Longview Cottage

Hotel Description

You know what? I’ve driven past Bugle dozens of times on my way to the Eden Project without ever really noticing it, but staying at Longview Cottage made me realize I’d been missing out on one of Cornwall’s better-kept secrets. This place sits right in the heart of this tiny village – and I mean tiny, we’re talking maybe 200 people – but it’s perfectly positioned if you actually want to explore the real Cornwall without fighting tourist crowds every morning.

The cottage itself is honestly charming in that way where you can tell someone’s put proper thought into every detail without going overboard. My room had these lovely wooden beams that didn’t make me duck my head (I’m 6’2″, so this matters), and the bed was actually comfortable – not just “quaint cottage comfortable” where you wake up with a crick in your neck. The owners have managed to keep all the character while sneaking in modern touches like proper heating and a shower with decent water pressure. I mean, the WiFi worked perfectly, which isn’t always a given in these rural spots. There’s something refreshing about staying somewhere that feels authentically Cornish without making you suffer for it.

What really sold me on the place was how perfectly positioned it is for exploring. You’re literally five minutes from the Eden Project – close enough that you can pop back for lunch if the queues get mad – but far enough away that you’re not dealing with tour bus traffic. The South West Coast Path is practically on your doorstep, and if you fancy a proper walk, you can be down at Charlestown (you know, where they film all those period dramas) in about twenty minutes on foot. The owners actually gave me a hand-drawn map of local footpaths that was way better than anything I found on my phone. Plus there’s easy parking right outside, which honestly saved my sanity after dealing with St. Austell’s car parks earlier that day. The village pub – The Bugle Inn – is a two-minute walk and does surprisingly good food, though it gets packed with locals on Friday nights (which I actually loved). If you’re planning to visit during summer, book ahead because word’s getting out about this place, but honestly, even with a 9.6 rating, it still feels like a bit of a hidden gem.

Facilities