Fowey Hall

I’ve got a weakness for luxury hotels: browsing mrandmrssmith.com is my happy place. So when you find a luxury hotel that is just as welcoming to the little Smith-lettes as it is stylish and comfortable for grown-ups, you know you’re on to a winner. 

Fowey Hall Hotel is just that. It’s a grand Victorian mansion perched on the edge of a cliff — with magnificent views out over Fowey Harbour — which has been beautifully renovated insid to be the epitome of country house chic. As you enter the lobby, you'll spy a grown-up-pleasing cosy library tucked off to one side, and a grand living room to the other. But look closer and you'll spot playful touches to suit younger guests: the library is decked out with children’s books, there is a jar of cookies by reception, and a large wooden playground outside that takes its design cues from one of its famous guests — the novelist Kenneth Grahame, who based his beloved The Wind in the Willows character Toad's famous hall on the house. 

The rooms upstairs are just as beautifully designed, and with yet more thoughtful touches for the little arrivals. My children were delighted by the stash of homemade shortbread and the Yoto Player and library of cards left for them on their beds, as well as their mini-me bathrobes. 

The Ofsted-registered kids' club in the Den is fantastic: my children were disappointed when I came to pick them up (always a good sign). One 90-minute session of childcare a day is included in every stay – but you can of course pay for a second slot. The team do extra activities, like biscuit decorating or den building, during the day (which adults need to be present for), as well as marshmallow toasting at night and stories by the fire before dinner. There is also a cinema room with retro seats and popcorn that bigger kids will love, as well as a games room with table football and a giant connect four game, and two pools (the outdoor one is closed in winter). 

I used my free childcare time wisely: the first morning, I strapped on walking boots and took Mr Smith out for a brisk walk along the cliffs at a speed that no child would tolerate. We stopped off at Readymoney Cove on the way back — five minutes away from the hotel — for a hot chocolate watching the waves. The second afternoon, Mr Smith and I relaxed by the fire with an early glass of wine: that is, after all, what weekends away should be all about. The excellent-looking spa beckoned, but I ran out of weekend. It’s on my list for next time and I might even take the seven-year-old: there was a sweet range of junior options, including a mini manicure that I know she’ll love.

There’s an all-day bar menu to snack from, or dinner in the restaurant from 5pm for families (there’s an excellent kids' menu, filled with crowd pleasers like sausage and chips or spaghetti bolognese), served alongside colouring activities and games; or you can put the kids to bed, turn on the video monitors provided by the hotel, and come down to enjoy a more rarefied menu in peace (lemon sole in a brown shrimp butter or locally sourced steak and chips). Cocktails are excellent and the wine list extensive. 

We did leave the hotel to explore the fishing village of Fowey, a short walk away down a steep hill, to amble around the winding cobbled streets, browsing in shops and plotting our next meal. 

The hotel managed to tick every box we have as a family — a place to rest and relax, while having as much fun as it's possible to cram into a weekend away. My three-year-old says she wants to go back to 'the crab hotel' (a crab features in the hotel’s branding) — and frankly, we all do, too.