Finest Retreats – Old Harbour Cottage

Hotel Description

You know what struck me first about Old Harbour Cottage? It’s actually right in the thick of things on Church Street, but somehow it feels like you’ve stepped into someone’s cozy family home rather than a typical rental. I mean, Mevagissey can get absolutely mad with tourists during summer – the harbor’s packed, the narrow streets are buzzing – but this place manages to feel like a proper retreat from all that chaos. The cottage has this lived-in character that you just don’t get with those sterile chain hotels, and honestly, the location couldn’t be better if you tried. You’re literally a two-minute walk from watching the fishing boats come in at the harbor, and there’s something genuinely magical about hearing the gulls in the morning instead of traffic.

What really won me over was how thoughtfully everything’s been done inside. The rooms have that perfect balance – you know, where it feels authentically Cornish without being all twee about it. There are these lovely old beams and stone features that remind you you’re in a proper historic fishing village, but the beds are actually comfortable (which, let’s be honest, isn’t always a given in these old places) and the bathrooms are properly updated. The kitchen’s well-equipped too, which matters because Mevagissey’s restaurant scene, while charming, can get pricey if you’re eating out every meal. Plus, there’s something quite nice about picking up fresh crab from the harbor and cooking it yourself. Parking can be a bit of a nightmare in the village center – the streets are medieval narrow – but they’ve sorted that out, which saved me countless headaches.

I’ll be straight with you though, this isn’t the place if you want a pool or room service or any of that resort nonsense. What you get instead is something more valuable – you’re staying in the real Mevagissey, not some sanitized version of it. You’ll hear the harbor activity in the early morning (fishermen start early), and the cottage creaks a bit like old buildings do, but that’s all part of the charm. The owners clearly know the area well and they’ve left proper recommendations for walks along the coast path – not just the obvious touristy bits, but the quieter spots where you can actually enjoy the views without dodging selfie sticks. During my stay in September, the village had that perfect shoulder-season feel where locals outnumber visitors again, and honestly, that’s when places like this really shine. It’s got that 8.3 rating for good reason – it delivers exactly what it promises without any pretense.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $176. Two-Bedroom House with 2 single beds and 1 extra-large double bed for Max persons: 4

Reviews

• Sarah from United Kingdom – 23 May 2025 (8/10)

  Location and living room
  
  What could be improved: Poor communication with Finest Retreats- corporate and depersonalised feel. Frosted windows in the kitchen make it a rather cold place, not helped by total lack of any staple foods or drinks provided.

• Pauline from United Kingdom – 13 April 2025 (9/10)

  Great location, the property was perfect for a family of 4.

• Stephen from United Kingdom – 24 March 2025 (7/10)

  Location was excellent
  Very clean and comfortable
  
  What could be improved: An incident occurred when the keys were l left inside property by mistake
  When we contacted the owner we were advised that no spare key was available and we would have to call a locksmith which we had to pay for.
  Unbelievable !!

• David from United Kingdom – 14 November 2024 (9/10)

  Lovely accommodation

• Lawrence from United Kingdom – 16 June 2024 (8/10)

  Location is great, close to everything Meva has to offer. A nice cosy property well decorated. Hassle free check in and check out experience.
  
  What could be improved: Ran out of toilet roll. Parking costs are £8.50 per 24hr. Minor cleanliness issues, definitely wasn’t deep cleaned prior to our stay which was a surprise as earliest check in was from 1600.

• Elspeth from United Kingdom – 12 April 2024 (9/10)

  Pleasant, good location
  
  What could be improved: Nothing but it would be nice to have a few essentials when you arrive – milk etc…

• Matthew from United Kingdom – 2 March 2024 (8/10)

  This is a rather plain looking cottage about 5 minutes walk from the old harbour along a tiny old street in the valley of Mevagissey. The site is just off a corner with a car park diagonally opposite so there's not much in the way of views. Entry is through a slightly grotty lane at the side of the house. But don't be put off! Once you get inside its charming, tiny, well equipped and nicely furnished, warm and cosy. I stayed with a friend and there are two separate bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, ensuite for the twin room and downstairs for the double bedroom at the front. Speaking of stairs, these are amongst the steepest and narrowest I've ever seen, so not best for those with vertigo or mobility difficulties :). You enter into a brightly lit modern kitchen, then there's a bathroom and living room on the first floor, and two bedrooms at the top. All are sparkling clean and newly renovated. We were there for two nights on a multi-day walking holiday, but it was one of the highlights of our trip.
  
  What could be improved: The key access box thing was a little chaotic, after not at first receiving the instructions, I then received them about half a dozen times from different people. There's no instructions about how to leave the place, other than it has to be clean and you have to put the rubbish out. But don't let that put you off. Mevagissey is a working port, and a forklift charges around the one-way system at night, presumably unloading fish from fishing boats. It was a bit noisy!

• Christopher from United Kingdom – 25 February 2024 (8/10)

  Warm, nice and close to harbour and eateries, nice shower, well equipped kitchen, comfy beds.
  
  What could be improved: Stairs are a little worrying but as long as you are careful, you will be ok. I think a small welcome pack would be nice as on arrival a cup of tea would be nice without having to go to shop or unpack everything to find supplies. My one complaint would be the 7am text message Sunday morning reminding me to be out by 10am or face a charge for keeping the housekeeper waiting. Seemed a bit tough.

• Paula from United Kingdom – 9 November 2023 (9/10)

  Beautiful little cottage in a picturesque village
  
  What could be improved: No complaints about the property. However, we were visiting after storm Ciaran and messaged to make sure that we could still visit as a business in the village had flooded but got no reply to our message.

• Graham from United Kingdom – 17 September 2023 (8/10)

  Great location, rooms were lovely. Very quaint little house. Appliances available were great. Wi-Fi was fantastic.
  
  What could be improved: On suite toilet had a slight sewage smell. Nowhere to put rubbish or recycling. Shed was full of rubbish bags. YOU WILL bang your head leaving main toilet!

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities