The Old Quay House Hotel

About The Old Quay House Hotel

The Old Quay House sits on Fore Street in the middle of Fowey, in a Victorian building that started out as a seamen's mission. It runs right down to the water, so while the front door is on a narrow town street, the back opens onto a terrace directly above the estuary. That terrace is the reason most people book: it faces east across the water to Polruan and catches the morning light, and it is where breakfast and drinks are served whenever the weather holds.

There are 14 bedrooms over three floors, individually decorated in a restrained coastal style with pale colours and good linen. Several have balconies or French doors looking down the estuary; the rooms at the back on the upper floors have the best of the view. Rooms at the front are quieter on price and face the street. All have free Wi-Fi, Freeview television, tea and coffee making facilities, bathrobes and hairdryers. There is no lift, and the building's age means floor levels and staircases take a little navigating.

Samphire, the ground-floor restaurant, cooks seasonal Cornish food with an emphasis on fish landed locally and vegetables from nearby growers. It is open to non-residents, and the terrace tables are booked well ahead in summer. Breakfast is included and served either inside or out. There is no spa, gym or pool: this is a small hotel that concentrates on rooms, food and the setting.

The hotel does not take children under eight, which keeps things calm, though well-behaved dogs are accepted. It suits couples on a short break, walkers using the Hall Walk and the coast path, and anyone visiting for Fowey's regatta or literary festival. Parking is not on site, so plan on using the town car parks a short walk up the hill.