Just four minutes by train from arty downtown St Ives, this adults-only 1930s hotel is a serene refuge from the bustle, with views over the clear waters of St Ives Bay.

In an idyllic location, cascading down the cliffs at St Mawes with views to St Anthony's lighthouse, Olga Polizzi's seaside hotel continues to delight readers. Once home to a yacht club, it is spread across a cluster of houses and has a feel of the French Riviera about it.

Meandering down to a private beach, glorious sub-tropical gardens enfold this secluded Victorian mansion.

Above a sandy surfer's beach, this Victorian gabled hotel has a youthful vibe, with cool New England styling, contemporary comforts, a cocktail bar, sun terrace, modern bistro-style cooking, and now a sister hotel, The Edge of the Beach, next door.

Celebrity chef Rick Stein's famous fish restaurant and seafood bar, with coastal-inspired bedrooms, is the flagship of a mini ‘Padstein’ empire that includes a cookery school, a gift shop, fishmonger's and deli.

There are spectacular sea views from this dog-friendly, late-Victorian clifftop hotel and glass-walled spa, with traditionally furnished bedrooms and suites, sophisticated cooking in the restaurant and more casual dining from an eclectic bistro menu.

A Baroque Victorian mansion in five-acre grounds above the Fowey estuary is home to this relaxed but stylish hotel, offering fun for all the family (not forgetting the dog), flexible dining, and comfortable, contemporary bedrooms.

The Fowey estuary washes around the rear terrace projecting out into the water at this white stucco Victorian hotel, with boutique-chic bedrooms in restful shades, some with a small balcony, and a restaurant serving classic dishes with a modern twist.

Bedrooms with a coastal palette overlook the beach and harbour at this updated Edwardian hotel in a fishing village, while in the sea-view restaurant or alfresco you can dine from short, creative menus of seasonal Cornish produce.

There are great views of the Camel Estuary from this 1920s, family-friendly hotel that is virtually on the famous golf course and comes with stylish bedrooms and brasserie food.

An amalgam of a 17th-century sailors' pub with modern additions, this large hotel stands on the waterfront, with some of the best of the bright contemporary bedrooms enjoying a harbour view. Guests can drink and dine in the restaurant, bar, and in the sunshine on the seaward terrace.

A landmark Victorian building above Fistral Bay, this hotel is a mix of the grand and contemporary, with pools and spa treatments, a golf course, surf school, bedrooms in coastal colours, plus refined and informal dining on the waterfront terrace, restaurant and poolside.