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.
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.
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.
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”.
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.
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.
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.