Great Places to Stay on the Lizard Peninsula and in South Cornwall
- Martin Hesp
- 3 hours ago
- 9 min read
There are parts of Cornwall where choosing somewhere to stay is almost as important as deciding where to go. The Lizard Peninsula is certainly one of them.
The Lizard is one vast cape stretching a dozen miles south from what could be regarded as the Cornish mainland into an azure oceanic world, and this journey southwards allows it to have a unique environment all of its own.
It is a headland of headlands, a cape of immense variety, a windswept netherworld of surprise and delight. The Lizard contains some of the West Country’s best beaches and coves and also some of its bleakest landscapes. It boasts deep woods and hidden demesnes; it has a helicopter graveyard, a massive airfield and even an Earth Station equipped with massive dishes you can see for miles.
If you wanted to go somewhere very, very different but not leave the region, then the Lizard would be the place for you. I can never go there without thinking I’ve travelled to another country. It is more Brittany than Britain – you somehow feel that you ought to be handing over a visa or passport as you drive past the big security fence of RNAS Culdrose.
The Lizard is the closest you can get in the UK to the equator without getting your feet wet which, needless to say, makes it one of the warmest places in Britain. It is also made of weird and wonderful rocks you’ll be hard pushed to find anywhere else. Both these facts help make this remarkable peninsula to be quite different from anywhere else in these isles.
Let’s start at that tip nearest the winter sun - you can be in no doubt as to where you are, simply because there’s a large sign declaring: “Most Southerly Point”.
This extraordinary chunk of southern Cornwall has everything from wild Atlantic cliffs and tiny fishing coves to subtropical gardens, ancient inns and elegant country-house hotels. You can wake to the sound of the sea, walk straight onto the South West Coast Path, spend an afternoon exploring a fishing village – or simply find a sheltered corner where the world seems to have stopped.
I have been visiting this part of Cornwall for decades and, over the years, I've stayed in some of its hotels and inns and visited many others. These are some of the places I'd recommend if you're looking for somewhere memorable to stay in the Lizard and the neighbouring Helford country.
And they are very different from one another.
Polurrian on the Lizard
There are hotels where you stay because the accommodation is good – and there are hotels where the location is half the experience.
is very much in the second category.
Perched above Polurrian Cove near Mullion, it occupies one of those wonderfully dramatic positions where you can look out across the Atlantic and immediately feel that you've escaped the ordinary world.
The cove is just below the hotel and the South West Coast Path runs through this remarkable stretch of coastline. It means that you can be out walking almost as soon as you've finished breakfast, while Mullion and the rest of the Lizard are within easy reach.
I've stayed at the Polurrian and what I particularly like is that it manages to combine that spectacular coastal setting with the sort of comforts you expect from a proper Cornish hotel.
The hotel is also going through an interesting new chapter, with major investment planned as it develops its facilities further.
For me, though, the great attraction remains the same as it has always been: that view and that extraordinary position above the sea.
[Read my full review of Polurrian on the Lizard]
Mullion Cove Hotel
If Polurrian has a dramatic position, then the Mullion Cove Hotel has an equally impressive one.
It sits above Mullion Cove itself, on the western side of the Lizard, with the sea stretching away towards the horizon.
I've stayed here and it is one of those places where the setting does much of the talking. You can sit looking out over the cove and watch the Atlantic changing character from one hour to the next.
On a calm summer day the water can look almost Mediterranean. In bad weather the same landscape becomes something altogether more elemental, with waves smashing into the rocks below.
That is one of the pleasures of staying on this coast: you don't have to manufacture an experience. Cornwall is providing one outside the window.
The Mullion Cove Hotel also has a spa, swimming facilities and the sort of comfortable rooms and dining you'd expect from a high-end coastal hotel.
But, as with Polurrian, I'd say the biggest luxury is geographical.
You are on the Lizard coast, rather than merely staying somewhere from which you can drive to it.
Cadgwith Cove Inn
Then there is Cadgwith – and this is where the whole character of your Cornish holiday changes.
Cadgwith is not really a conventional seaside resort. It is a working fishing cove, tucked into the eastern side of the Lizard, with boats, fishermen's sheds and cottages squeezed into the narrow valley.
I've always loved the place.
I once described Cadgwith as not so much a harbour as an indentation in the rocks. But what an indentation it is.
The Cadgwith Cove Inn sits right in the middle of this little community and is the sort of place to choose if you want atmosphere rather than corporate polish.
The building has a long history and the bar retains plenty of old-world character. There are guest bedrooms and, importantly, you are staying in Cadgwith, rather than somewhere several miles away and visiting it for an afternoon.
That makes a difference.
Imagine finishing dinner, stepping outside and finding yourself in a tiny Cornish fishing village rather than a hotel car park.
For walkers, it is particularly well placed for exploring the Lizard coast. And if you are interested in seafood, there is something rather satisfying about eating fish in a village where fishing boats are still hauled up on the beach.
Rooms above Kota – Porthleven
Porthleven isn't technically on the Lizard Peninsula, but it is close enough – and distinctive enough – to deserve inclusion here.
I've also stayed in the rooms above Kota, and this is a completely different proposition from the big coastal hotels.
The attraction is partly the accommodation and partly the food.
Kota is one of Porthleven's best-known restaurants, and staying above it gives you the chance to combine a night in one of Cornwall's most atmospheric harbour villages with a serious meal downstairs.
Porthleven itself makes an excellent base for exploring this part of Cornwall. It has the harbour, the sea, the South West Coast Path and a growing collection of independent places to eat.
There is also something wonderfully convenient about not having to get back into the car after dinner.
You simply go upstairs.
For food-loving visitors, that is quite a persuasive argument.
Budock Vean Hotel
Now we move around the Helford River, into a very different sort of Cornwall.
The Budock Vean is tucked away among 65 acres of grounds beside the Helford River and is one of those places that feels as though it belongs to a different, quieter Cornwall.
I've stayed here and it is the sort of hotel where you can spend a surprising amount of time without feeling any need to go anywhere.
There are gardens and woodland, the river is nearby and the South West Coast Path provides some wonderful walking.
One of my favourite things about staying at Budock Vean was simply being able to walk out through the grounds and eventually make my way down towards Helford Passage.
And there is a particularly good reward at the end of that walk.
The Ferry Boat Inn sits beside the water at Helford Passage and is one of my favourite Cornish pubs.
I've eaten there several times and it has exactly the sort of waterside atmosphere that makes you reluctant to leave.
The Helford itself is also one of the most beautiful corners of Cornwall. It is a ria rather than an ordinary river, its sheltered waters winding between wooded hills and creeks.
If you like walking, gardens, boats, good food and a sense of peace, Budock Vean makes an exceptionally good base.
Hotel Meudon
Hotel Meudon is another place where the setting is the star.
It lies near Mawnan Smith, between Falmouth and the Helford River, at the top of a wooded valley which tumbles down towards Bream Cove.
I've stayed here and the first thing I remember is the sense of stepping into another world.
The gardens are subtropical, helped by the sheltered valley and the relatively mild climate of this part of Cornwall. Paths wind through the vegetation towards the secluded beach below.
It is a rather extraordinary combination: a country-house atmosphere, exotic gardens and the sea at the bottom of the valley.
The Meudon is particularly appealing if you want somewhere peaceful but don't necessarily want to be in the middle of a fishing village or perched dramatically on a cliff.
It is more secret garden than seaside resort.
And that is precisely its appeal.
The Ferry Boat Inn, Helford Passage
I'm including the Ferry Boat Inn even though I haven't stayed there overnight because I know it well enough to say that it belongs in any guide to this part of Cornwall.
The pub sits right beside the water at Helford Passage and has the sort of location that seems almost too good to be true.
I've visited several times, including after walks from the Budock Vean, and it remains one of my favourite places for a drink or a meal in this part of the world.
The ferry crossing over the Helford adds another little touch of magic. You can arrive on foot, by boat or by road and, once you're sitting beside the river, it feels a long way from the rest of the world.
For anyone planning a walking holiday around the Helford, this is exactly the sort of place that makes a good base or stopping point.
So where should you stay?
That depends on what sort of Cornwall you are looking for.
For dramatic coastal scenery: I'd look first at the Polurrian or Mullion Cove Hotel.
For a genuine Cornish fishing-village experience: Cadgwith Cove Inn is hard to beat.
For food and a harbour atmosphere: the rooms above Kota in Porthleven make a particularly interesting choice.
For walking, gardens and the Helford River: I'd be very tempted by Budock Vean.
For peace, subtropical gardens and a secluded beach: Hotel Meudon is something rather special.
And if you're staying anywhere around the Helford, make time for a meal or a drink at the Ferry Boat Inn. It is one of those places that seems to encapsulate what makes this corner of Cornwall so appealing.
Cornwall is better when you stay a while
The great thing about all these places is that they allow you to experience a side of Cornwall that is easily missed by day-trippers.
The Lizard can be spectacularly busy in summer, particularly around places such as Kynance Cove and Lizard Point. But stay overnight and the rhythm changes.
The coaches disappear. The car parks empty. The evening light settles over the cliffs and coves. Fishing boats come and go. The roads become quieter.
And suddenly you have the Lizard almost to yourself.
That, for me, is one of the best reasons for staying down here.
Cornwall is wonderful when you visit for the day.
But the really good stuff often happens when you stay the night.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best places to stay on the Lizard Peninsula?
Some of the best places to stay on the Lizard Peninsula include Polurrian on the Lizard, Mullion Cove Hotel and Cadgwith Cove Inn. They offer very different experiences, from dramatic coastal hotels to staying in a genuine Cornish fishing village.
Where is the best place to stay on the Lizard for walking?
The Lizard is particularly good for walking, with the South West Coast Path passing through some spectacular scenery. Polurrian, Mullion and Cadgwith all make good bases for exploring the coast on foot.
Is the Lizard Peninsula a good place for a holiday in Cornwall?
Yes. The Lizard offers some of Cornwall's most spectacular coastal scenery, together with beaches, fishing villages, gardens, pubs and excellent walking. Staying overnight also means you can experience the peninsula after the day-trippers have gone home.
Where is the best place to stay near the Helford River?
Budock Vean is an excellent choice for exploring the Helford River, with its extensive grounds, woodland and access to walks towards Helford Passage. Hotel Meudon, near Mawnan Smith, is another distinctive option in the same general area.
Where should food lovers stay in South Cornwall?
The rooms above Kota in Porthleven are an interesting choice for food lovers because they combine accommodation with one of the area's best-known restaurants. Porthleven itself is also a good base for exploring the Lizard and surrounding South Cornwall.
