Early morning skinny dips, cliff-top picnics, spa treatments for two, and dining tables with ocean views. Cornwall’s got everything wrapped up for a romantic retreat. Wake up beside the waves and yo-yo between toes-in-the-sand adventures and boutique beachfront style at these cool couples’ hideaways by the coast.
Country manor style by the sea.
Nestled on a rolling country estate a pebble’s skim from the surf, The Pig has re-invented a Georgian manor house into a trend-setting restaurant with rooms. Get your fill of fine wines, fresh lobster, home-reared piggies and kitchen garden produce, then rest your head in a luxury boudoir oozing with romance. Stay within the historic stone walls of the quirky manor house, and opt for a four-poster bed, freestanding bath and monsoon shower; or get closer to nature in a rustic-yet-chic garden wagon (one of Cornwall’s top glamping sites) with a woodburner, king-sized bed, outdoor shower and freestanding bath.
Adults-only eco retreat on the cliffs.
Set amidst the rugged North Cornish coastline, Scarlet ticks all the boxes for a boutique couples’ bolthole. Overlooking rugged Mawgan Porth Beach, which is one of Cornwall’s best surfing beaches, this chic hotel is exclusively for adults. Dip alfresco in the reed-filtered cliff-top pool or pad down to the golden-sand cove, steam in the cedar wood sauna, swim in the indoor infinity pool and relax under the spell of coastal-inspired Ayurvedic treatments. Whether you’re swinging in a cocoon-hammock, basking on your private balcony, or snuggled up in a sea-view pod with a sundowner, the crashing waves, wild coastal views and luxury trimmings are ever-present.
Sub-tropical sanctuary by a secluded beach.
If you’re looking for a tranquil hideaway, head to this under-the-radar hotel hidden in subtropical gardens that tumble down to the edge of dreamy Bream Cove. Boasting a slightly retro 70s vibe with a vibrant, contemporary edge, you can sip cocktails in the speakeasy-style bar, dine on nature’s bounty with a paradise garden view, or tunnel through giant gunnera and exotic palms to a secluded horseshoe cove.
Wild romance at the ends-of-the-earth.
Not your classic beach hotel, this sunshine-yellow abode is perched in some of Cornwall’s wildest coastal territory; an ends-of-the-earth location where cows graze in fields rolling to the edge of Atlantic-hewn cliffs. Although it’s dressed like a welly-walks and log fire country inn, once you’ve dried your boots over a well-kept beer or select vintage, dress up for sophisticated, seasonal food in the dining room, and retreat to your quirky-chic bedroom for a sound night’s sleep in a vi-spring bed.
A secluded nook where luxury meets the sea.
Wake up to the sunrise over the ocean, let the sea breeze bring a glow to your cheeks and slip into blissful luxury at this sanctuary nestled in Cornwall’s ‘forgotten’ corner. Sub-tropical gardens and sublime sea views fused with eclectic artworks, roll-top baths and a nine-course tasting menu (with wine flight, no less), all enhance the elemental allure of this secluded couples’ escape in South East Cornwall.
Art deco design in Cornwall’s Med.
Sun-drenched by day, candle-lit by night. When Olga Polizzi opened her Med-style hotel in the yachting Mecca of St Mawes, it was bound to have an edge of elegant romance. Daydream by the waterline in the Beach Club, watch boats sail past the window of your stylish room bedecked with antiques and art, and castaway into Falmouth Bay in a classic yacht helmed by your private skipper. Pure magic.
Off-the-beaten track smugglers’ inn.
Snuggle up in a 17th-century inn nudging the ocean in the tiny village of Portloe. This quiet, craggy cove that was once the haunt of smugglers, makes the perfect location for lovers to lap up the Cornish coastal lifestyle from a higgledy-piggledy building beside the boat slip. Old-fashioned alarm clocks, the soundtrack of the sea and nautical decor create a stripped-back sanctuary for simple seaside sojourns together.
Estuary-edge elegance in Du Maurier country.
At first glance, this former seaman’s mission looks too petite to house a boutique hotel, yet there’s no scrimping on space and luxury in its 13 sleek and minimalist bedrooms; the penthouse stealing the show. Cocktails in the lounge, champagne on the terrace and stellar seafood are all woven into the daily tapestry, between boat trips and coastal strolls in Du Maurier’s domain, where you can star in your own swashbuckling romance.
Michelin-starred dining in a New England-style Eden.
Cornwall’s only boutique hotel boasting a Michelin-starred restaurant, this New England-style hotel also flaunts glorious gardens sweeping down from the cliffs to a private beach. So when you’re not tucking into the region’s finest bounty, or soaking up the seascape of the Roseland Peninsula from your coastal-hued quarters, you can slink down to the secret cove and immerse yourselves head-to-toe in the saltwater lifestyle.
Grown-up luxury a short hop from St Ives.
While St Ives is ringed as the hotspot for romance in Cornwall, a hop, skip and jump outside of this bustling harbour town you can slip into the more peaceful setting of an adult’s only cliff-top hotel in Carbis Bay. What with dreamy views across the water to Godrevy lighthouse, a Caribbean-esque beach at your feet, and map wallpaper highlighting the owners’ favourite spots for couples, it’s up to you if you unwind in designer luxury, or hop on the three-minute scenic train ride back to the hubbub of St Ives.
Looking for a couples’ retreat that’s a little bit different? Why not check out our gorgeous glamping spots in Cornwall?
