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Cornwall is, of course, all about its windswept, sea-smacked, dune-backed coast – all 422 miles of it. If you’re a fan of early morning dips, sunset walks and wild swims, you really want to be as close to the beach as possible. As such, here’s our special selection of our favourite Cornish seaside hotels, from cliff-top wonders to island getaways and secluded beachfront manors. Some stand right beside the sand, while others provide a grandstand beach panorama from the top of the bluffs – all offer maximum beach time. The restaurants nearby are full of the catch of the day and quality local produce, so you can refuel after your adventures before retreating to a room with views over the ocean. Whether you’re after a romantic retreat with your significant other or looking to take the family for an adventure by the sea, Cornwall has it all. Just don’t forget to pack your snorkel and swimsuit. The best beach hotels in Cornwall 2023 are: Best hotel for activities: Watergate Bay hotel Best hotel for families: The Bedruthan Hotel & Spa Best hotel for garden-lovers: Hotel Meudon Best hotel for historic architecture: The Headland Hotel Best hotel for seclusion: Hell Bay Hotel Best hotel for Scandi style: Primrose House Best hotel for a spa break: St Michaels Resort Best hotel for peace and quiet: The Rosevine Best hotel for traditional style: The Nare Best hotel for a weekend getaway: The Old Coastguard Hotel Best hotel for the southeast coast: Talland Bay Hotel Best hotel for boat-watching: The Greenbank Best hotel for activities: Watergate Bay Hotel Location: Newquay You can’t really get any closer to the beach than this: as the name suggests, this activity-focused family hotel sits right alongside its namesake bay, just a couple of miles along the coast from Newquay. In many ways, this is really the ultimate Cornish beach hotel: Atlantic views fill every window, you’re steps from a magnificent sweep of golden sand, and the in-house activity centre, Wavehunters at the Extreme Academy, offers you the chance to indulge in all manner of beachy pursuits, including surfing, wild swimming and stand-up paddleboarding. The majority of rooms overlook the bay from one perspective or another – some have balconies, others, sliding glass doors, and for the consummate experience, the seven bespoke-designed Beach Lofts sit literally by the tideline. Book now Best hotel for families: The Bedruthan Hotel & Spa Location: Newquay The sister property of the swish Scarlet – another deluxe beach proposition – this clifftop hotel is a firm favourite for holidaying families. It’s named after the Bedruthan Steps – the rock stacks that rise from the Atlantic waves a mile or so to the north – but the nearest beach is Mawgan Porth, which unfurls right below the hotel’s windows. The hotel itself was built in the late 1950s, but its boxy breezeblock exterior conceals an unexpectedly fun interior: all swirly fabrics, zingy pops of colour and expansive glass windows to make the most of the beach view. It’s very laid-back: kids (and dogs) are welcome, and there’s plenty for them to do, from craft sessions to an indoor cinema, surf lessons and a couple of pools. Meanwhile, you can relax in the hotel’s spa – or perhaps indulge in a sustainable, super-seasonal supper at the hotel’s recently revamped restaurant, Ogo. The clifftop gardens are a pleasure, too. Best hotel for garden-lovers: Hotel Meudon Location: Falmouth This under-the-radar hotel is hidden among fields outside Falmouth, between the popular beach of Maenporth and the Helford River. It was originally built as a private manor by the Fox family, who also planted the nearby estates of Trebah and Glendurgan – and the hotel’s own secret gardens are a delight, tumbling down through lawns, terraces and a subtropical valley filled with exotic palms, giant gunnera and rhododendrons en route to a secluded little beach, Bream Cove. Family-run for decades, and acquired in 2021 by the local Kingfisher hotel group, it’s been smartly updated with colourful mid-century furniture, bright fabrics and lively artwork, all with a slightly retro, Seventies feel. There’s a fun speakeasy-style bar for cocktails, and the restaurant has a fine garden view – even if the food doesn’t quite live up to its elevated price-tag. For once, the garden or sea view dilemma isn’t an issue here: you’ll be happy with either, but do book one with a balcony or patio. Our tip: get up early, wander down to Bream Cove for a morning swim, get coffee from the hotel’s pop-up truck, The Bream Box, and spend an hour or two soaking up those glorious gardens. Best for historic architecture: The Headland Hotel Location: Newquay It’s impossible to miss this striking Victorian-era