Fowey Hall

Style

Dignified Cornish castle

Setting

Salty South West coast

This family-focused hotel may have been the original inspiration for Toad Hall in Wind in the Willows, but that’s far from the only thing Fowey Hall has to boast about. Commanding sweeping views of the river estuary, port and sea, the small hotel on the south coast of Cornwall has beds hand-carved by British artisans, oak-panelled detailing, subtle nods to local artists and framed Daphne du Maurier book-covers. Throw in the heated outdoor pool and salt-scrubbing spa, and you’ll soon realise that Grahame may have sought his muse for Toad’s turrets here, but semblance to his story certainly stops there.

Facilities

Rooms

60, including 28 suites.

Checkout

11am. Earliest check-in, 3pm; both are flexible, subject to availability.

More Details

Rates include a Continental and à la carte breakfast, served in the Garden Room. There’s a two-night minimum stay on Fridays and Saturdays, and a three-night minimum over Bank Holiday weekends.

Also

There are two accessible rooms on the ground floor, and the common spaces have been adapted for those with reduced mobility. The hotel is also happy to cater for all dietary requirements.

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pet Friendly

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

Spa

At the Hotel

Public beach nearby; spa; walled gardens with a zip line and playhouse; crèche; games room with vintage arcade-machines; library with board games and backgammon; cinema room; laundry service; free-to-use beach buckets, spades, fishing nets and wellies; and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: TV, Nespresso coffee machine, tea-making kit, and Bramley or Elemis bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

All these minimalist rooms are graced with leafy views, but for mesmerising mornings, we’d recommend the Polraun Suite for its private sea-facing balcony. Where other rooms have neutral tones and modern designs, the Rosalind Suite, set in the hotel’s Victorian mansion, boasts a quintessentially British style with restored wood floors, hand-carved mahogany desks and grand corniced ceilings.

Poolside

Set on the terrace with sprawling sea views, the outdoor heated pool (open Easter to October, from 10am to 6pm) is bordered by comfy seating and overlooks the manicured gardens below. There’s also a 12-metre pool inside at the spa that’s open year-round (8am to 8pm, with adults-only hours from 8am to 9am and 3pm to 4pm).

Spa

Open from 10am to 6pm (5pm on Sundays), the spa has an indoor pool and four treatment rooms for facials and massages that use Ishga natural oils. You'll also find a steam room, an indoor hot tub, and on the spa terrace, a unique horsebox sauna with coastal views.

Packing Tips

Bring your boards and fins.

Children

Children of all ages are welcomed with open arms at this families-first hotel.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

You’re welcome to dine wherever you please here, but we’d recommend going alfresco during the summer, and heading in to huddle around the library’s roaring fire come winter.

Dress Code

Any green tweed, as an ode to Toad.

Hotel Restaurant

Cornish classics are at the core of Fowey Hall’s award-winning restaurant, where head chef James Goss spins ingredients from local fisherman and farmers into seasonal favourites. Menus change with the weather, but you can expect to start the day with bacon baps and smoked-salmon breakfasts in the Garden Room, before sampling fish and chips battered in local ales, cave-aged cheddar soufflés and buttered hake topped with a minted fennel stew at lunch and dinner. On Sundays, there’s a three-course roast dinner and the hotel also serves afternoon tea (with freshly baked scones) daily in the Green Room.

Hotel Bar

You’ll find the hotel’s boldly-designed bar opposite reception, with a menu of seasonal cocktails, Camel Valley wines and local ales from Fowey Brewery.

Last Orders

Breakfast is served from 7.30am to 10.30am; lunch is noon to 5pm, and dinner is 5pm to 9pm. The bar is open around the clock.

Room Service

Order straight to your room between noon and 9pm.

Planes

Your nearest is Newquay Airport, which hosts flights from London and Europe, and sits 40 minutes from Fowey Hall by car. If you're arriving from further afield, you'll likely touch down at London Heathrow, a little over a four-hour drive away, or one-hour flight. If you let the hotel know where you’re coming from, they’ll happily organise a taxi to collect you.

Trains

There’s a frequent train from London Paddington to Par (a 10-minute drive from the hotel) that takes around four-and-a-half hours. There are also trains to Par from Exeter, Bristol and Taunton.

Automobiles

If you’re planning on doing a coastal Cornish road trip, the hotel has free parking and there are plenty of rental booths at the airport. From London, the hotel is a five-hour drive along the M4 and M5, before following the A30 from Exeter down to Fowey.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Surfers rejoice, you’re on the south Cornish coast after all. Head to Par Sands or Polkerris for the best waves, or if you’re a little less confident, Readymoney Cove has gentler waters that are ideal for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. 16th-century St Catherine’s Castle is worth the walk for its Henrician history, and in town, the Fowey Museum and River Gallery are ideal for chroniclers and creatives alike. Wander through the pastel-hued homes that line the Esplanade and stop in at Shrew Books to browse a curated collection of work from local authors. If you’re looking to spend a day on the water, there’s a frequent ferry to Polruan, or those missing their sea legs may be happier on the Land Train, which does guided tours of the region. Given you’re in Cornwall, exploring jungle or Mediterranean climes is easier than you might think: The Eden Project is only a short drive away and an immersive day-out for all ages. For local dog walks, the Fowey Estuary Walk is a particularly scenic stroll, and if your pup prefers zooming between trees, Cardinham Woods have equally enticing trails.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .