Sometimes you stumble across the most special places when you least expect it, or perhaps you have an expectation and you surprise yourself as you were wildly inaccurate.
I will happily admit this was what happened with our stay in Hotel Meudon.
I expected to enjoy it, it is after all Cornwall and somewhere that I love dearly, but what I didn't expect was to absolutely love the place, the grounds, the hotel, the staff, the location.
The peaceful tranquility you get on the Falmouth side with the calmer waters seemed to reverberate throughout the hotel, the decor was right up my street and if you are a fan of the Dirty Dancing film, you may see why this place gave me serious Kellerman vibes.
The food is quite honestly incredible. Quite possibly some of the best food that we have ever eaten. It is so easy to see why they have very deservedly won awards.
This blog is going to be image heavy, as there is so much I wanted to share.... But, in a nut shell, we would stay here over and over....Next time perhaps will be in the Autumn or Winter so that we can experience a roaring fire.
The Hotel:
Dating back to the 1800s, Meudon was once home to Falmouth’s famous Fox family and you will find very old parts of the building that were joined with more modern areas over time. The hotel sits within 9 acres of what can only be described as tropical gardens, in fact the Fox's actually owned a number of properties and had an avid interest in gardens, Glendurgan which is in walking distance if you are an avid walker like us is worth a visit.
The decor gives a nod to the 60s hotel vibe it had and you will find original gems from that time cleverly kept in among the contemporary modern updates that they have.
The Room:
I don't think words are needed here, I really don't, but if the images are not enough for you lets try.... Spacious, dog friendly, original retro modern features, beautiful bathroom products, clean, home made fresh biscuits, heaven, what a view..... is this helping??
The Food:
The dishes served go hand in hand with the cool 60s vibe that the hotel radiates. After one bite of your dish it is easy to understand why these guys have won awards. The menu is updated daily and is as fresh as can be. It is heavily fish led given that the sea is at the bottom of the garden, but should you not be a fish eater, there were alternatives. We however like fish and used this as an opportunity to try different varieties than we usually would, especially as each one had a quirky spin to it. They were taste sensations.
Breakfast was fabulous, the granola some of the best I have tasted and had they sold this in packets I would have snapped one up! We also had lunch on the day of our 8 mile walk - yes 8 miles. More on that below, we had a sandwich and an afternoon tea - we earned that!
As we had the dog with us we sat within the lounge area each time we ate inside and we had the same spot for breakfast and dinner. We still had the attention of the fabulous staff and the views were still perfect. The main restaurant downstairs was beautiful though and even better views. Next time we will hopefully get the opportunity to eat in here (Dixie didn't like to be left in the room and I didn't want to bother other guests with her crying!) and experience the live music alongside a Sunday roast.
The Bar:
Freddies Bar opens up in the evenings and is a total vibe. We had a cocktail one evening and soaked up the moody lighting and cool artwork, but we also had Aperols one early evening in the garden.
The Beach:
Bream Cove is a beautiful secluded spot with the bay that leads around to the Helford river. The hotel provides you with beach towels which is a fab touch and if you love nothing more than soaking up some sea air and sun, with a good book, whilst watching your children play or absorbing the gentle bobbing about of the boats, then this is your place. Not only that the Bream Box serves snacks and a great coffee.
There is paddleboard hire also available just opposite the Bream Box and fresh water for pooches.
We loved sitting here early morning or in the evening as the sun was going down.
I seriously loved it.
I want to go back.
Like yesterday.
The Gardens:
Now these are just beautiful. You walk through them to get to the beach, but there is also a number of paths that you can take a wander in, which is great if you have children or like us the dog. I will not do justice to the different species of plants and so I am linking the hotels landing page
here, but the gardens are much to be admired. We are not talking a splattering of daffodils and old oak trees here....
Walking:
The irony of us both sat at breakfast looking out of the window and commenting that we won't do too much that day, you know, we will just relax, was clearly forgotten soon after we drank the last of our coffee. We decided to have a little wander and that became an 8 mile loop. Yes you read that correctly, however we love a walk and we are so easily absorbed into our surroundings we just didn't seem to stop!
The Helford River is beautiful and if you have read Daphne du Maurier's Fisherman Creek, you will see the romance is the many hidden gems that hides behind each turn.
Final Thoughts?
If you are looking for escapism whether that be with your family, alone, as a couple, with or without a dog, check this hotel out. Hotel Meudon is about so much more than simply a hotel in Cornwall that happens to have a beach.
It is hands down one of our most favourite places we have had the pleasure to stay in.
Do check out their
instagram channel as they will share offers and competitions here too. If you happen to make a booking, please let me know, I would love to know what you think of it too.
