Cornwall Living
Wintering in Cornwall
An invitation to experience the county from some of its top hotels.
Winter transforms Cornwall into something entirely different from the bustling summer destination most visitors know. The coast becomes dramatically wild, unleashing spectacular displays of foam and spray, while inland paths and clifftop walks shed their summer crowds and invite you to experience the landscape in its raw, untamed state. This is Cornwall for those who seek atmosphere, rewarding travellers drawn to its elemental beauty.
The county’s hotels embrace this seasonal shift, offering hospitality that matches winter’s more contemplative pace, a welcome contrast to the frenetic pace of summer. This year, some of Cornwall’s premier destinations invite you to discover the season through experiences only they can provide.
St Michaels Resort in Falmouth invites you to frame winter as a time for renewal. The resort has shaped its offering around wellness, ensuring that guests feel both looked after and revitalised. The spa’s outdoor hydrotherapy pool remains inviting even in the colder months, steam rising into the air as you soak. Inside, the treatments are extensive, many inspired by Cornwall’s natural resources, whilst the Health Club offers the reassurance of keeping fitness routines alive while away. Rooms are bright and designed for comfort, many with sea views, while the restaurant delivers dishes that balance refinement with the freshness of Cornish produce. St Michaels suggests that winter can be just as restorative as summer, with health and indulgence both being important.
Karma St. Martin’s bids you step further still, across the water to the Isles of Scilly. Reaching the hotel feels like a deliberate escape, and once there, guests find themselves closer to nature than perhaps anywhere else in Cornwall. In winter, the beaches are windswept and atmospheric, the skies shifting constantly above the Atlantic horizon. Inside, warmth and comfort contrast with winter’s display outside. Fires burn, food is served with a focus on the catch landed nearby, and bedrooms frame views that change with the weather. Karma St. Martin’s offers the chance to withdraw from the everyday while still being looked after in style, an invitation to rediscover the simple pleasure of being close to sea and sky.
www.karmaresortdestinations.com/karma-st-martins
The Nare extends an invitation to embrace tradition on the Roseland Peninsula. This is a hotel that has built its reputation on service, and in winter, that quality feels all the more evident. Guests arriving after a long walk along the cliffs are met with attentive staff, open fires and a choice of lounges designed for lingering. Dining here is formal without a whiff of pomp, with menus that reflect both local produce and a kitchen confident in its craft. Bedrooms are spacious and many look out over Gerrans Bay, offering vistas that seem made for winter light. At The Nare, the invitation is to slow down, to appreciate standards of service that remain constant regardless of the season, and to enjoy a style of hospitality that is rare.
Bodmin Jail Hotel offers something altogether different, as it summons those to experience history reimagined. The building, once a prison, has been transformed into a striking example of heritage adapted for modern use. Stone walls and original features provide drama, while interiors are designed with comfort firmly in mind. Bedrooms feel luxurious, bathrooms are well-appointed, and the restaurant delivers ambitious dining that surprises first-time visitors. Winter is a season that suits the building, enhancing its atmosphere, yet guests are met with warmth and a sense of being cocooned from the outside world. The idea here is to combine curiosity with comfort, staying somewhere that tells a story while also offering everything expected of a modern hotel.
The Greenbank and The Alverton, both part of the Cornwall Hotel Collection, extend their invitation from Falmouth and Truro, respectively. The Greenbank sits directly on the water, inviting guests to enjoy harbour views as lights reflect across the estuary in the early evenings. Its restaurant and bar have a lively, welcoming atmosphere, while rooms echo the building’s maritime heritage with comfort and character. The Alverton, in contrast, invites you to stay in a former convent, where architecture provides both gravitas and elegance. Set in its own grounds just above Truro, it offers a blend of city access and heritage comfort. Between them, these two hotels invite guests to see how Cornwall’s urban and harbour life thrives in winter, each with its own specific appeal but a shared focus on hospitality.
www.greenbank-hotel.co.uk
www.thealverton.co.uk
The Bay Hotel at Coverack extends a warm welcome to stay right above the curve of sand and harbour on the Lizard’s eastern shore. Every bedroom looks over the beach, so the tide becomes part of the day from the moment you wake, with a Cornish breakfast included for residents. After a coastal walk on the South West Coast Path, step inside to the Hevva Restaurant for seafood landed close by, or choose the all-day bar menu; when the weather plays ball, there’s a terrace and gardens with long views across the bay. Winter here means wave-watching, beachcombing and a friendly team ready with good plates and a warm welcome, all just a few steps from the shoreline.
The Penventon Park Hotel encourages you to step into Georgian architecture and interiors designed with flair. The hotel has a sense of occasion, from its dining room to its spa and pool, and the invitation it offers in winter is one of indulgence. The menu is broad and ambitious, the surroundings rich in colour and detail, and the atmosphere designed to make guests feel they are being treated to something beyond the everyday. Winter suits The Penventon, heightening the appeal of its theatrical interiors and making time spent indoors feel part of the attraction.
Finally, St Moritz Hotel, near Rock, extends an invitation to those who favour contemporary design. Its white walls and clean lines reflect a modern sensibility, while its Cowshed Spa adds an extra dimension to relaxation. Rooms are filled with light, and views stretch out across the Camel Estuary and beyond. The restaurant champions local produce while presenting it in a modern style, complementing the hotel’s overall feel. The invitation here is to experience Cornwall’s north coast through a lens of modern comfort, where design and setting combine to create a break that feels fresh and stylish.
Each of these hotels has its own unique appeal, distinct yet aligned by a common thread: the desire to make Cornwall in winter an experience to remember. Whether through wellness, tradition, history, family-friendly comfort, or modern design, the message is the same. Come and enjoy Cornwall in the winter months.