On a dramatic cliff overlooking the sweeping beauty of Mawgan Porth, Bedruthan is a family-friendly hotel in a destination that is seeing a spike in popularity among celebrities. The Cornish seaside town has been dubbed ‘Hollywood on Sea’ in recent years, with Cate Blanchett and Chris Martin reported to have houses here and countless more are on the speculated list.
Overall score – 8/10
The setting – 9/10
Mawgan Porth has an uncommon advantage in Cornwall in that it’s just a ten-minute drive from Newquay airport. Named for the golden sand beach below, which is especially vast at low tide, it has everything that you need from a break – a corner shop, pub, fish and chip shop and even a pitch and putt golf course.
The cliffside location promises superb views, but it also promises a steep walk down to the beach. Families be warned: if you’ve got a lot to carry (possibly including small children on the return trip), it might be worth either packing light or cheating entirely and making the short drive down to the beachside car park.
Eat – 7/10
There are two restaurants to choose from. Ogo is the higher-end dining option, serving local, seasonal cuisine such as Cornish cheese custard with Morel streusel and black treacle soda bread, and loin of Cornish lamb. I did find it a little odd that the restaurant only serves children aged five and over considering this is an incredibly family-friendly hotel.
© two-d photographyThe Wild Café is the more casual spot and features classics done to a reasonable standard. The menu here is much larger, with highlights including moules mariniere with fries and treacle and mustard glazed ham hock.
Breakfast can also be enjoyed here and the buffet had a great selection of pastries, cereal and fresh fruit. The staff are incredibly friendly, providing booster seats, highchairs and children’s plastic cutlery on request.
We had an early departure (we left at 3.30am in order to make it back on time to start work at 9am), and a wonderful breakfast was ready and packed for us in the small hours, keeping tempers calm and stomachs content on the long drive.
Sleep – 7/10
Bedrooms are basic but nicely done, with even the smallest room designed to take advantage of the natural light that the hilly location provides. Upgrade to a seaview room if you can – the view is entirely worth it.
The bright colour scheme in some of the non-sea view rooms is slowly being phased out and toned down, as is evident from other rooms in the hotel. Sea view villas are great for families, with some offering a separate room with bunk beds. Each has a small terrace overlooking the sea, an uplit cork feature wall and more generally neutral tones. If it’s plenty of space you’re looking for, opt for a sea view apartment or apartment suite.
Play – 9/10
There’s plenty to keep children entertained – in addition to the superb location and the beach beyond. Slots at the indoor heated pool (with small kids pool) can be booked in peak times and it was never crowded. If you’re prepared to brave the cold, there’s also an outdoor pool too, lined with plastic loungers.
Evening entertainment is on offer during the school holidays, which is fun but brief and includes events such as silent discos. A highlight for our children was the on-site soft play area. Although it was a little tired, our toddlers didn’t notice and would happily have spent hours going up and down the slide and in and out of the ball pit.
The Play Space Creche takes children under five while the kids club offers older children nature-inspired crafts and group activities. There is also a daily programme of workshops, classes and artist-led sessions that the whole family can enjoy together.
Relax – 8/10
Adjacent to the indoor pool is a small spa area (again this has timed slots during busy periods) and it is surprisingly good considering the hotel is primarily aimed at families. The hot tub borders on the size of a small pool and comes with sea views. There’s also a steam room, sauna and Roman-style caldarium as well as a Sensory Spa Garden. Treatments are available, although I did not try one out myself.
Value – Score 8/10
Double rooms from £149 including breakfast. The hotel regularly runs a Family Break offer that you can view here.
Additional information
Website: bedruthan.com
Address: Bedruthan Hotel & Spa, Mawgan Porth, Newquay, UK
Phone: 01637 861 200
Email: stay@bedruthan.com
Accessible: Somewhat – rolling down the cliffside, there are a lot of steps to navigate but accessible rooms are on offer and the main areas can be reached by ramp (albeit a steep one)
Family-friendly: Very
Dog-friendly: Yes, but they must be booked in – we saw quite a few dogs
