At this Cornwall addition to The Pig hotel collection, Emilee Tombs finds indulgent farm-to-table dining, a family-friendly beach and plenty of spaces to relax and unwind
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.
Tucked away down a path and set within acres of land, the hotel is just a short stroll from Harlyn Bay with its surf rental shacks, a beach bar and restaurant, and an artisanal deli, and a 10-minute drive to Padstow, home to great restaurants by Paul Ainsworth and Rick Stein, among others. The long-distance biking and walking path, The Camel Trail, is a 15-minute drive from the hotel, and Newquay airport is 30 minutes away.
A car would be helpful for exploring the north coast’s beaches.
Read more: The best hotels in Cornwall for beach breaks, walking retreats and sea views
Housed in a historic property dating to the 15th century, with a grand Georgian-style facade and a mix of architectural styles from Medieval to Jacobean. Inside, dark, cosy, walnut-panelled spaces await, with warren-like passages leading to snug bars, living rooms lit by roaring fires, and a grand main dining room with an impressive decorative ceiling rose and mouldings. Artwork and furniture are mostly antique or vintage and pleasingly mismatched.
The scullery leans more Shaker, with industrial lighting hanging from beams, slate flagstone floors, and shelves groaning with house-made pickles and ferments, hung with dried herbs.
Gardens wrap around the property, from the kitchen garden that serves the restaurant to a courtyard where you can have breakfast in good weather. An apple orchard, dotted with reclining wooden lounge chairs, and a terrace sit on the side of the property.
Tucked behind a wildflower hedgerow, The Lobster Shed is a second casual dining spot specialising in seafood, with custom parasols made from vintage fabrics by Cornish brand Sunbeam Jackie and live music in summer.
The reception area, with its dramatic steely-blue walls decorated with nautical maps, references the coastal location. The style and attention to detail, from the antique soft furnishings to the coloured glassware, are unmistakably Pig.
You’ll be greeted like an old friend, and truly nothing is too much trouble. From last-minute reservation changes to lunch recommendations, staff were always available and smiling. The walk from the car park is down a shingle path your luggage won’t enjoy; collect a wheelbarrow from reception to whisk it to your room instead.
The 11 rooms in the main house are classic, with weathered furniture, floorboards, and dark, muted charcoal and deep sage greens on the walls. Some have decorative fireplaces, and nautical vintage oil paintings hang on the walls in gold gilt frames. Pops of colour come from bottle-green velvet cushions, nature-inspired heavy curtains, and brass light fittings.
Larger rooms feature roll-top baths and powerful monsoon showers with brass Victorian-style fixtures and fittings.
Four large shepherd’s wagons sit in the garden, each with a king-size bed, freestanding bath and shower, a log burner, and an outdoor shower.
Two new two-storey buildings named the Stonehouse feature 15 more bright, spacious rooms with fabulous reclaimed-wood walls and shower enclosures. King-size beds are covered with Welsh lambswool throws, and some of the larger ones have rolltop baths and plush sofas
All rooms stock bespoke Bramley products and include small fridges with complimentary water and Tunnock's caramel bars, vintage telephones, king-size beds with Vispring mattresses, Tielle linens, coffee table books about the hotel group, and khaki waffle bathrobes by The Fine Cotton Company.
Read more: The best boutique hotels in Cornwall for a chic stay by the sea
The Pig hotels are best known for their food and their “25-mile” ethos, meaning they generally source food from within that radius. Expect dishes like Camel Valley mussels and Cornish sardines, Mevagissy mackerel and Fowey duck breast, plus vegetarian dishes that make you realise meat isn’t always necessary. The now famous “Piggy Bits” menu of snacks and nibbles includes pork scratchings with apple sauce. From the mains, we had a standout whole Celtic sea brill with sprouting broccoli and mangalitza lardo, and a Middle White pork chop with cider- and mustard-creamed cabbage. The smoky-sweet tobacco onions are also a must.
The Lobster Shed is an outdoor setting in the gardens where dishes are served straight from the wood-fired oven and charcoal-fired grill. The hotel also has a private dining room.
Breakfast is served at an additional cost of £15.95 in the main restaurant and adjoining light-filled scullery, and is equally indulgent, with quite possibly the best granola of any hotel anywhere, several types of yoghurt, fresh-baked giant pastries, fresh and stewed fruit, eggs you can boil yourself, and more. The hot menu also features smoked kippers and poached eggs, plus a “Full Pig Out” English breakfast.
The Pig has a long wine list with a strong English representation and a cellar of fine and rare wines, and it prides itself on hiring some of the best sommeliers to guide guests to the right choice.
The Potting Shed offers massages, facials, and body scrubs featuring homegrown herbs such as lavender, rosemary, and mint, set within the hotel's gardens. Hunter wellies are available to borrow, and the restored 1831 walled garden is perfect for a stroll; complimentary tours are offered each day with the head gardener. Don’t forget to say hello to the quails, whose house is just outside the walled garden. Back inside, the smokery (a former bread oven) sits next to the main dining room and is used to smoke fish and meat on site.
Read more: The best hotels in Padstow for coastal views and luxury retreats
Two Comfy Terrace rooms have accessible features, including a roll-in bathroom. Ask for the Comfy Terrace room category. These are also larger, ground-floor bedrooms in the Stonehouse courtyard building. Because of the property's age and the uneven flagstone floors and shingle driveway, the main house may be challenging to navigate for those with reduced mobility.
While there are two rooms that dogs are allowed to sleep in (at a cost), they aren't allowed in the hotel, just in the grounds.
Cots are available at no extra charge, and futons can be made up. Children’s menus feature the same farm-to-table-style menus, with bangers and mash and massive fish fingers and chips. The residents-only snug room has games, but the hotel’s main attraction for little ones is the nearby beach.
Best thing: The roaring fires and cosy nooks
Instagram from: The apple orchard with the impressive house behind
Address: Harlyn Bay Road, Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8SQ
Rooms start from £225, but look out for deals which often include breakfast or dinner in the rate.
Emilee was a guest of The Pig at Harlyn Bay
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies