcast The Week Unwrapped. Kate's career as a journalist began on the MailOnline graduate training scheme, which involved stints as a reporter at the South West News Service's office in Cambridge and the Liverpool Echo. She moved from MailOnline to Time magazine's satellite office in London, where she covered current affairs and culture for both the print mag and website. Before joining The Week, Kate worked at ActionAid UK, where she led the planning and delivery of all content gathering trips, from Bangladesh to Brazil. She is passionate about women's rights and using her skills as a journalist to highlight underrepresented communities. Alongside her staff roles, Kate has written for various magazines and newspapers including Stylist, Metro.co.uk, The Guardian and the i news site. She is also the founder and editor of Cheapskate London, an award-winning weekly newsletter that curates the best free events with the aim of making the capital more accessible.
-
Book reviews: ‘Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America’ and ‘How to End a Story: Collected Diaries, 1978–1998’
Feature A political ‘witch hunt’ and Helen Garner’s journal entries
By The Week US Published
-
The backlash against ChatGPT's Studio Ghibli filter
The Explainer The studio's charming style has become part of a nebulous social media trend
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Why are student loan borrowers falling behind on payments?
Today's Big Question Delinquencies surge as the Trump administration upends the program
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Scottish hospitality shines at these 7 hotels
The Week Recommends Sleep well at these lovely inns across Scotland
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
7 ways to drink spectacularly across the United States this spring
The Week Recommends A bar for every springtime occasion
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
6 welcoming recipes for cooking and baking during your spring days
The Week Recommends You want it flavorful, and you want it exciting
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Spring's best new cookbooks, from pizza to pastries
The Week Recommends Pizza, an array of brownies and Cantonese-American mash-ups are on the menu
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
10 upcoming albums to stream in the hazy spring
The Week Recommends Ring in the end of the cold weather with some new music
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Video games to play this spring, including 'Split Fiction' and 'South of Midnight'
The Week Recommends A meta co-op game puts you in a game within a game, and a life simulator that can compete with the 'Sims' franchise
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
7 new and long-established musicals to see on tour this spring
The Week Recommends Even 'Les Misérables' is back on the road
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Museum exhibitions across the globe are in artful bloom this spring. These are 5 to experience.
The Week Recommends See treasures from ancient Japan, Versailles and the Forbidden City
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published