Blue Hayes

What could be lovelier than to take breakfast on the terrace of Malcolm Herring’s small hotel, gazing over the harbour, or to sip a Blue Hayes Colada at sunset? This is an exclusive place (no dogs, no tiny tots, no walk-ins), done out in seaside blues and creams, with the garden gate leading to the Coast Path and Porthminster Beach. Staff are ‘loyal, well trained, welcoming’ and intuitive. ‘When we were chatting about going up to make a cup of tea, they offered to bring a tray to us in the lounge – and it didn’t appear on the bill!’ Bedrooms have a ‘big, comfy bed, top-quality linen, enormous fluffy towels’, Molton Brown toiletries, bone china, a teapot, mini-cafetière and fresh milk. One has a sea-facing balcony, one a roof terrace, one French doors to the garden. ‘Sandwiches are available all day.’ There are many good restaurants in town, but if you prefer to eat in, you can order a light supper, perhaps tian of smoked salmon and Cornish crab, or Trelawny cheese and asparagus tart. Breakfast includes pancakes with berries and crème fraîche, fresh-baked croissants, Cornish gammon steak or kedgeree.