hotel: it sits in what is undoubtedly Newquay’s prime patch of real estate, on its own headland overlooking the legendary surfing beach of Fistral, where you can watch surfers in action (or even have a go yourself). With its turrets and red-brick façade, it’s a classic slice of neo-Gothic Victoriana but, inside, the whole place has been modernised while retaining traditional architectural features. Rooms are bright and welcoming, there’s a fancy spa, and the flashy new Aqua Club has added six pools, including a hydrotherapy pool, sunset spa pool and infinity-edge pool looking over the Atlantic. For more space, book one of the cliffside cottages. Best hotel for seclusion: Hell Bay Hotel Location: Bryher, Isles of Scilly When you want to get away from it all, Hell Bay is the place. It’s the only hotel on Bryher, the quietest (and perhaps the prettiest) of the Isles of Scilly, and stands in glorious seaside isolation beside the island’s biggest, wildest beach, Hell Bay (if you’re wondering why it’s so named, come in midwinter and you’ll get a pretty good idea). With its pastel colours, sea-themed stripes and wicker furniture, the hotel has the feeling of an upmarket Hamptons getaway: several rooms and suites have private patios and views over the hotel’s neat, flower-filled gardens, and there’s a pleasant outdoor pool, garden yoga studio and a treatment shed for spa spoils. But it’s the setting that sells this place – from the doorstep, you can follow Bryher’s coast path to discover quiet beaches and swimming spots, or hike up to the top of Watch Hill for a panorama across all of Scilly. Book now Best hotel for Scandi style: Primrose House Location: St Ives This is a stylish St Ives bolthole that’s only 50m from the sands of Porthminster. Although it’s not quite on the beachfront, it’s close enough – all you need do is follow the path under the train track that runs across the bottom of the car-park, and you’re there. It’s an elegant affair, studiously minimal and decorated throughout in tasteful hues of taupe, grey, cream and mustard, with carefully chosen pieces of furniture to conjure a fashionable, Scandi-inspired vibe – a driftwood sculpture or willow-filled vase here, a rattan chair or seagrass mat there. Sea views are essential – ask for one of the rooms with a balcony, such as room 2, 3, 4 or 5, which also has a rolltop bath. The Pod, a loft-style room accessed via a steep stepladder, is a fun option. Best hotel for a spa break: St Michaels Resort Location: Falmouth This is a solid, sensible seaside hotel – not too pricey, and with some good out-of-season deals on offer. This longstanding Falmouth hotel is renowned locally for its top-class spa, which includes a big hydrothermal pool (the largest in the southwest, apparently), as well as various treatment rooms and a new Spa Garden, with a 12-seater hot tub and barrel sauna. There’s a wide choice of rooms, from basic doubles to deluxe beach apartments, all decorated in the same unfussy style: navy blues and greys, with pictures of boats and shells to remind you of the seaside location. Falmouth’s biggest beach, Gyllyngvase, is only a minute’s walk away, through the hotel gardens. Best hotel for peace and quiet: The Rosevine Location: The Roseland peninsula This country house on the rural Roseland has been converted into a sort of Cornish apart-hotel: 15 attractive, spacious studios and suites, with open-plan layouts, little kitchens where you can prepare meals, and fine views across lawned gardens to the coast. There’s also a shared drawing room with a wood-burning stove, a kids’ area and heated indoor pool, and a very good restaurant. Plus, you’re free to wander the lovely grounds at will. It’s a lovely spot, just uphill from popular Porthcurnick Beach and its well-known beachside cafe, The Hidden Hut. For quieter sands, head out on the coast path to Porthbean beach or one of the many others nearby. Best hotel for traditional style: The Nare Location: The Roseland peninsula A reassuringly old-school hotel in a superb spot above the long, golden stretch of Carne, which joins up with neighbouring Pendower at low tide to form one of the Roseland’s biggest expanses of sand. This is definitely not a hotel for the minimalists, however: its chintzy, country-house style is geared towards guests looking for a more classic English hotel experience, from nightly turn-downs and valet service to afternoon tea served on the lawn. The rooms are spacious and have a choice of sea or country views: they all share the same sense of old-fashioned style, with pelmets, armchairs, antique furniture and Roberts radios. Several have separate lounges or adjoining bedrooms, making them ideal for families. There’s a formal fine-dining restaurant, a pleasant spa and