Holiday Home – St Austell

Hotel Description

You know what surprised me most about Holiday Home at Meadow Lakes? How quiet it actually gets in the evenings, despite being right in the heart of St Austell’s holiday park scene. I mean, you’d expect constant noise from families and kids running around, but honestly, once the sun starts setting, there’s this lovely peaceful vibe that settles over the whole place.

The accommodation itself is properly comfortable – not fancy-hotel-trying-too-hard comfortable, but that genuine “kick your shoes off and actually relax” kind of feeling. The 4-star rating isn’t just for show either; everything works as it should, the heating’s reliable (crucial in Cornwall, trust me), and there’s enough space that you’re not tripping over your luggage every five minutes. What I really appreciated was how well-maintained everything felt – you can tell they actually care about keeping the place up rather than just letting holiday rentals slowly deteriorate like some places do. The kitchen’s got proper equipment too, not those useless tiny pans that barely heat a tin of beans.

Location-wise, you’re perfectly positioned for exploring this part of Cornwall without the madness of staying right in the tourist hotspots. St Austell’s got character – it’s a proper working town, not just somewhere that exists for visitors – and you’ll find decent pubs and shops within walking distance. The Eden Project’s obviously the big draw nearby (about ten minutes in the car), but honestly, some of my favorite moments were just wandering around the local area and stumbling across those hidden Cornish gems you never hear about in guidebooks. The coastal path access isn’t far either, though you’ll want to drive to the really spectacular bits around Charlestown or Mevagissey. Parking’s straightforward, which might sound boring but you’ll appreciate it when you’re not circling around for twenty minutes looking for a space like you do in Padstow or St Ives. The 9.5 rating makes complete sense once you’ve stayed here – it’s that rare combination of everything working properly, genuine comfort, and being in the right spot without paying tourist-trap prices. I’d definitely book again, probably for a longer stay next time.

Facilities