Awesome Holiday Accommodation in Cornwall

Holiday visitors to Cornwall are spoilt for choice for places to stay during their time away. There are clifftop luxury hotels, village bed and breakfasts, guest houses near the sea, countryside campsites, town centre apartments and cosy self catering cottages. There must be hundreds of thousands of accommodation options for tourism visitors to Cornwall.

Don't just take our word for it. There are plenty of resources online detailing recommendations for holiday accommodation in Cornwall. The following list is one of our favourites courtesy of Cornwall Tourism Magazine. It's a thorough article which details the wide range of holiday accommodation options. Read the full accommodation article here.

Accommodation and where to stay in Cornwall

As you know, Cornwall is a very popular holiday destination for people from all over the UK and many countries in Europe and even the USA, for that matter. And with good reason. With 365 miles of exciting coastline, some of the most stunning scenery you will see anywhere, both along the coastline and inland, lots of gorgeous little villages and costal towns, a history that goes back to 10,000 BC, it's Tin and Copper mining heritage, myths and Legends, restaurants, attractions and thousands of other reasons to come here. But the issue with all holiday destinations is where do you stay when you go there?

Well with Cornwall, you are very lucky. Because tourism is one of its main industry sectors, you are seriously spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation and places to stay. You can do luxury hotels, caravan parks, tents and camping sites, guest houses, B & B's, rent a cottage or a converted barn with a farm holiday, stay on an island, stay in A yurt, stay in your camper van on a touring site, stay in a pub, rent a holiday apartment, go all inclusive or self-catering, stay on a golf course, stay in a coastal town or village, stay in an inland area set in stunning scenery, stay next to a river, stay in a huge country mansion or a log cabin chalet, etc, etc, etc. The list is almost endless and they cater for every budget, so whatever your requirement, Cornwall has something to offer you. Now if saving money on accommodation is of interest to you, then you might like to know that you make some very significant savings on accommodation costs with the Cornwall pass. We have lots of different kinds of accommodation business in the scheme so, please click here to find out how much you can save and how to get your Cornwall Pass. Accommodation discounts with the Cornwall Pass.

A few years back, when the UK had lots of factories ( remember that? ), the annual holiday season was pretty static. The factories, everywhere, would generally close for 2 weeks in August and the holiday makers would descend on Cornwall en masse and unless you pre-booked your accommodation, you could have been disappointed. Now however, things are very different. The holiday season has extended for one thing, and we have always pushed Cornwall as an all year round holiday destination because in reality it is, and now many of you are taking a couple of holidays a year instead on one big 2 week one. Indeed, many people come down to Cornwall for a week in the main season and also a couple of long weekend breaks at other times, typically in May and June and then in September and October. We also see a lot of visitors coming down at Christmas and indeed, many accommodation providers find themselves very busy in December. So what does this all mean?

Well in simple terms, the question is, do you book well in advance, i.e. this year for next year, etc, or do you do the last minute thing and book a week or two before you want to come down?.......The answer of course, is that you can do both. Hotels, cottages and caravan parks, etc, tend to be forward booking options as they are very popular, whereas guest houses, B & B's, camping and touring sites, etc, are very popular with last minute bookings, so as you can see, both options cover the full spectrum of holiday accommodation venues. But there are also cost advantages to both options.

If you book in advance, your booking prices are generally not subject to any additional price increases, especially if you book a year in advance ( although this is not always the case so make sure you check at time of booking ), and of course if you go the last minute route, you can take advantage of any local special offers that many accommodation providers offer, as well as some good deals on accommodation and dining with the larger hotels, etc. So as you can see, whether you are coming down for a one or two week stay or a long weekend or mid-week break, ( or all of the above ) in the summer or for a wild, wave watching weekend in the winter, Cornwall offers something for everyone and we have listed a few accommodation examples below.

Staying out in the great outdoors

For many visitors to Cornwall, the great out doors and being at one with nature is the only way to go, so as you would expect, Cornwall has lots of camping and touring sites and many caravan parks. Okay, caravanning and staying in your camper van, isn't quite the same as being under canvas, but you get the idea. There are also variations on this theme and you can stay in Mongolian Yurts, Tipi's and even Pods. They call it Glamping, we call it good fun. Then you have holiday parks where the accommodation is generally caravan based, but this isn't the very basic type of accommodation that you might think it is. Today, caravans are like small houses and have electricity, connected gas and water, no connecting up gas bottles and fetching water from the tap here. Many have luxurious interiors and lots of space, the bedrooms are separate and they all have showers and bathroom facilities built in. They are also located on clean, tidy parks and many have shops, swimming pools and other facilities for kiddies and the rest of the family.

