A warm welcome for guests - and their pets - at a Cornish hotel turns Angela Swann's rain-soaked weekend in St. Austell into a refreshing break

When I was young and living in the Midlands, family holidays were spent either in a chalet in Borth (a Welsh coastal town you may now be familiar with thanks to the TV show Hinterland) or in Cornwall.

What distinguished them in my young mind was that in Wales it rained (a lot) and in Cornwall it didn’t.

But of course it did rain in Cornwall... they may boast their own mirco climate thingy but they’re still attached to the soggy British Isles whether they like it or not.

That said, going to Cornwall at the end of March, or anywhere in the UK for that matter, was always going to be a climatic gamble but with the promise of a few days of luxury at Boscundle Manor in St Austell it was a gamble worth taking.

Sadly, weather-wise we lost. It rained from start to finish – everything from that pesky fine rain that soaks you to the skin to skull-battering downpours – but as far as everything else went, we hit the jackpot.

Boscundle Manor is a delight – nestled in a quiet, wooded spot on the Cornish coast, we fell for its charms as soon as we pulled up at the front door, flanked by stone pillars and pink walls.

Darting inside to escape the rain, the plush interior enveloped us and we both let out a sigh of pleasure.

To give you some history, the manor was originally built as two attached houses with detached barns in 1767 as home to the mine captain of Wheal Eliza Consoles, the 13th largest tin mine in Cornwall and reputedly one of the most prosperous.

 

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The main hotel building includes bedrooms, the bar and restaurant, a drawing room with an open fireplace and a lovely, airy conservatory where we watched squirrels scampering across the lawn as we ate our breakfast.

There’s also an outdoor pool, an indoor pool, a hot tub and a spa treatment room for ultimate pampering.

But it doesn’t end there. Dotted around the grounds are cosy cottages, split into apartments with their own kitchens, patios and parking spaces. The genius behind this arrangement is that guests can bring their dogs on holdiay too.

And that’s what we did, arriving at the comfortable Agatha Cottage Suite with my friend’s very patient companion Roxie to find most of the other apartments occupied by relaxed-looking pet owners.

Each morning of our two-night stay found us peering hopefully outside, searching the skies for even the faintest glimmer of blue amid the clouds... but sadly to no avail.

Happily, we were just glad be away on holiday and had a sumptious breakfast to look forward to... pah, who needs sunshine anyway!

Boscundle is perflectly situated for exploring the whole of Cornwall with attractions such as The Eden Project, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Goonhilly Earth Station, St Michael’s Mount and Jamaica Inn within easy reach, as well as delightful Cornish towns and villages such as Padstow, Polperro and St Ives and fabulous beaches at Porthpean, Polkerris, Pentewan and Watergate Bay.

We trundled around, bravely emerging from the car every so often to be battered by horizonal rain, determined to get our fill of the wild beauty of Cornwall.

Our travels took us across the pennisular – including a slow crawl across a foggy and really quite creepy Bodmin Moor – to Daymer Bay, where we visited the grave of the poet Sir John Betjeman, and just down the coast to see the tall ships in Charlestown harbour.

It wasn’t long, however, before we retreated to the warmth and comfort of the Boscundle drawing room for tea and cake.

And that was where I stayed, shaking my head in bemusement as my intrepid friend took a disgruntled Roxie on a walk to find the nearest beach, returning an hour later looking bedraggled but happy.

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Roxie gets a wash down after a muddy time at the beach

That evening we dined at the hotel, which was this year awarded two AA Rosettes and prides itself on using Cornish produce wherever possible as well as boasting an extensive wine list.

The menu, created by head chef Jenny Reed, was mouthwatering and every course a delicious delight, from the colourful duck salad to the deconstructed cheesecake for dessert.

With its friendly staff, comfortable suites and fine food, Boscundle Manor is a refreshing break whatever the weather (but please, weather gods, shine on us next time!).

ESSENTIALS

Boscundle Manor, St Austell, Cornwall, PL25 3RL
Call 01726 813557 or see boscundlemanor.co.uk
The Agatha Cottage Suite is £109 a night.
Prices range from £69 a night for a single room up to £149 for a manor suite