Stylish pubs for a weekend away in Cornwall

A getaway on the Cornish coast is always an effective way to rejuvenate mind, body and spirit. Yet, once you start Googling accommodation options, it soon becomes clear that unless you want to spend a fortune on a fabulous boutique hotel stay, you’re in the territory of Airbnbs (and doing your own washing up) or pub rooms which can lack wow factor. So it was delightful to visit newly refurbished the Rising Sun in St Mawes and Porthleven’s the Harbour Inn to discover a new kind of accommodation with the style and spoily extras of a smart hotel but all the casual comforts of a homely pub.

Location is everything, and the Rising Sun’s harbourside position is pretty unbeatable. To draw back the bedroom curtains in the morning and peer through olde-worlde windows at the St Mawes ferry puttering through glassy waters on its way to Falmouth is a fabulous way to greet the day.

Happily, inside the pub is as delightful as its views, thanks to a refurb that’s transformed the bedrooms into spaces as luxurious as anything you’ll find in a chic hotel. Super-king-size beds, crisp high-thread-count linen, quirky picture walls of carefully chosen prints, and contemporary bathrooms decked out in richly-coloured tiles and high-spec fittings tick all the boxes.

Guests are also treated to quality extras such as a coffee-pod machine, a fridge containing fresh milk, Tea Pig teabags, gourmet snacks, a Roberts radio and fluffy robes.

However enticing it is to stay indoors and luxuriate in these comforts, heading out to explore is clearly encouraged. Dryrobes hang in the wardrobe (ready to wrap yourself in after a dip in the sea) while OS Maps, walking guidebooks and a useful sheet of recommended things to do lure guests to the great outdoors.

Attractions at St Mawes include a stroll to the village’s Tudor castle: just follow the sea wall beyond the harbour, past sweetie-coloured thatched cottages and gardens lush

with the succulents and palms that only the gentle climes of this southerly spot can sustain. In season, walkers are rewarded by finding the Bear Cornwall coffee van in the Castle’s car park, where speciality-grade flat whites and Da Bara Bakery’s famed cinnamon buns await.

Being on the South West Coast Path, there are lots of good walks nearby, accessed both by foot from the pub and after hopping on the tiny ferry to Falmouth. As dogs are welcome to stay in some rooms – and are well provided for – putting Fido in kennels for the weekend is unnecessary.

Fal River cruises are another way to explore the tributaries and waterways of this environment, while keen gardeners will enjoy catching the King Harry Victorian-era chain ferry to visit the National Trust gardens at Trelissick on the far bank.

Of course, walking and adventuring requires sustenance and, although St Mawes is favoured with plenty of decent dining spots, visitors don’t need to leave the pub for great cooking, fine wines and well-kept beer. Replenish a day’s swimming, stomping and exploring with soul-nourishing dishes such as steak, beef shin and Tribute Ale pie with mash and veggies, or celebrate the harbourside location with the likes of pan-fried whole lemon sole with capers, brown butter and turmeric-poached potatoes. Vegan alternatives such as banana blossom “fish” and chips ensure everyone is gratified.

The Rising Sun team have just finished building new standalone suites behind the pub. Each has bedrooms, a sitting room, a bathroom and its own entrance to provide all the privacy of a holiday cottage but with the facilities of a pub stay: gourmet breakfasts, roaring fires in winter, a well-stocked bar, and a restaurant with windows that are pulled back in summer to merge with the sea-facing patio for an inside-outside dining experience.

An hour further down the peninsula on Cornwall’s south coast, Porthleven delivers fishing village vibes with a different aesthetic. Its Harbour Inn is appropriately named, sitting right on the edge of the waterfront of the most southerly port in Britain, where it captures the romance of Cornwall’s maritime tradition with more than a hint of seafaring adventure.

Like the Rising Sun, this ancient pub has been refurbished in the St Austell family style, while retaining its own maritime identity. Seaside blues, wooden beams, Cornish granite and stone walls and artwork that references adventures on the high seas have a historic vibe.

The theme runs through the 15 guestrooms, despite each having its own unique vintage furniture, soft furnishings and imagery. Some also have views of the turquoise waters of the harbour from bay windows where guests can lounge in leather armchairs and watch the boats head out to sea.

Downstairs in the large open bar and restaurant, ramblers, dog walkers, tourists and families mingle in a cheerful pub environment, which includes a crackling fire, pool table, TV for sports games and diners enjoying good food.

In summer, guests also spill out into a covered courtyard and harbourside seating area where casual feasting and sipping comes courtesy of the pub’s hut serving woodfired pizza and chilled beers.

The Rising Sun and the Harbour Inn are just two of the St Austell Brewery pubs that have enjoyed a stylish refurb. Also check out the Masons Arms in the picturesque village of Branscombe, south Devon, which The Sunday Times recently included in its list of best places to stay in the UK, and 17th-century the Old Success Inn at Sennen Cove, Cornwall, with its turquoise waters and beach beloved by surfers.