The Idle Rocks, St. Mawes, Cornwall - Explore & Book

"When Aston Martin supremo David Richards and his hands-on wife Karen took over this prime seafront hotel in idyllic St. Mawes, they didn’t hold back. Out went the fusty English-hotel décor; in came a bright, nautically themed look with hints of St. Tropez and Scandinavia. Chilled music, cheerful Chino-clad staff and colourful Cornish artworks are set against white walls, sea-grass carpets and the azure waters of the Fal estuary. A long sea-facing ground floor segues seamlessly from snug fireside cosy to laidback lounge to moodily lit bar and white-napery dining room. French doors lead to the hotel’s trump card: a gorgeous terrace lapped by the tides. Upstairs are 15 chic bedrooms – all bar four face the sea, the remainder the village – with artful seashells and disguised flatscreens, free-standing tubs or monsoon showers; plus four more cottagey, tranquil harbour-facing rooms in an annex alongside.We arrived on a flawless, magnolia-strewn April day – the kind when Cornwall seems the most beautiful slice of land on earth – just 2 days after it re-opened. Already the terrace was buzzing with the happy chatter of beautiful people who know they’re in one of the southwest’s plum seats. The vibe is more cocktails than cream tea, more eggs Royal than full English breakfast, but this is the kind of place you can get both, whenever. Highs The setting: right on the azure waters of the Fal estuary, with bobbing boats and passing kayaks, plus a small beach at low tideThe youthful vibe: chilled music on the terrace, cocktails at sunset, your first name chalked on the door, and an adventurous 20-something chefWe loved the room décor: chic but not overly fancy, with gorgeous bold fabrics, cleverly concealed technology, pretty seashells and sticks of rock for a maritime touchWe found the young staff friendly to a fault, and ably ledSt. Mawes itself: a stylish fishing village with a busy little harbour, several beaches, plus a 15th-century castle and leafy Lamorran gardens; families love it here as much as anybody Lows At this price you might hope for more facilities – gardens, pool, spa – but the narrow sea-frontage does not allow space for that (however, a spa is planned at their sister hotel on the harbour)Seaward rooms get hubbub from the terrace until late, while village-side rooms overlook the laneSome bedrooms, though impeccably equipped and decorated, are on the small sideAllowing non-residents onto the terrace can make it a little crowded" - Michael Cullen