The Best Hotels to Book in Newquay, Cornwall

This adults-only B&B is only metres from the beach and boasts some wonderfully dramatic views, looking out over Towan Beach, the narrow staircase of the coastal path, the island and Newquay Harbour; four of its six bedrooms have sea views. Housed in a gracious Victorian villa fronted by an ornate wrought-iron terrace, rooms are simple and elegant, with polished wood furniture in keeping with the 19th-century building. Guests rave about the award-winning breakfast, and the B&B can arrange services from spa treatments to surfing.

A grand 19th-century manor house perched above Porth Beach, this Best Western is fronted by a long conservatory to make the most of the views, and is surrounded by sloping, manicured green lawn terraces. Rooms and apartments have a breezy, nautical look, with Breton-striped bedspreads, and the best have sea views. There’s a fenced outdoor pool, and you’re perfectly placed for a putt on the resort’s 9- or 18-hole golf course, or for exploring the bars and restaurants of Newquay, only a mile (1.6km) away.

This family-run resort is set on the coast, with big sea views from many rooms; it’s also one of the best hotels in Newquay for amenities. As well as family-friendly two-room suites, there are romantic sea-view doubles for couples, and many rooms have balconies or open directly onto the garden. There’s also so much to do on site, with indoor and outdoor pools, tennis and basketball courts, croquet, zip wire, playgrounds, bouncy castles, crazy golf, a maze, football and a spa for relaxing after all that activity.

The Plume of Feathers is a lovely place, with a multi-level pub garden, exposed stone walls and open fireplaces. Perks include barbecues and live music in summer. The rooms upstairs echo the colours of the Cornish coast, with sky blues, heather-yellow and lavender accents against white-washed walls. Their sister property, Lewinnick Lodge (see below), is on the other side of Newquay, and has even more stupendous views from a Cornish clifftop.

The Bedruthan is a wonderful family-friendly hotel, particularly well set-up for those travelling with kids. Family rooms include a double with balcony and sunbeds, plus bunk bed rooms as well as two bathrooms. There are indoor and outdoor pools, a spa (extra charge) and a sandy path leads down to the beautiful beach. Enjoy glorious sunsets while your children befriend other young guests and play football on the grass or explore the playground. Seaview restaurants include the Wild Café and the Herring.

Tolcarne Beach is one of the most eclectically fabulous of all the Newquay hotels. “Colonial” rooms have bamboo four-posters, sea views, hot tubs, roll top baths, ceiling fans and oriental rugs, and feel like they could be in Bali or the Caribbean rather than Newquay, were it not for the stiff breezes from the Atlantic and the wetsuit-clad surfers carrying their boards onto the long, white-sand beach. Other accommodation includes apartments with telescopes and wood-lined beach huts. The restaurant continues the Caribbean vibe, with jerk calamari and smoked chipotle.

Sitting on a clifftop over Fistral Beach, the imposing Headland Hotel looks like something out of a Jane Austen novel. Though it was once used as the location for the film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches (1990), this dog-friendly Victorian house is anything but old-fashioned inside. Each of the 95 rooms and 39 self-catering cottages boasts bespoke furniture, a Nespresso machine and Elemis products and oozes an old-world charm – there’s definitely a nod to the hotel’s grand beginnings, but with enough modern comforts, including a spa and golf course, to ensure you have a relaxing stay.

A restaurant with rooms, the Lewinnick Lodge draws in a foodie crowd thanks to its brasserie-style, salt-of-the-earth dishes. Enjoy a fireside pint in the dog-friendly bar or dine on the catch of the day while watching a storm roll in from the Atlantic. The rooms feel especially spacious thanks to the double-height windows and open-plan bathrooms, and design touches such as scrubbed wooden trunks and cosy tartan armchairs make you feel right at home.