Ideally located on a clifftop with direct access to an enormous sandy beach, the Bedruthan is a good-value, relaxed hotel for family holidays. Lotte Jeffs reports
On first glance, from the outside, the Bedruthan hotel looks more like a university halls of residence than it does a hotel, but step inside and very quickly you’ll be transported into a chic yet characterful holiday haven.
Since becoming a Gen Y parent and travelling with my wife and Gen Alpha daughter, I’ve been looking for very different things in a hotel. Last time I was in Cornwall I stayed at the Scarlett, which is Bedruthan’s adult-only sister property.
It was perfect for who I was back then – single and childfree and looking for total relaxation. Total relaxation no longer exists as a concept in my life but the Bedruthan Hotel and Spa provides the next best thing – distraction.
There’s a beautifully curated shop selling homewares, a few wooden toys, books and objet d’art. I obviously ended up spending £24 on a superhero mouse within five minutes of checking in. The hotel is only a few storeys high but it’s long.
Set into a cliff overlooking Bedruthan bay, the space is scattered over a few levels and there are steps, lots of them, leading directly to the beach. I loved exploring the property with my kid who took to running wildly down the long corridors. We discovered an indoor soft play, a craft room, a games space with books and a pool table, an outdoor playground and a cinema.
While my wife took our four-year-old for breakfast, I checked out the spa and was impressed with the facilities. There are no illusions of grandeur and it’s not particularly “luxurious” in feel but the hotel describes its spa offering as “inspired by those places where saunas and steam rooms are just a normal part of everyday life”. And I really liked this easy and accessible feel.
There’s an indoor pool, a jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and caldarium, as well as a spa garden to chill out in after a treatment. We enjoyed braving the cold (it was May) in the two outdoor pools.
The breakfast buffet was a big hit with the whole family. While the littlest was able to make her own waffles and cover them in syrup and sprinkles, there were also delicious bagels, DIY toasted paninis and bread made in the on-site bakery, with fresh fruit, yogurts and homemade granola. We dined in the same restaurant for dinner, which – brilliantly for families with young children – starts serving at 5pm.
The menu comprises delicious locally sourced dishes such as Barbecued Pumpkin, Salted Ricotta, Mint and Hazelnut Pesto, Confit Duck Leg, Pickled Red Cabbage Slaw and Grape Ketchup or a simple cheese burger/vegan burger.
For kids, there are the usual favourites. Want pasta with sauce on the side, and cheese on the other side? No problem! They also do hearty lunchtime sandwiches for a picnic on the beach. One night we had dessert on the outdoor terrace and watched the sun go down.
Sensibly, there is a bar and adult-only restaurant, Ogo, which has a more refined and romantic vibe. Chefs draw inspiration from the ever changing coastline and their menus “ebb and flow like the tide”. 
As for the rooms – 32 sea-view doubles have recently been renovated as adult-only rooms with Scandi-style interiors combining bold colour schemes and neutral tones to create a calming environment in harmony with the ocean view. Prices start from £156 per night.
Ours, a family room, also had the most incredible sea views with floor to ceiling windows. The vista really does the talking and thanks to the window in the bathroom (don’t worry there’s a blind) you can enjoy it from wherever you are in the room. Our daughter slept on a sofa bed, while we had a king. The free wifi was fast enough to stream Netflix.
The interiors were pared back with splashes of colour, and there was space in the minibar for keeping our own drinks and snacks cold. There was a Lavazza coffee machine, kettle and a selection of teas. In the bathroom there were (locally made) mini toiletries (Globetrender would like to have seen refillable bottles).
You can book in for activities from pottery to trail running or spend the days in any number of the appealing outdoor areas looking out over the sea. Or, if you’re feeling active there are some beautiful walks nearby, including the Bedruthan Steps coastal trail.
We hit the beach (Mawgan Porth, about a 20-minute walk down the cliff from the hotel), which was expansive and sandy and perfect for children thanks to a few gift/surf shops, restaurants and a big car park close by. (We strolled there for ice creams and cold beer.) I hired a body board and wetsuit for £16 and spent a fun few hours flinging myself into the waves.
In the evening we got the kid to sleep and then took it in turns to go down for a cocktail in the terrace bar.
VERDICT:
I loved how well geared up the Bedruthan is for the whole family. It’s eclectic, a little bohemian and really unpretentious and laidback with the style and comfort of a boutique hotel.
Next time I’ll fly to Newquay which is a five-minute drive from the hotel, as our road trip from South London took a whopping eight hours. Whoever said the journey was just as important as the destination had evidently never spent the best part of a day on the A30. Luckily the destination made it so worthwhile.