Luxury Victorian school with views of Harbour

Hotel Description

Honestly, when I first pulled up to this converted Victorian school on Daglands Road, I wasn’t sure what to expect – I mean, staying in an old school sounds either brilliant or completely bizarre, right? But the moment you walk through those original school doors (you’ll actually enter off Hanson Drive, not the main road), you realize someone’s done something pretty special here. The Old School Studios manages to keep all that beautiful Victorian character – those impossibly tall ceilings, the original windows that let in streams of Cornwall light – while making it feel genuinely luxurious rather than like you’re sleeping in a museum.

What really gets me is the harbor view situation. You know how hotel descriptions always promise “stunning views” and then you arrive to see a sliver of water between two buildings? Well, this isn’t that. From the upper studios, you’re looking straight out over Fowey’s working harbor, and honestly, it’s one of those views that changes completely depending on the tide and time of day. Early morning with the mist lifting off the water – absolutely magical. The sound carries differently here too, being up on the hill slightly; you get the gentle harbor sounds without feeling like you’re sleeping on the docks.

The studios themselves are properly thought out, not just pretty to look at. Each one’s different (they’ve worked with the school’s original layout), so you might end up in what was clearly a former classroom or maybe the headmaster’s quarters. The kitchens are actually functional – I’m talking full-size fridges and decent counter space, not those tiny hotel kitchenettes that barely fit a coffee cup. Parking can be a bit tight during Fowey’s busy summer months, but there’s space on site, which is more than you can say for most places in the town center. The walk down to Fore Street and the waterfront is maybe five minutes, all downhill obviously – just remember that means it’s uphill coming back, especially after a proper Cornish pub dinner. But really, that slight remove from the hustle is what makes this place work. You’re close enough to everything but far enough up to feel like you’ve got your own peaceful corner of Fowey. Plus, with a 9.1 rating, they’re clearly doing something right with the details that matter – and after staying here, I’d say that rating’s well earned.

Facilities