The Best Hotels With a Pool in Cornwall, England

How about staying in a private castle with open fires, beautiful gardens and an outdoor pool? On the border between Devon and Cornwall, Pentillie is a secluded estate that you can hire exclusively for weddings, family gatherings and special occasions. Walk through the manicured grounds to the pool, heated by solar power, and settle in amid the sun terrace, loungers and potted plants.

Flanked by golden-sand beaches and views of St Ives Bay and its surrounds, Pedn Olva feels connected to the landscape. The outdoor heated pool is set on a terrace overlooking the sea, which lies a short 30ft (9m) below, so you’ll feel at one with the waves around you. The hotel has 30 tastefully styled bedrooms, plus a restaurant and terraces that cry out for sundowners.

Penzance may be home to the UK’s largest lido (the art deco, geothermal-heated Jubilee Pool), but the open-air alternative at Hotel Penzance is just the spot for a dip without the crowds. Swim in its crystal-blue waters before relaxing on a poolside lounger with a book. The Edwardian townhouse has 25 ensuite rooms, many with views of St Michael’s Mount, and an award-winning restaurant serving local produce with a dash of pizzazz.

Choose between the indoor and outdoor heated pools at Carlyon Bay Hotel – or plump for both. Swim lengths outdoors, then head into the spa and float away in the warm water or bubbling bath. Treatments – which range from manicures to tailored facials – use OPI and Elemis products, and other facilities include a sauna, a steam room and a fitness suite. This luxury hotel also has an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, a croquet lawn and a restaurant with sea views.

In lively Falmouth, the Royal Duchy Hotel feels like a retreat from Cornwall’s wild weather. Retreat to the indoor heated pool, which also has a children’s paddle pool, or warm yourself to the bones in the sauna or on the ceramic heated beds. Change out of your robe and into evening wear for a drink in the cocktail bar before dinner in the restaurant. Expect classic British dishes with a contemporary twist, such as scallop and crab ravioli with shellfish foam.

With its vintage tiling and striped loungers, there’s an art deco feel to the outdoor pool, which is heated by sunlight, at Rose in Vale Country House Hotel on the north coast of Cornwall. There’s also a patio beside a pretty stream, so you can kick back in the sun while listening to the sound of nature trickle by. Inside, classically styled rooms have garden views, while the restaurant uses ingredients sourced from local fishers and farms.

Just a short walk from Porthminster Beach, the St Ives Harbour Hotel and Spa features a fantastic range of options for water babies, with both an indoor heated pool and a hydrotherapy pool. It also houses a sauna, a steam room and a fitness suite, along with low-lit treatment rooms where you can indulge in facials and massages that use ESPA products. Upstairs, you’ll find a revamped bar that oozes straight-line style and a terrace overlooking pretty gardens, with the beach lingering beyond.