14 of the best affordable hotels in Cornwall under £150

We’ve set our budget bar at £150 a night or thereabouts. To get these rates in July or August, you will have to book well ahead, juggle your dates a bit, and probably avoid weekends. Outside these peak months it will be much easier. Consult a few sites before you book, especially last minute. Here’s our pick of the best affordable hotels in Cornwall.

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1. Bedruthan Hotel & Spa, Mawgan Porth

SPA | POOL | Best for family getaways

Getting a room at this renovated clifftop hotel for around £150 in July or August is not impossible, but you’ll need to book well in advance and probably settle for an inland room. In the shoulder months, sea-view bargains can often be had. The architecture is boxy, a legacy of the hotel’s Sixties origins, but the fantastic facilities and child-friendly ethos make it a Cornwall family favourite: there’s a super spa, a choice of pools and tons of kids’ activities, from a cinema club to surfing lessons. The restaurant choice is tempting too: seasonal and local at Ogo, casual and family-friendly at the Wild Café, or alfresco cookouts with Fire & Feast.

2. St Moritz Hotel, Trebetherick

SPA | POOL Best for out-of-season deals

While suites at this modern hotel complex between Padstow and Polzeath can easily cost twice our budget, if you book ahead for the off-peak months, you can often bag a real bargain here. “Cosy” rooms are on the small side, and generally have no view, but you can spend the saving on a spoil or two — dinner at the Shorecrest Restaurant, say, or a treatment at the glitzy Cowshed Spa, the only one in the UK not at a Soho House and recently the subject of a £2m upgrade, with crystal steam room, elemental ice fountain and a swim-out hydro pool. Daymer Bay, John Betjeman’s favorite beach, and the increasingly posh hangout of Polzeath are both a half-mile walk away.

3. Havener’s, Fowey

Best for a river view

This maritime-themed pub-hotel, owned by St Austell Brewery, occupies a corking position right in the heart of Fowey — with luck, you might even be treated to a river view from your bedroom. It’s right down by the harborfront in a super spot for exploring the town, and the pub grub is reliably good too — but note that late-night noise might be an issue during the busy summer months.

4. Alverton Hotel, Truro

Best for a city stay

Staying in Cornwall’s only city (which earned the status on account of its 19th-century cathedral) might not be your first choice for a summer holiday, but it’s worth considering as it tends to be much cheaper than the coast. This elegant hotel is located in a former convent just outside the city center, and offers seriously grand architecture and delightful grounds to wander.

5. Highcliffe, Falmouth

Best for living like a local

Scandi style can be found at this pad in seaside Falmouth, as well as rooms under £150 even in August. All have their own look — statement wallpapers and sheepskin rugs, perhaps, or Danish-style furniture combined with distressed wood — and several have stunning sea views. One reason the rates are lower is that they don’t serve breakfast. Thankfully, Falmouth has plenty of options: Espressini, Good Vibes and Stones Bakery are excellent, and for supper, Highcliffe’s owner also runs Indidog: a waterside bistro that offers guests a 10 per cent discount.

6. Polurrian on the Lizard, Mullion

Best for soaking up the surroundings

A stalwart on the Lizard, much revamped in recent years — with zingy, modern decor and a very decent restaurant and sea-view bar. The hotel’s vintage architecture means the corridors can be a bit echoey, and the decor feels sparse in the cheaper rooms, but rates are affordable all year. For around £150, you’ll probably have an inland view — but if you want sea vistas, just head down to the bar for a cocktail, or wander round the clifftop gardens instead.

• Read our full review of Polurrian on the Lizard

7. The Cornwall Hotel & Spa, St Austell

SPA | POOL | Best for visiting the Eden Project

St Austell isn’t the prettiest Cornish town, but it’s very handy for exploring the beaches around St Austell Bay, the Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan. This big, rather corporate hotel is located a little south of town in spacious, lawned grounds. The original Victorian manor has been supplemented with modern “woodland lodges”, as well as a plush spa. It’s a good bet for last-minute or seasonal deals.

• Best places to visit in Cornwall
• Best spa hotels in Cornwall

8. Lower Barns, Roseland

Best for quirky character

This endearingly bonkers B&B is in a bucolic corner of the Roseland, the rural peninsula to the east of the Fal river, and while it’s certainly not one for minimalists, its eccentric decor is huge fun. From reclaimed chandeliers to repurposed doors, vintage signs, skull-print cushions and handmade four-poster beds, its colourful, hippie-tinged chic has way more imagination than most hotels — and the countryside setting is glorious. Some suites have outdoor hot tubs, too.

9. St Tudy Inn, Bodmin Moor

Best for walking the moor

This cozy village inn sits in the middle of Cornwall’s wild moor, and it’s well-known locally for its food — but it also has four attractive rooms in a converted barn next to the inn. The pub is owned by the folk behind Harbor Brewing, so there’s a good choice of beers on tap, and the inn makes an excellent base for walks: Cornwall’s highest hill, Brown Willy, is the most obvious target.

10. An Mor Hotel, Bude

Best for exploring Bude’s beaches

You get a fair amount of bang for your buck at this no-frills Bude establishment (actually more budget B&B than hotel), including sea or countryside views, a handy spot close to town, and the Coast Beach Bar next door. Rooms are simply furnished but pleasant, and Summerleaze beach is on your doorstep. Don’t miss a dip at Bude Sea Pool.

11. Plume of Feathers, Mitchell

Best for proper pub grub

The location is unusual here: a small village in mid-Cornwall, off the main A30 road (you’ll need a car to get here). But the pub has a stellar dining reputation, and now offers a selection of upmarket suites in a renovated building across the courtyard — all stylish and with a cracking breakfast thrown in. Rates bounce around a bit: midweek is cheaper, so avoid Friday or Saturday nights for the best bargains.

12. Jamaica Inn, Bodmin Moor

Best for literary connections

You can’t improve on the heritage here: this middle-of-the-moor hotel inspired Daphne du Maurier’s classic novel of the same name. Run-down for years, it’s been spruced up, although the old bar has clung on to its hugger-mugger, ramshackle atmosphere. Many of the pub’s bedrooms offer views over the moor, and guests have frequently reported ghostly goings-on. A mini-museum explores the du Maurier connections, and there’s a very good shop selling local produce.

13. Old Success Inn, Sennen Cove

Best for modern pub vibes

Another St Austell Brewery-owned boozer, this time down by the shoreline of Sennen, one of west Cornwall’s top surfing beaches. For years this was a solidly traditional watering hole, but it’s been brightened up and modernized (not to everyone’s approval, it has to be said), although the pub’s Cornish character is still just about there. It’s the Atlantic views that really sell it: come in late September or early October for sunset strolls on the beach minus the crowds.

14. Venton Vean, Penzance

Best for a boutique B&B

This marvelous villa in the middle of old Penzance is surely one of the best year-round bargains in Cornwall: peak-season rates are a maximum of £135 including breakfast. The five rooms are enormous and blessed with handsome period features including bay windows and original fireplaces. Breakfast is a treat — everything is homemade, and there are unusual choices such as masala omelettes, eggs Kejriwal and salty caramel pancakes.

ventonvean.co.uk

• Best hotels in Cornwall
• Best things to do in Cornwall

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