Lantau Cottage: Historic Elizabethan house very close to the beach

Hotel Description

You know what caught me off guard about Lantau Cottage? Walking up Higher Chapel Street, you’re expecting maybe some quaint little B&B, but then there’s this gorgeous Elizabethan house just sitting there like it’s been waiting centuries for you to notice it. I mean, we’re talking proper Tudor architecture here – the kind with those dark wooden beams crisscrossing white walls that you usually only see in National Trust properties. But this one’s actually a hotel, and honestly, a pretty damn good one.

The location is sort of perfect if you ask me. Higher Chapel Street runs parallel to the harbor, so you’re literally a two-minute walk from Looe’s main beach – I timed it because I’m weird like that. But here’s the thing nobody tells you: you’re also far enough up the hill that you miss most of the summer chaos down by the waterfront. Those seagulls that absolutely terrorize people eating fish and chips on the quay? Yeah, they don’t really bother with this street. The cottage sits in this sweet spot where you can still hear the harbor activity (which is actually quite soothing), but you’re not dealing with the crowds stumbling back from the pubs at midnight.

What really gets me is how they’ve managed to keep the historic character without making everything feel like a museum. Sure, there are low doorways that’ll remind taller guests this place predates modern humans, and the floors have that slightly uneven charm that comes with age, but the rooms are genuinely comfortable. The 4-star rating isn’t just for show – they’ve clearly put thought into the details. I particularly loved how some rooms have these small windows that frame perfect slices of the sea between the rooftops below. It’s not a full ocean view, but it’s somehow better than those massive picture windows you get in modern hotels because it feels discovered, you know?

Parking can be a bit tricky on Higher Chapel Street itself – it’s one of those narrow Cornish roads that were definitely designed for horses, not cars. But there’s usually space if you’re willing to walk a minute or two, and honestly, once you’re settled in, you won’t need the car much anyway. Looe’s tiny enough that everything’s walkable, and the railway station is right there if you want to explore further down the coast. The 8.2 rating makes total sense to me – it’s the kind of place that gets almost everything right without trying too hard to impress. Sometimes that’s exactly what you want from a getaway, especially somewhere as naturally beautiful as this stretch of Cornwall.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $560. Five-Bedroom House with 1 large double bed, 2 × 1 double bed, 1 single bed and 2 single beds for Max persons: 9

Reviews

• Paul from United Kingdom – 7 August 2024 (7/10)

  Good central location close to Looe beach (less than 5 mins walk), shops, restaurants, coastal paths, boat trips. As a family of 8 of mixed ages and mobility, the location had something for everyone being in the centre of Looe. Looe sea safari boats and other boat operators were also a few minutes walk from Lantau cottage. Recommend Colin (Evie J Boat trips) who was very informative and showed us seals on Looe island enroute to Polperro/return trip. Weather was kind during our stay and we enjoyed family beach time. South West coastal paths on the doorstep. Lantau cottage was comfortable and had good social space with open plan kitchen/dining room/lounge area. 2 car parking spaces allocated with the property – one at the beach car park (less than 5 min walk) and one at Millpool car park (10-15 mins walk away). Drop off area close to property and permits were on the kitchen table on arrival to put in vehicles. Late check in/early check out probably due to how busy the area gets on the narrow streets in/out of the centre with lots of footfall/pedestrians.
  
  What could be improved: We were disappointed with the size of the fridge (standard under counter) for the size of the property. There was a very small freezer on top of the washing machine in a cupboard by the front door. Unfortunately this was iced up a lot which made it even smaller in capacity and again was not adequate for the size of the property/group size.
  Overall the property was in need of some maintenance (broken window in one bedroom), back door would not open (had expanded) and needed a more thorough deep clean in some areas. No issues with bedding/linens/towels/bathrooms.
  The lockbox had corroded and it was difficult to open it and lock it again. Also the external bins had padlocks on which were difficult to access. The seagulls were particularly loud first thing (no need for alarm clocks).

• Aaron from United Kingdom – 2 July 2024 (9/10)

  Perfect location everything on its doorstep, the house was stunning and really quirky had plenty of room for the whole family

• Tracy from United Kingdom – 22 October 2023 (9/10)

  The location was ideal for exploring Looe, the accommodation was excellent the attention to detail was amazing we had a great time and would definitely go back !
  
  What could be improved: I can’t think of anything we didn’t like !

• Will from United Kingdom – 6 June 2023 (9/10)

  beautiful house & amazing location
  
  What could be improved: nothing to dislike

• Tregenna from United Kingdom – 15 February 2025 (7/10)

• Lijo from United Kingdom – 23 August 2024 (8/10)

• Julia from United Kingdom – 3 June 2023 (9/10)

• Bassbrabo from Netherlands – 9 July 2024 (8/10)

• Ferry from Netherlands – 26 April 2023 (9/10)

• Justus from Germany – 5 May 2024 (9/10)

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities