The best boutique hotels in Cornwall, from St Mawes to Mousehole

Cottages, coastal paths and clean, Cornish air... Cornwall has long been one of England's most enriching counties. The largely unspoilt coastline inspires Enid Blyton-style adventures but beyond the beach there is plenty to entertain, from wildlife conservation centres and sub-tropical gardens, to steam railways and working mines, reminders of the county’s rich industrial heritage. There's plently of brilliant places to stay, too, from cosy stone cottages to sleek apartments. But for a quintessential stay with style, in a small and independent pad that values good service and high-quality offerings, choose one of Cornwall's boutique boltholes. Here's our pick of the best boutique hotels in Cornwall, including the top for sea-view rooms, family-friendly facilities, swimming pools, saunas, gourmet dining, cooking schools and cosy bars, in Penzance, St Ives, Saint Mawes, Bude, Mousehole and Wadebridge.

Staying at this stylish, laid-back waterfront inn in chic St Mawes is guaranteed to make you feel like a very cool model in a World of Interiors shoot. Expect beach-chic interiors featuring vintage items from Cornwall, across the UK and Europe; an eclectic collection of individual furnishings; paintings by artist David Pearce; French laundry baskets; and driftwood sculptures. All 19 bedrooms have been individually designed and bathrooms are bright, calming spaces, many with the addition of stand-alone baths. Dine in the award-winning restaurant with south-facing views across the water.

• The best hotels in Cornwall

Hell Bay Hotel is located on the beautiful, rugged island of Bryher. The hotel originated as a small farm in the 1980s and was later converted into the island pub with just a few guest rooms before it was taken over by the Tresco estate and the Dorrien-Smith family in the late 1990s. The style is a mix of New England and the Caribbean meets Cornwall, with Lloyd Loom wicker furniture and Malabar fabrics set against neautral hues, reminiscent of the surrounding landscape. Think cool ocean blues and greens with beach-comber chic textiles, custom made at Lucy-Tania, on Tresco.

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Hotelier and designer Olga Polizzi spent two years re-designing this chic retreat for all seasons. Tresanton still stands as a reflection of her personal style. Olga’s vision combines antiques, art, sculpture and colour pops of fabrics to evoke a stylish, relaxed and welcoming coastal retreat, with an eclectic mix of antique and contemporary furnishings, as well as artwork and sculpture from Cornish artists including Barbara Hepworth. Dine alfresco on the sea-facing terraces and relax on a sun lounger at the Beach Club during warmer months, or cosy up by the open fires in the sitting room throughout the winter.

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St Petroc’s – the fifth oldest building in the town – is set on the hillside, away from the holidaying hordes and a minute walk from the harbour with it’s authentic pubs, cafés, restaurants, boutiques and galleries. Begin your visit with drinks in the relaxed lounge or cosy snug bar, or pop next door for a pre-dinner cocktail at sister establishment, Ruby’s, before dining alfresco in the courtyard garden or light-filled bistro. Rick and Jill Stein’s rustic offering showcases seasonal Cornish bounty through classic bistro dishes; guests also receive priority booking at any of the Stein restaurants.

• The best family-friendly hotels in Cornwall

Chapel House was originally built in 1790 and lived in by Admiral Samuel Hood Lindsay, who ran the Penzance naval base during the Napoleonic War. With its classic, light-filled Georgian proportions, simple lines and symmetry, period furnishings fuse with mid-century modern, creating a clean aesthetic to a backdrop of blues and grey hues. It's a serene retreat that is comfortable and welcoming. There are six large double rooms in the main house – some with stand-alone baths and – dining is based on a 'supper club' formula with a short menu and guests sharing a table in an informal open-plan kitchen.

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A cosy 18th-century townhouse owned by chef Paul Ainsworth, set in the old town of Padstow which is known for its historic harbour. Paul traded London for Cornwall in 2006 to become Head Chef at No.6, opening the Padstow Townhouse nine years later with his wife Emma. The ivy-clad stone building is the realisation of the couple’s dream – to offer their diners somewhere unique to stay, where attention to detail is inimitable. Think luxe fabrics in rich contrasting hues, individually designed rooms, handmade restored furniture and limited-edition artworks by Magnus Gjoen.

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Artist Residence is on Penzance’s historic Chapel Street that winds up from the harbour. Downstairs, the original small Georgian rooms have been replaced by a stripped-back white exhibition space. Bedrooms are up narrow stairs, each individually decorated in a quirky style down to the bedside lights and tooth mugs: Admiral Benbow has colourful murals of Penzance street scenes; Upcycled has a mushroom-shaped bed and Cubist iconography; An Enchanted Forest has silver flowers and trees. Breakfast is delivered to rooms in a pink bag, with Danish pastries and cartons of fresh fruit salad.

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This idyllic Cornish fishing village bothole is set on the waterfront in the heart of the village, so close to the sea that you can lie in bed and hear the waves lapping on the little beach. Bare boards, wooden tables, chalkboards and nautical paraphernalia give the bar the feel of a French bistro – while the upstairs lounge and dining room, with French windows opening onto a long balcony overlooking the bay, is more hygge. There are seven rooms, all decorated in contemporary neutrals – grey-whites, taupe, oatmeal – with seagrass carpets and original art or limited edition prints on the walls.

• Britain's best seaside hotels

An upbeat seaside hotel whose heart and soul is its cool bar, with decked terrace looking out over Bude’s fine sandy beach. It’s popular with surfers and sea-lovers of all ages, and indeed anyone looking for a relaxed, hip and very sociable place to stay and hang out. Expect New England-style bedrooms with limed oak furniture, Lloyd Loom chairs and king-sized beds with cloudy duck-down duvets. Many have decks or balconies with sea views. Bathrooms have indulgent products and big baths, perfect for warming up after a swim or surf. The hotel breakfast is excellent, with a brunch menu cooked to order – including a mighty full Cornish.

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With just four bedrooms, this 13th-century manor house near Wadebridge is a stylish but unpretentious home-from-home, where the genial hosts soon feel like friends. The grown-up, traditional English exterior – all rose-covered walls, lavender beds and manicured lawns – belies a contemporary, fresh interior, where period features such as flagstone floors, log fires and shuttered windows are funked up with statement lighting and artistic flower arrangements. Rooms have stylish, sumptuous décor and window seats looking onto the grounds. The two biggest bedrooms have roll-top baths.

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Floating high between the sweeping sandy beaches of St Ives, this contemporary reinvention of the classic seaside pub-with-rooms is a relaxed escape. On warm sunny days you can live the day outside, moving between balconies, terrace bars and the little outdoor plunge pool. Bedrooms have a chic seaside boutique look and glistening white bathrooms. It is well worth paying a little more for a room with a balcony – lying on your bed looking out to sea turns a stay here from a pleasant experience to an unforgettable one. There are interesting daily specials at breakfast – like kippers with roasted cherry tomatoes.

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Owner-brothers Edmund and Charlie Inkin are free thinkers. In their hands, words like 'designer' and 'contemporary', 'fashion' and 'trend', 'grey' and 'taupe' don’t get a look in. Instead, they offer comfortable beds, good linen and thick towels, a laid-back vibe, an affordable bill and excellent food. It’s strikingly situated above the harbour wall at Mousehole, with views from the restaurant of the palm-filled garden sloping down to the sea, and St Clement’s Isle immediately in front. Rooms have mustard-yellow walls, tongue-and-groove panelling behind the comfortable beds and vintage Robertson radios.

Contributions by Ros Belford & Natalie Millar-Partridge