Cornwall is England’s south-western tip, with high cliffs, pale sandy beaches and small harbour towns where the fishing boats still tie up at the quay. On the north coast, the Atlantic rolls in towards the surf beaches, while the south coast has calmer coves and wide river estuaries. All the prices in this guide are in pounds.
Choosing the right town matters a lot, because the distances are bigger than they look on the map and the roads are narrow. I’d pick a different base for a trip by train, a surf holiday and a quiet week for two. Here are six towns and hotels in three price ranges.
Contents
The Best Towns in Cornwall
- St Ives - best town for beaches and art
- Falmouth - best town for a holiday without a car
- Padstow - best town for food and cycling
- Newquay - best town for surfing and family holidays
- Penzance and Mousehole - best base for the far west of Cornwall
- Fowey - best town for a quiet break for couples
Below, I’ll take you through the six towns one by one, with a map, the key practical facts and three hotels in each, sorted from the most expensive to the cheapest, so you can pick the base that suits the way you travel in Cornwall.
1. St Ives - best town for beaches and art 🏖️
- 📍 Location: On the north coast in west Cornwall. Allow around half an hour by car to Penzance.
- 🚆 Transport: Change at St Erth for the little St Ives Bay Line branch line. The journey from St Erth to St Ives takes 12 minutes.
- ✈️ Time from Newquay Airport: Roughly an hour by car. By bus and train, it takes considerably longer.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€. The three hotels below cost around £170 to £290 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
- 👮 Safety: The town is safe. Hold on tight to your food by the harbour, because the gulls are bold, and swim between the lifeguard flags.
St Ives is the Cornish town most people have seen on a postcard. White and grey houses huddle around the harbour, and there are several sandy beaches within walking distance, so you can choose between Porthminster, Porthgwidden and the surf beach at Porthmeor depending on the wind and the waves.
The town also has a long history as an artists’ colony. Tate St Ives sits right above Porthmeor Beach and shows modern art with links to Cornwall, and the sculptor Barbara Hepworth’s home and garden is now a museum in the middle of town.
I’d choose St Ives if you want beaches, galleries and good restaurants in the same small town and would rather not drive every day. The South West Coast Path runs right through the town, and the hilly stretch towards Zennor is one of the most beautiful walks in west Cornwall.
The big downside is the crowds. In summer, the narrow streets are packed with day-trippers, and driving and parking in the centre is hard work. You’re better off taking the train from St Erth, where there’s a large park and ride by the A30, and leaving the car there while you’re in town.
Outside July and August, the town feels completely different. In May, June and September, there’s still life around the harbour and the restaurants are open, but you can get a table without queuing, and the hotels are often cheaper.
The hotels are also among the most expensive in Cornwall in high season, and many of them are small guesthouses with few rooms, steep stairs and limited parking. Book early if you want to stay close to the harbour in July and August.
Places to Stay in St Ives
Trevose Harbour House - best boutique stay close to the harbour
Trevose Harbour House is a small five-star guesthouse on The Warren, a few minutes’ walk from both the harbour and Porthminster Beach, and it’s my most expensive suggestion in St Ives. It had the highest guest rating in my search, and guests particularly praise the breakfast. There are only a few parking spaces, they cost around £12.50 a day, and they’re allocated on a first come, first served basis.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Beautiful room and excellent breakfast.”
See photos and book Trevose Harbour House here.
Primrose House St. Ives - best adults-only pick with free parking
Primrose House sits on the slope above Porthminster Beach, is adults only and has free parking on site, which is rare in St Ives. There’s a small bar, and you can walk to the beach in a few minutes. The road up to the house is steep, and some guests mention that the rooms can get very warm on the hottest summer days.
One guest describes their stay like this on Booking.com: “The hotel was clean, comfortable and beautifully decorated.”
See photos and book Primrose House St. Ives here.
Saltwater - cheapest of my three picks in St Ives
Saltwater is a smaller guesthouse on Belmont Terrace above the town, and you can walk down to the harbour in under ten minutes. The rooms are simple and clean, and dogs are welcome. Parking costs around £5 a day and has to be booked in advance, and some guests feel the price is high for what you get.
One guest praises the hosts on Booking.com: “Communication with the hosts was excellent, and the room was comfortable and very clean.”
See photos and book Saltwater here.
2. Falmouth - best town for a holiday without a car ⛵
- 📍 Location: On the south coast at the mouth of the River Fal, south of Truro.
- 🚆 Transport: The Maritime Line runs from Truro to Falmouth Town and Falmouth Docks in around 25 minutes, twice an hour from Monday to Saturday.
- ✈️ Time from Newquay Airport: Roughly 45 minutes by car.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€. The three hotels below cost around £130 to £235 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
- 👮 Safety: A safe harbour town. In the evenings, the pubs along the main street are lively, especially at weekends.
Falmouth is a working port with room for sailing boats, ferries and big ships, and it feels more like a proper town than most places in Cornwall. The main street runs parallel to the harbour and is lined with cafés, pubs and small shops the whole way along, and the university keeps the town lively outside the season.
It’s my recommendation if you want to travel without a car. The Maritime Line links the town with Truro, where you change for the main line towards London and Penzance, and small ferries cross from the quay to St Mawes and Flushing.
On the headland south of the centre stands Pendennis Castle, a fortress built by Henry VIII to defend the coast. There are great views over the bay from up here, and below it lies Gyllyngvase Beach, the town’s most popular beach. The National Maritime Museum Cornwall is on the waterfront and is a good choice on a rainy day.
The beaches are fine for swimming, but they can’t compete with the surf beaches on the north coast, and you don’t get the dramatic cliffs you’ll find around St Ives. On the other hand, Falmouth is a good base for day trips, because Truro and the Lizard Peninsula are both close by.
The town is also a good place to get out on the water. From the quays in the centre, you can take a boat trip up the River Fal towards Truro or hire a kayak and paddle along the coast when the wind is calm.
If you stay by Gyllyngvase, you’ll have the beach right outside the door, but it’s a fair walk into the harbour and the restaurants. If you want to eat out most evenings, a hotel closer to the centre is the better choice.
Places to Stay in Falmouth
Greenbank Hotel - best hotel with harbour views
Greenbank sits right on the water on Harbour Side at the northern end of Falmouth, close to the harbour and the estuary. The restaurant gets a lot of praise, dogs are welcome, and parking is free, but there aren’t many spaces. It’s around a quarter of an hour’s walk into the centre, and some guests mention noise when there are parties and events at the hotel.
Another guest sums it up like this on Booking.com: “Fantastic service, good food, and nothing was too much trouble for the staff.”
See photos and book Greenbank Hotel here.
The Westcott - best adults-only stay by Gyllyngvase Beach
The Westcott is an adults-only guesthouse on the hill up from Gyllyngvase Beach and has one of the highest guest ratings in Falmouth. Guests praise the views, and parking is free, but there isn’t room for every car, so some guests have to park on the street. Allow a good quarter of an hour on foot into the harbour.
One satisfied guest writes on Booking.com: “The hotel was comfortable and clean with a stunning view, and the room was excellent.”
See photos and book The Westcott here.
Park View - good budget pick with a shared kitchen
Park View is a simple guesthouse west of the centre with free parking and a shared kitchen where you can cook your own meals. It was the cheapest of the three when I searched, and guests praise the spacious rooms. The building can get warm in summer, and there’s no restaurant on site.
One guest describes the room on Booking.com: “The room was spacious, the bed very comfortable, there were huge windows and a shared kitchen, which was brilliant when you wanted your own food to hand and to cook for yourself.”
See photos and book Park View here.
3. Padstow - best town for food and cycling 🦞
- 📍 Location: On the north coast on the Camel Estuary. Allow around half an hour by car to Newquay.
- 🚌 Transport: Padstow has no railway station. The nearest is Bodmin Parkway, and from there you’ll need a bus or a taxi.
- ✈️ Time from Newquay Airport: Roughly 20 minutes by car.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€. The three places below cost around £120 to £270 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
- 👮 Safety: A safe little town. Keep an eye on the tide if you walk out onto the sandbanks in the estuary.
Padstow is a small fishing town that’s become famous for its food. Chef Rick Stein has several restaurants and a fish shop here, and around the harbour you can buy everything from fish and chips and fresh oysters to classic Cornish pasties.
The town is also the starting point of the Camel Trail, a cycle path laid out along an old railway line. The stretch to Wadebridge is just under 9 km long and flat, and you can hire bikes in Padstow, so it’s an easy ride, even with children.
From the harbour, a small ferry crosses the estuary to Rock, with its sandy beaches and golf course, and some of the best beaches on the north coast are only a few kilometres to the west. I’d choose Padstow for a holiday where the food matters a lot and you want to combine harbour life with the beach.
The downside is that the town is small and very popular. In the summer holidays and at weekends, the harbour is packed with day-trippers, and the car parks fill up quickly. There are only a few hotels in the centre and they’re expensive, while many of the cheaper places are some distance outside town.
It’s a good idea to book a table at the best-known restaurants well ahead, especially for dinner at the weekend. Fish and chips from one of the takeaways on the quay is a cheaper alternative and tastes best eaten on the harbour wall. Just watch out for the gulls, because they’re not afraid to take the food right out of your hand.
Padstow has no railway station either, so without a car you’re reliant on the bus. If you do have a car, though, it’s easy to reach Newquay, the fishing village of Port Isaac and the castle ruins at Tintagel on day trips.
Places to Stay in Padstow
Harbour Hotel Padstow - best hotel with views over the estuary
Harbour Hotel Padstow is on Station Road just above the harbour, and many of the rooms look out over the Camel Estuary. The restaurant and the breakfast get good reviews, and you can walk down to the harbour in a few minutes. Parking costs around £10 a night and isn’t guaranteed, and some guests feel the price is high for what you get.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Fantastic location, beautiful rooms and very friendly staff.”
See photos and book Harbour Hotel Padstow here.
Drang House - best location right in the middle of town
Drang House is a small adults-only guesthouse on Broad Street in the middle of Padstow, so you’re only a short walk from the harbour and the restaurants. Breakfast isn’t served and there’s no parking, so you’ll need to use the town’s pay car parks. All the rooms are up stairs, and the ceilings are low, which taller guests mention.
One guest highlights the location on Booking.com: “The location was perfect, and the room was very charming.”
See photos and book Drang House here.
YHA Treyarnon Bay - cheapest pick right by the beach
YHA Treyarnon Bay is a youth hostel right by the beach at Treyarnon Bay, around 6 km west of Padstow. You can book family rooms, there’s a café serving food, and parking is free, but some rooms share a bathroom. You’ll need a car to get into Padstow, so it suits you best if you want to stay by the beach and walk the coast path.
Another guest sums it up like this on Booking.com: “The location is great, the food is top notch, and the accommodation is comfortable.”
See photos and book YHA Treyarnon Bay here.
4. Newquay - best town for surfing and family holidays 🏄
- 📍 Location: Halfway along the north coast. Allow around half an hour by car to Truro.
- 🚆 Transport: The Atlantic Coast Line runs from Par to Newquay in around 50 minutes, with roughly one train an hour.
- ✈️ Time from Newquay Airport: Roughly 20 minutes by car or taxi.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€. The three hotels below cost around £110 to £250 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
- 👮 Safety: The town is lively in the evenings. Only swim between the red and yellow flags, where the lifeguards are watching, because the currents can be strong.
Newquay is Cornwall’s surf town and the biggest resort on the north coast. It’s surrounded by beaches, and Fistral Beach on the western side of the headland is one of England’s best-known surf beaches, with surf schools and board hire right by the sand.
That makes Newquay my pick if you want to learn to surf or you’re travelling with children who’d rather be in the water than look at old churches. Towan Beach is right below the centre, and Watergate Bay and Crantock are only a few kilometres away if you want more space on the sand.
Newquay is also easy to get to. Cornwall Airport Newquay is around 16 km from the town, with flights from several UK airports, and the train from Par ends right in the centre close to the beach, so you can manage a short break without a car.
The town isn’t as pretty as the small harbour towns, and the centre is mostly surf shops, bars and places to eat of varying quality. Newquay is known for its nightlife, and at weekends the streets around the centre can be noisy until late into the night.
The surf schools are open for most of the year, but the water is cold, so a wetsuit is always included in the lesson. Beginners learn fastest on the smaller waves in early summer, while autumn brings bigger waves for more experienced surfers.
That’s why I’d stay by Fistral or out on the headland if you want peace and quiet in the evening and a sea view. Families get the most out of a hotel with an indoor pool, because the weather can change quickly, even in the middle of summer.
Places to Stay in Newquay
The Headland Hotel and Spa - best luxury hotel above Fistral Beach
The Headland is a five-star hotel standing on its own on the headland above Fistral Beach, and you can see it from the whole beach. There’s a spa with both indoor and outdoor pools, a playground and sea views from many of the rooms, so it works for couples and families alike. Parking is free but can fill up in high season, and some guests mention noise during parties and events.
One delighted guest writes on Booking.com: “An absolutely beautiful hotel, the staff are amazing, and the view from the hotel is spectacular.”
See photos and book The Headland Hotel and Spa here.
Esplanade Hotel - best family hotel with an indoor pool
The Esplanade Hotel is at the southern end of Fistral Beach and has an indoor pool, a kids’ club and family rooms. The restaurant and many of the rooms have sea views, and you can walk straight down to the surf schools on the beach. Parking costs extra, and with lots of families staying, the corridors can be lively.
One guest writes briefly on Booking.com: “The hotel and the staff were really good.”
See photos and book Esplanade Hotel here.
St Bernards - good budget pick in the centre
St Bernards is a small guesthouse on Berry Road in the middle of Newquay with a guest rating of 9.5, the highest of my three picks in the town. The rooms are simple, and it’s a short walk to Towan Beach and the railway station. Parking is elsewhere and costs extra, and there are stairs up to the rooms.
One guest says on Booking.com: “The host offered to pick me up when I was stuck at a station half an hour away.”
See photos and book St Bernards here.
5. Penzance and Mousehole - best base for the far west of Cornwall 🏰
- 📍 Location: On Mount’s Bay in the far west of Cornwall. Mousehole is around 4 km south of Penzance along the coast.
- 🚆 Transport: Penzance is the end of the main line from London Paddington. The fastest trains take just over five hours, and the Night Riviera sleeper runs six nights a week.
- ✈️ Time from Newquay Airport: Allow a little over an hour by car.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€. The three places below cost around £90 to £220 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
- 👮 Safety: Both places are safe. The streets in Mousehole are very narrow, so park on the edge of the village and walk the last bit.
Penzance is the last sizeable town before England runs out at Land’s End, and it’s the most practical base if you want to explore the far tip of Cornwall. The train from London Paddington runs straight here, so you can make the whole journey without changing. If you’re spending a night in London before the train, have a look at my guide to where to stay in London. If you’re flying into London, you can read how to get from Heathrow to central London or from Gatwick to London.
Just east of the town lies St Michael’s Mount, a small tidal island with a castle and garden out in the bay. At low tide, you can walk across the cobbled causeway from Marazion, and at high tide boats run during the summer months. From Penzance, it’s also a short trip to Land’s End, the Minack Theatre and the beaches at Porthcurno.
Mousehole is one of the prettiest fishing villages in Cornwall, with granite cottages packed tightly around a small harbour. I’d stay here if you want peace and atmosphere in the evenings, and use Penzance when you need the train or the shops.
Penzance isn’t the prettiest town in this guide, and there isn’t much beach life in the town itself. On the other hand, the hotels are cheaper than in St Ives, and the Jubilee Pool lido on the promenade is a lovely place to swim when the waves are too big for the sea.
Mousehole has very few hotels, and many of the places to stay are small holiday cottages. The road into the village is narrow and parking is limited, so expect to park outside the centre and walk the last bit.
Places to Stay in Penzance and Mousehole
The Ship Inn - best inn by the harbour in Mousehole
The Ship Inn is the village pub right by the harbour in Mousehole, and several of the rooms look out over the water. The restaurant serves traditional pub food with local produce, and the breakfast gets good reviews. There’s no free parking, and when the pub is full in the evening, you can hear the noise in the rooms.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Everything about The Ship Inn was excellent.”
See photos and book The Ship Inn here.
Bay Lodge - best B&B with sea views in Penzance
Bay Lodge is a bed and breakfast on Chyandour Square at the eastern end of Penzance, with a guest rating of 9.4 and views towards Mount’s Bay from several rooms. There’s free parking on site, and you can walk to the railway station. The bathrooms are small, but the breakfast is what guests praise most.
One guest singles out the breakfast on Booking.com: “Breakfast was amazing, and a big thank you to Kevin the chef!”
See photos and book Bay Lodge here.
Chiverton House Guest Accommodation - cheapest of my three picks
Chiverton House is a small guesthouse on Mennaye Road close to the seafront promenade, and it was the cheapest of the three when I searched. Guests praise the cleanliness and the comfortable rooms. Parking is on the street, so you’re not guaranteed a space close to the house.
Here’s what one guest says on Booking.com: “Chiverton House Guest Accommodation far exceeded my expectations.”
See photos and book Chiverton House Guest Accommodation here.
6. Fowey - best town for a quiet break for couples ⚓
- 📍 Location: On the south coast at the mouth of the River Fowey, east of St Austell.
- 🚌 Transport: Fowey has no railway station. The nearest is Par, and from there you take a bus or a taxi for the last stretch.
- ✈️ Time from Newquay Airport: Roughly 45 minutes by car.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€. The three places below cost around £100 to £250 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
- 👮 Safety: One of the quietest towns in this guide. The streets are steep and narrow, so wear good shoes.
Fowey is a small harbour town on a deep estuary, where the sailing boats are moored close together and the houses climb up the slopes on both sides of the water. It’s quieter and more upmarket than St Ives, and it suits couples who want to walk, get out on the water a bit and eat well.
The author Daphne du Maurier lived in the area, and her former home, Ferryside, stands at Bodinnick on the other side of the river. Small ferries cross to both Bodinnick and the fishing village of Polruan, and from there you can walk a circular route along the coast and back to town.
Fowey is also well placed for day trips. The Eden Project, with its huge biomes, is a short drive away, and if you’re driving down from London, you can add a couple of nights in the Cotswolds on the way to break up the long journey.
The downside is that Fowey is hard to get around by car. The streets in the centre are so narrow that you’re best off parking in the large car parks above the town and walking down. There’s no big sandy beach in the town itself either, but the small beach at Readymoney Cove is a short walk from the centre.
The town has a lively sailing scene, and in high season there are regattas and events on the water that draw lots of visitors. Check the town’s events calendar before you book if you want to avoid the busiest weeks or, on the contrary, would like to be there for them.
Outside the summer holidays, the evenings are quiet, and some restaurants close on certain days of the week. That’s ideal if you’re looking for peace and quiet, but less so for a family who want something to do every day.
Places to Stay in Fowey
Harbour Hotel Fowey - best hotel with harbour views
Harbour Hotel Fowey is on The Esplanade just south of the centre, with views over the estuary. The restaurant gets good reviews, and you can walk into the harbour in a few minutes. Parking costs around £12.50 a night and has to be booked in advance, and some guests mention noise when there are events at the hotel.
On Booking.com, one guest writes: “The hotel exceeded our expectations. It was warm, comfortable and clean, and all the staff were very helpful and friendly.”
See photos and book Harbour Hotel Fowey here.
The Galleon Inn - best waterside inn in the centre
The Galleon Inn is an old inn on Fore Street running right down to the river, and from several rooms you can watch the boats in the harbour. The breakfast and the staff get lots of praise. There’s no parking, so you’ll need to use a long-stay car park above the town for around £6 a day, and on live music nights there can be noise from the pub.
One guest praises the staff on Booking.com: “The welcome and the staff throughout our short stay were friendly and very helpful.”
See photos and book The Galleon Inn here.
The Ship Inn Fowey - cheapest place to stay in the middle of town
The Ship Inn is on Trafalgar Square in the middle of Fowey and is a historic pub with rooms upstairs. It was the cheapest of my three picks in the town, and guests praise the food and the atmosphere. The building is old with wonky floors, and you’ll have to park in a public car park for around £6 for 24 hours.
One guest notes on Booking.com: “Fantastic staff, location and atmosphere.”
See photos and book The Ship Inn Fowey here.
Where should you avoid staying in Cornwall?
I wouldn’t stay in Plymouth, even though its hotels often pop up when you search for Cornwall. Plymouth is in Devon on the other side of the Tamar, and it’s a long way from there to the beaches and harbour towns of west Cornwall.
Be wary of the cheap hotels along the A30 and in inland towns such as Bodmin, Redruth and Camborne, too. They can be fine for a single night when you’re passing through, but you’ll be a long way from the sea and have to drive every day.
A holiday cottage in a small village without shops can seem idyllic, but check the parking and the road there before you book. Many lanes are so narrow that two cars can’t pass each other, and that makes every day trip longer than you’d expect. Without a car, stick to towns with a railway station, such as Penzance, St Ives, Falmouth and Newquay.
If it’s your first trip to Cornwall and you’re going without a car, I’d choose Falmouth or Penzance, because the train runs all the way there. If you want beaches and art in the same place, St Ives is the obvious choice, as long as you can live with the crowds and the prices. Families and surfers get the most out of Newquay, foodies out of Padstow, and couples looking for peace and quiet out of Fowey or Mousehole.
If you have a car and a week or more, it’s worth splitting your stay between the north and south coasts, for example three nights in St Ives and three in Fowey. A car makes it much easier to reach the small beaches and villages, but allow plenty of time in the summer holidays, when the roads are busy and the beach car parks fill up early in the day. You’ll find more advice on traffic and getting around from Visit Cornwall.
Lots of people combine Cornwall with a few days in London, and you can read about the best things to do in London here. If you’d like to see more of England, you can also use my guides to where to stay in Brighton and the Lake District.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
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