A mini-break with kids at Bedruthan Hotel

Have you ever been somewhere that makes you feel like you’ve stumbled across a really well-kept secret? Bedruthan Hotel and Spa in Cornwall’s Mawgan Porth is that place for me. We went there for a mini-break with the kids last weekend and, ever since, we’ve haven’t been able to stop talking about the place. It. Was. Amazing.

Nestled into the cliffs, overlooking Mawgan Porth bay, the hotel is a short drive from Newquay in Cornwall. It’s been run by two generations of the same family and, as soon as we walked into the hotel, we felt instantly welcome. This was a theme that was set to continue throughout the whole weekend, so that by the time we left we felt so at home that it was a real wrench to drive away.

I guess the hotel’s USP is that it caters for everyone equally. If you’ve got a tiny baby, older children or just want to escape for a break away without the kids then this is the place to go. Featuring a spa for grown-ups only, a “Tranquility Lounge” and a cocktail bar, there’s plenty of places for adults to retreat to if they want some time away from the children. For the kids, there’s a “Jungle Gym” soft-play area, swimming pool, beautifully creative outdoor play area, zip wire and kids’ club. The hotel also offers a babysitting service for £12 an hour, or there’s a free listening service if you’re comfortable with leaving your baby or child in the room alone once they’re asleep.

The thing that immediately struck me about the hotel was the stylish decor. It’s not necessarily what you’d expect from a place that’s SO kid-friendly. There were no tatty carpets, crayon marks up the wall or tired old sofas. Instead, it was Scandi-inspired retro cool, with a 1960s colour palette and some beautiful bespoke pieces of furniture made by local Cornish designers like Tom Raffield.

Alongside this achingly stylish interior, though, is a real commitment to making it usable and comfortable for families. From the brightly coloured Cosatto highchairs in the Wild Cafe, to the booster cushions, to the basket of plastic spoons, bibs and cutlery, to the little toddler step and low sinks in the gleaming marble toilets – this is a place that does family living perfectly. In fact, everywhere I looked I got ideas for things I’d like to do in our own home.

There was an attention to detail that I can’t fault, with staff that left you feeling really looked after and cared for. For example, in the Wild Cafe – the destination for breakfast and eating with the kids – we were given the choice of a highchair for Baby Girl or a baby rocker. We ended up getting both, so she was happy to sleep while we ate and then had somewhere to sit and eat her own breakfast. These are the kind of things that leave you beaming as a parent, because you know you’re in a place that is truly family-friendly.

When you go away with kids, even if it’s only for a couple of nights, the packing seems to take FOREVER – or maybe that’s just me. Anyway, the packing was pretty minimal for Bedruthan Hotel, because so much was provided on site. We were given a baby bath and steriliser for our room, plus the cafe already has a huge selection of baby bibs and cutlery. All your towels are provided too, so we only needed to take clothes and swimming cozzies. Win.

Another thing the hotel does really well is provide plenty of places to just relax. As well as the huge ballroom lounge area, complete with gorgeous art, mid-century furniture, comfy bright sofas and roaring fire, there are various other cosy nooks dotted around the hotel too. This meant I was never far from somewhere to feed the baby or rock her to sleep, plus my four year old had plenty of opportunity to sit and colour or read when she needed some down-time from all the playing.

And play she did. Because as well as a dedicated soft-play area, outdoor play park (complete with zip wire, trampoline, seaside-themed play equipment and wendy house) there was a kids’ club where she did two full hours of crafting and make-believe dressing up games. She was in heaven. The hotel provides free childcare for up to two hours’ in the kids’ club each day for each child, so we left Frog and Baby Girl there while we went to explore the spa. It was the first time the (self-proclaimed) Northern Love Machine and I have been anywhere without the girls since Baby Girl was born and it was pretty amazing, even if he did moan about being hot in the sauna.

The hotel’s incredible location is the icing on the cake. We had beautiful views of the sea from our room, and those views continue throughout the hotel, with huge windows overlooking a stunning sandy beach. When you’re outside in the play area you can’t help but look out to the sea. And when you’re soaking in the amazing hydro-pool in the spa, you can sit back and look out at the beach. Bliss.

When we stayed at the hotel it was fairly busy, but it never felt crowded. There was a wedding, birthday parties and lots of guests there for a Mother’s Day treat, but the staff always took the time to make us feel welcome and check we had everything we needed. The only time we had to wait for anything was in our meal in the adult-only Herring restaurant on the Saturday night. It was quite busy so there was a bit of a wait for our food (duck salad and chowder), but once it arrived it was delicious, if pricey. On the whole the food was fantastic, with locally sourced ingredients, good sized portions and creative recipes. The kids menu was treated with just the same amount of care and attention too, meaning Frog ate just as well as we did.

I’m desperately trying to think of something negative to say about Bedruthan Hotel for the sake of balance, but I simply can’t think of anything. It’s definitely up there in the top places we’ve ever stayed.

I made a little vlog of our stay, so if you want to see more of the hotel and hear what my four year old thought of it, have a watch of this:

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Disclosure: With thanks to the Bedruthan Hotel and Spa for inviting us to stay. We were guests of the hotel for the purpose of this review. For more information about how I work with brands check out my Work With Me page.