Camping and touring parks

Along with simply wanting to " rough it ", costs also come into the equation and camping and touring sites and caravan parks do offer low cost accommodation for families and other groups and as many are located on the coast, this makes them a good choice for family holidays. And of course, if you are touring around Cornwall, you can book one for a couple of nights and then move onto another. Also, these days, camping has also moved up in the luxury scales. For example, you will find most camping pitches have electricity connection options and most have separate shower blocks, clothes washing facilities as well as shops and other family facilities. The cheapest option is to pay for a pitch and set up your own tent ( costs start at around £10 a night ) and with showers and toilet facilities provided. This also applies to touring parks and most touring sites provide a hard standing area for you to park up your vehicle and again, most provide fully services pitches with electricity and water, etc.

Caravan and holiday parks

A lot of people like staying in caravan and holiday parks and Cornwall has an abundance of these spread all over the county. Many are located on the costal areas and others in inland areas. Some are located well away from the bustle of the towns, whilst others are located just a few miles away from the major shopping centres, so whatever your requirement, you will find one suitable for your needs. You will also find large holiday parks and small ones and whilst most of the caravans are owned by the holiday park themselves, you will also find many privately owner units that the owners rent out to holiday makers, so there is something for everyone. These days all holiday park accommodation is fully serviced and just about every holiday park offers the full range of facilities, so they are ideal for families, couples and groups. Holiday parks tend to be open from around March through to the end of October, although some may be open at different times of the year, but generally, they are only open during the holiday season.

Pricing - Holiday park accommodation prices in general are based on the time of year you visit, with the main holiday season attracting higher pricing than the low season periods. Price ranges go from around £200.00 per week up to £800.00 per week ( or more ) depending on what size of accommodation you need, time of year and type of holiday park, so it pays to shop around and look at a few to see which one offers you the best deal for your needs. In addition to caravans or mobile homes ( and that terms always cracks us up because they are anything but mobile ), many holiday parks also offer the more expensive option of holiday lodges which are often furnished to a very high standard. They sleep up to 8 people and prices range from approximately £300-£1000 a week, depending on the time of year and the number of people you what you require. Also, you will find some holiday parks are run by the major holiday companies, whilst others are independent and you will get a slightly different experience with each type. The holiday company parks tend to be much larger and consequently will have a lot more people on them, whereas the independents tend to be smaller and can offer a more intimate experience.

Hostels

Walking ( or hiking ) and cycling holidays are very popular in Cornwall and literally tens of thousands of people come down to us just to enjoy the miles of coastline and inland walks and cycling trails. Cornwall's past history of Tin and Copper mining means that there are lots of trials across the county using long gone railway lines and tram ways, which makes walking and cycling holidays so very popular and to cater for these visitors and holiday makers, Cornwall has a number of Hostels where you can stay for one night and move on to the next, or for a couple of nights to explore the local area. Now in the past, Hostels suffered from a bad reputation due to their low budget associations and in a few cases, less than basic facilities. There was also the fact that you generally had to share a room with total strangers, which was not everyone's cup of tea.

These days however, they offer good accommodation and a stay in one of Cornwall’s many hostels doesn’t necessarily mean sharing a dorm with strangers, as smaller en-suite rooms are often available to book. In addition, most have laundry and full bathroom facilities and are very far from basic accommodation. They are, therefore, a great option if your holiday plans involve being out and about or if you are moving around the county and as prices start at a very reasonable £15 per person per night, they also offer excellent value for money. Every hostel is unique and there are some lovely converted building with high standard facilities. Many are on the coast and if you are a group, you can also rent out a number of Bunk houses which cater for larger groups.

B & B's, Guest houses and pubs

Another type of accommodation to consider if you are moving around a lot are B&B's. The list of B & B's in Cornwall is vast and you will find a B&B literally everywhere in Cornwall from small villages through to the major towns and the city of Truro. The advantages of B&B's are that you get a nice bed to sleep in and full bathroom facilities and of course a hearty breakfast in the morning. Now of course, not everyone wants to stay in a property with the owners, but as there are so many different and diverse B & B's in Cornwall, you will definitely fond something to your liking. For example, you can stay in a town house, a lovely little cottage, a big farm house ( always good for a huge breakfast ), a pub, separate accommodation from the owners main residence, converted barns and many others, so there is something for everyone and of course, you stay fro just one night or a whole week. In terms of pricing, you are spoilt for choice even more. Prices range from as little as £15.00 per night, per person, up to £100.00, depending on the type of property and levels of luxury they provide.

Guest houses

Guest houses are really a cross between a small hotel and a B & B. They tend to offer B & B, but you are generally in an area that is separate from the owners dwelling areas which offers a higher degree of privacy. They also tend to be dedicated holiday and visitor accommodation businesses and in general, offer a small hotel experience as against a B & B where you are effectively staying directly with the property owners. As with B & B's, Guest houses are spread all over Cornwall, although many do tend to be in or near towns and urban areas, but you do find them in small villages and the costal areas which are very popular with visitors. They tend to have at least 3 or 4 rooms and some have more. They usually provide breakfast and some will also provide an evening meal if you so desire, but check with them at the time of booking if this is a service you require. In terms of pricing, they range from £35.00 per room for a couple, although some charge by the person, and breakfast may be included or an extra. They are ideal for short stays as well as longer ones and can offer a very cost effective way of staying in Cornwall.

Pubs

Every village in Cornwall has at least one public house and many have a lot more in their local surrounding area, so if you like staying in pubs, there are thousands of options to choose from. Of course not all pubs offer accommodation, so you do need to check first, but those that do are very much like B & B's and Guest houses in that they will offer your breakfast and if they are a pub that also serves food ( and most do these days ), you can of course, also dine there and as your accommodation is on-site, there is no risk of driving over the limit if you have a drink. As with B & B's, pub accommodation options are literally endless. Some offer accommodation in the main building, other have separate accommodation on-site. Some also offer camping and touring facilities on their land and you will find them on the coast, in the country, in the towns and villages and you will always get a very warm welcome. There are some drawbacks with staying in a pub if you have kiddies with you, i.e. the noise that will continue long after they are in bed, but if they have separate accommodation, this may not be a problem at all.

Prices - You have a choice of small pubs, large ones, dedicated accommodation pubs, which are more like hotels with a bar, etc, village pubs, country pubs, pubs by the sea, pubs in the town centre, famous pubs and quite little pubs that you come across by chance. Depending on the time of year, you can if you are lucky, book a room on the day, but in general, it is always better to book ahead if you can as they can be very busy and as most only have a few rooms on offer, they can be fully booked throughout the main holiday seasons. IN terms of pricing, you can pay anything from as little as £25.00 a night, up to £70 - £80.00, although most tend to be in the £25.00 - £50.00 a night range. Again, they may charge by the room or by the person, so always make sure you check exactly what you are getting, etc.

Hotels

There is every type of hotels you could ever want in Cornwall, ranging from simple room only accommodation through to highly luxurious venues with health Spa's sporting facilities, beautiful gardens ( read our review on the Meudon Hotel ) and stunning scenery and locations. In fact, hotels deserve their own page as there are so many different types, that the few paragraphs here simply don't do them justice, but as with all things in Cornwall, they can cater for just about any requirement or situation. Into the mix you also have hotels for families, hotels just for adults and couples, hotels you can take your do to ( you can find an article on Dog holidays in Cornwall here ) and others you can't. You can stay in a small village hotel or a huge country mansion and everywhere between. You will find hotels right on the coast, inland in the countryside or in the middle of a town, and you can find them on Golf courses, right in the middle of nowhere and on top of the highest headlands overlooking the sea.

Prices - As you would imagine, with the abundance of different type and sizes of hotels, prices vary enormously. You can pay as little as £30.00 per night, per room, all the way up to £500.00 per night. Then there are the breakfast and dining options, the extra facilities the hotel offers, the levels of luxury, whether you want a standard type bed or a four poster bed, whether they offer sports and activities like horse riding, fishing, sailing, surfing, etc. The hotels location, i.e. in a town centre, in a small village, by the sea, inland. Whether the hotel is an independent or part of a chain, etc. In fact the variances are almost as endless as the number and different types of hotel, so as always, check a few and find the best one for your needs. Also be aware of travelling distances. Cornwall may well look small on the map, but as most of the roads are single carriageways, ( apart from the main A30 ) distances can take a lot longer to travel than you think. But the goods news is that you will be driving through some of the most stunning scenery anywhere on the planet, so its not all bad. You can also book in advance or do the last minute things and of course, hotels cater for short stays as well as longer stays and many do long weekend packages, so check them all out and find a wonderful place to stay.

Holiday Cottages

As with our hotels and B & B's, Cornwall also has an abundance of cottages you can rest out by the week and weekend. These range from farm cottages which can include converted barns and other old buildings, through to cottages in small villages, large towns, by the sea, inland in the middle of nowhere, fishing villages, on Bodmin Moor, by rivers, on rocky cliffs, even on your own island. In fact they can be found just about everywhere you can think off and in a few places you cant. They tend to be older buildings so have lots of character with stone walls and wooden beams, etc, and some may even have thatched roofs, although equally, there are lots of newer buildings as well. Some are small, gorgeous country cottages, whilst others can be huge building with 5 or more bedrooms. Some will be completely detached, whilst others will be part of a terrace or a semi and some will be part of a much larger building that has been converted. You can also find everything from full on luxury through to basic living accommodation, but they are all fully equipped for modern living and come with all usual facilities.

Prices - As you would expect, prices vary enormously. In the low season you can rent a cottage for as little as £200.00 per week, going up to £600.00 or more a week in the high season and other special occasions. Bigger accommodation costs more and location and facilities can also make a difference to what you pay, so it is always better to book a cottage in advance to make sure you are not disappointed. Now when it comes to booking a cottage, there are a number of ways to go. Some cottages are totally independent and you can book them directly with the owners. There are also a number of holiday cottage letting agencies who rent out cottages and they will have a large selection. There are also a number of owner consortiums or associations where groups of cottage owners come together to offer some very good deals and you will also find a number of specialist who rent out specific types of property, i.e. farm cottages, barns, fishing villages, countryside properties, etc, so you really are spoilt for choice and some in Cornwall. If you are looking for last minute type deals, the various cottage letting agencies are a good place to look, but you may get a better deal from an independent, so it definitely pays to look around.

Online booking

These days booking a holiday cottage is a very slick operation. You can go online, check your desired time period and book it all online. If you want a more human touch, you can also call up the owners or agencies and with sites like TripAdvisor, you can also read reviews on them and check out pics of what they look like, etc. Many holiday rental properties these days include cleaners, so you don't necessary have to clean it all spotless before you leave, although always check the terms and conditions, and most have direct utility services included, although some still use coin meters for electricity and gas, etc, so remember to check first. They should all provide laundry had full bathroom facilities and most if not all will be fully equipped and will usually include a TV and broadband access ( broadband isn't available everywhere though, so if you need it, always ask before booking ). Also, they tend to be rentable all year round and lost have lovely open or wood burning fires, so if you fancy a trip down to Cornwall in the winter, you will definitely find what you are looking for.

Fancy something a little different?

Well we have covered all the usual suspects above, but what if you fancy something a bit different?.....Well Cornwall has some very interesting alternatives for you. For example, The Landmark Trust offer holidays in historic buildings such as the old mining engine house of the now disused Danescombe Mine, the unique Egyptian House in Penzance and Whiteford Temple, a handsome folly. There are also some other follies around that you can rent as well. Then we have a variation on the camping theme. If you enjoy camping and want to take it to the next level, you can stay in a Native American Tipi in Tamar Valley or get back to nature in style in the luxury of your own Mongolian Yurt on Bodmin Moor. You can also stay in purpose built tree houses, you can charter a yacht or have a boating holiday. You can stay in a castle or a lighthouse and even a railway carriage, surfing holidays. You can even stay in properties owned by the Duchy of Cornwall ( that's Prince Charles to you and me ) and many other unique holiday accommodation options. It's all about enjoying your stay and having fun and Cornwall has it all, so why go anywhere else when you have it all in one place?

You will find Cornwall very accommodating

Holiday accommodation in Cornwall is split between self-catering and fully serviced accommodation, i.e. hotels, B & B''s, and everything in between. Obvioulsy, we have only touched upon the various accommodation options available in this article, but nonetheless, we hope we have inspired you to come down and sample our way of life. And that is what Cornwall really offers you. A different way of life that you can access and live for the duration of your stay. In the past, Cornwall was predominately a summer season holiday destination. Now however, it is an all year round destination and lots of people come down here in the Autumn and Winter, as well as the Spring and Summer. To cater for this, many of our accommodation providers offer some really good deal for out of season visitors, so if you fancy a long weekend wave watching in winter, which is now a very popular activity, then Cornwall is most definitely open. The fact is though that there are literally thousands of different accommodation providers and as they are all different, you can be sure of finding something very special whatever time of year you come down here.