two pools, one indoor and one outdoor; braver guests opt for an early morning sea dip on Carne, before the daytime crowds arrive. Book now Best for a weekend getaway: The Old Coastguard Hotel Location: Mousehole Run by the owners of The Gurnard’s Head in Zennor (as well as the Felin Fach Griffin near Hay-on-Wye), this small hotel on the outskirts of Mousehole is just the ticket for a quick coastal getaway – it runs a popular Sunday Sleepover package that includes Sunday lunch, supper and one night’s B&B. The location is wonderful – trimmed gardens rolling down to the coast and views over Mount’s Bay towards the rocky silhouette of St Michael’s Mount. Design-wise, it feels cosy and countrified: checked bedspreads, Roberts radios, traditional wooden furniture and little windows that peep onto the briny blue. The nearest beach is Mousehole’s harbour, where banks of soft sand are revealed at low tide; alternatively, hike out along the coast path in search of the rocky coves where locals like to swim. Alternatively, take a bracing dip in Mousehole Rock Pool, the tidal pool opposite the hotel gardens. Book now Best hotel for the southeast coast: Talland Bay Hotel Location: Looe Cornwall’s southeast coast is short on swish hotels, but the Talland Bay is a rare exception – and you’re in a prime location for exploring the gorgeous coastline between Looe and Polperro. The hotel isn’t quite beachside – you’re a 10-minute walk from the sandy beach at Talland Bay – but the lawned gardens (and most of the rooms) offer a widescreen view out to sea. The design here mixes traditional and modern: some rooms are flouncy and floral, others more contemporary, with sleigh beds, twisted wooden lamps and statement wallpapers. It’s very dog-friendly (canine guests get their own doggy welcome pack) and the front gardens are a pleasure at sunset. There’s no pool, though, so you’ll be limited to sea swims – much more fun. Best hotel for boat-watching: The Greenbank Location: Falmouth There’s a whiff of Agatha Christie grandeur about this venerable waterside hotel, which spans several buildings at the end of Falmouth’s handsomest street: Dunstanville Terrace. A feature of Falmouth’s waterfront since 1640, when the buildings were the homes of Packet ship captains, the hotel is dotted with bits of nautical memorabilia – old maps, model ships, black-and-white photos of the town’s seafaring heyday. The watery views steal the show here – river vistas fill every window, in the bar, the restaurant, the hotel’s lively pub, The Working Boat, and in many of the rooms too. Skip the inland rooms – you want one with a big bay window looking across the water to Flushing, ideally with a balcony or terrace (the fancy Lookout Suite even has its own telescope for lazy boatwatching). Directly in front of the hotel, there’s a pebbly beach to explore at low tide. When the tide comes in, the Greenbank’s quay is popular with local swimmers and paddleboarders. Read more of our Cornwall hotel reviews: Best affordable Cornwall hotels Best dog-friendly Cornwall hotels Best Cornwall spa hotels Read more about England travel: The ultimate guide to York Brighton city guide: Where to stay, eat and shop The best hotels in the New Forest Read More Best spa hotels in Yorkshire for a relaxing 2023 escape Best boutique hotels in Cornwall 2023, from beach getaways to romantic retreats Best lakes to visit in the UK for wild swimming, water sports and walks Seven of the best beaches in Northern Ireland to visit this summer Best boutique hotels in Cornwall 2023, from beach getaways to romantic retreats Best spa hotels in Norfolk for a relaxing 2023 escape

Chef Maria Bradford remembers the first time she came to Peckham market. Originally from Sierra Leone, she moved to England in her late teens, and after four years she was desperately homesick. She was living in Kent and felt far removed from her home of Freetown – until she went to Peckham in South London. “The first time I ever came to Peckham, it was such a shock. I didn’t think a place existed like that [in England] – it reminded me so much of the hustle and bustle in Freetown,” she says. “All of a sudden, you get off the train and you come to this place and you’re like, Oh my God. I’m home.” Bradford, now 42, says she “desperately needed” a place like Peckham, and has been coming to the market regularly ever since. We’re back there today – on a hot but overcast London day, and Bradford is showing me how to pick out the best Sierra Leonean ingredients. We go on a weekday, as she says a weekend would take us a lot longer to get round, once she’s spoken to all the aunties in the community who want a chat. As we walk through the market, Bradford starts talking about Sierra Leonean cuisine. “I would say it’s quite healthy. We eat lots of leaves and greens, and we eat a lot of seafood as well. There’s lots of layers to Sierra Leonean food, because we mix things like smoked fish and meat in the same dish… Because we use fish more as a flavouring.” The words that spring to mind when she thinks about the food of her homeland? “Healthy, homely, comforting.” Bradford continues: “I don’t know if that’s because I’m Sierra Leonean, it brings me that calmness and home feeling. That warmth. It feels like I’m sitting at the back of our house with my mum, my nan, my grandmother, my aunties and everyone – we’re sitting around cooking, and it feels like comfort.” When she really wants to feel comforted and soothed, Bradford whips up a bowl of egusi soup (egusi – also known as melon seeds – is a thickener, and the recipe includes oxtail, goat meat, white sorrel, smoked barracuda and Scotch bonnet chillies) that Bradford says is like a “food hug, because when you eat it all you want to do is sleep”. After looking at some of the outdoor stalls full of colourful produce – bright pumpkins, squat varieties of cucumber, browning plantains – we go into Bit By Bit, a Sierra Leonean shop run by Sarian Karim-Kamara. Karim-Kamara immediately starts singing Bradford’s praises (“you’re flying the Sierra Leonean flag – we’re so proud of you!”) and thumbing through her new cookbook, called Sweet Salone – a nickname for the country. The shop is full of speciality ingredients you’ll need to make some of the recipes in the book – from the brightly coloured red palm oil (a staple in the country) to frozen cassava leaves and smoked barracuda. Bradford is keen to promote local shops such as this one, saying: “People are really friendly and want to talk about the ingredients – they don’t just know about the ingredients, they know what to do with it, how to promote it… It’s nice to step into these shops and have conversations, because you might learn so much more than what you bargained for.” As well as running the shop, Karim-Kamara is an FGM campaigner – she’s just launched a new campaign with the Mayor of London – and runs a food bank out the back. “For three years I’ve been supporting refugees and asylum seekers, but the food bank is open now to the community because everyone is struggling,” she says. Karim-Kamara adds she doesn’t talk much about it because “some people are really shy… The way we do the service is people come to the back and help themselves”. We move onto another shop selling West African ingredients – including jute leaves, black velvet tamarind and white hibiscus – and Bradford strikes up a conversation with the shopkeeper, who says she’ll pre-order the cookbook and give it to her daughter, so traditional Sierra Leonean cooking continues down the generations. “The children that are born here, they don’t really know how to cook the traditional stuff,” Bradford says after this exchange. “They’ll be more gearing towards the Afro-fusion side. It’s really important we keep the core traditional stuff, and also keep it separate.” But Bradford is an advocate for Afro-fusion dishes as well, describing it as “taking traditional Sierra Leonean ingredients and using techniques we wouldn’t necessarily use to extract as much flavour from those things”. After working as an accountant for 10 years (which she hated), Bradford did an evening course at prestigious cooking school Leiths and set up a catering company, and now uses her classical training to give a spin on the dishes she grew up eating. Examples of Afro-fusion recipes in the book include cassava chips with truffle and Parmesan, and the oxtail pepe stew – which has red wine added, a French technique she drew upon to deepen the flavours. Whether it’s traditional dishes or Afro-fusion flavours, Bradford – who is still based in Kent – uses cooking to connect with her roots. It started when she first moved to the UK and was missing home. “So I started cooking, making stuff I like to eat with stuff I can get my hands on,” she says. One of the first dishes she made was peanut soup (“you can get peanut butter anywhere, and you can pick up chicken anywhere”) and it grew from there. “Cooking and throwing those things together to feel like you’re home, connecting back to Sierra Leone.” ‘Sweet Salone’ by Maria Bradford (Quadrille, £30). Read More A week’s worth of summery recipes (even when the weather is dire) The dish that defines me: Frank Yeung’s prawn wontons How to make cassava chips How to make a traditional Sierra Leonean rich cake How to make West African brasied beef shorts in peanut and coconut milk In Horto: Hearty, outdoorsy fare in a secret London Bridge garden

Hurricane Idalia is building strength in the Gulf of Mexico as it heads toward landfall Wednesday on Florida’s