Quay Courtyard

Hotel Description

You know what caught me off guard about Quay Courtyard? The name makes it sound like some corporate chain hotel, but honestly, this place has more character than half the boutique properties I’ve stayed at. It’s tucked right on Quay Road in Charlestown – and if you’ve never been to Charlestown, well, you’re missing out on one of Cornwall’s best-kept secrets. This isn’t the touristy St. Ives madness; it’s where they filmed Poldark, and the Georgian harbor looks like someone plucked it straight from the 18th century.

The hotel itself sits perfectly positioned where you can actually walk to the harbor in about two minutes (I timed it), but you’re far enough back that you don’t get the seagull chaos at dawn – trust me on this one. The rooms have this lived-in elegance that feels genuine rather than staged. Mine overlooked the courtyard (hence the name, obviously), and there’s something really calming about having that internal view instead of staring at someone else’s window. The beds are properly comfortable too – none of that rock-hard nonsense some places pass off as “firm support.” What really impressed me was the attention to small details: decent water pressure in the shower, blackout curtains that actually block light, and – this might sound weird – but the WiFi works everywhere, even in the bathroom if that’s your thing.

The staff here actually know the area, which sounds basic but you’d be surprised how rare that is. When I asked about walking the coast path, the guy at reception didn’t just hand me a generic leaflet – he told me exactly where to park at Crinnis Beach if I wanted to walk back toward St. Austell Bay, and which section gets muddy after rain. They also sorted parking without me even asking, which in Cornwall during summer is basically a miracle. The whole place has this relaxed confidence about it – like they know they’re good without needing to oversell everything. I mean, with a 9.5 rating, they’re clearly doing something right. It’s the kind of place where you could easily spend a few days just using it as a base to explore the Eden Project (20 minutes away) or the Lost Gardens of Heligan, but honestly? You might find yourself just hanging around Charlestown longer than planned. The Shipwreck Museum is quirky, the Tall Ship is worth a look, and there’s a decent pub right by the harbor that does proper Cornish pasties. Sometimes the best hotels are the ones that don’t try too hard – they just get the basics absolutely right and let the location do the talking.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $204. Holiday Home with 1 double bed for Max persons: 2

Reviews

• Jill from United Kingdom – 10 May 2025 (10/10)

  Exceptionally clean accommodation in a great location. Welcome package of tea, coffee, milk and packet of biscuits. Well equipped with a lovely garden area and near to great restaurants. Everything was perfect.

• John from United Kingdom – 6 April 2025 (10/10)

  What could be improved: nothing it was perfect.

• Maria-loredana from United Kingdom – 28 March 2025 (10/10)

  We loved our stay and everything about the property, from the great location, accessibility, proximity to the beach, coastal walks and restaurants. The property itself is beautifully designed, bright, with garden views; it offers loads of amenities, is extremely clean and warm and we felt incredibly welcomed (we appreciated that the kitchen was stocked with coffee, tea, milk and biscuits!). Mo is a lovely and very helpful host and we really enjoyed and appreciated our stay! Thank you!
  
  What could be improved: –

• Jim from United Kingdom – 11 September 2024 (10/10)

  A wonderful private space to explore the local areas from.

• Sheila from United Kingdom – 7 September 2024 (10/10)

  What a little Gem. The cottage was such a lovely place to stay as it was so well done. The accommodation was spotlessly clean with excellent facilities which were all like brand new! This is such a relief and pleasure to find when booking online in this way. Having the sole use of such a beautiful garden while we were there was a real treat and really added to our holiday experience. Staying in the cottage, which is in an excellent spot at the back of the owners cottage, which is in a row
  of cottages right on the harbour in beautiful Charlestown with a wonderful sea view as you left the property each morning, was like staying in a tropical retreat so stunning are the gardens and the design of the cottage. I received clear instructions from Mo and Dave as to how to find their property, reserved parking, key box and entrance to the cottage. It was lovely to meet Mo to say hello as we arrived which gave us the confidence to know that should we need them they were there for us but otherwise we were left to enjoy our holiday. Charlestown is a lovely quaint little place to stay with a small beach, plenty of restaurants and eateries, some interesting craft and gift shops, access to coastal path walks and the harbour with the tall ships and all of its history ( there is a museum at the moment) is beautiful. There are also large supermarkets only a few minutes drive away for all your self catering needs. Charlestown is also perfectly placed for trips to lots of tourist places which are only 15/20 mins easy drive such as The Eden project and The Lost Gardens of Heligan and a bit further away but easily doable is Tintagel Castle. Thank you so much Mo and Dave for creating such a fabulous, comfortable and spotlessly clean place for us to enjoy our holidays.
  
  What could be improved: We liked everything – didn't want to come home.

• Nicky from United Kingdom – 15 July 2024 (10/10)

  This is my new favourite place ! So homely, perfect location and wonderful hosts. Everything was immaculately clean and thoughtfully furnished. It was in a fantastic location but very quiet at night with parking which was an added bonus. We will definately be returning.
  
  What could be improved: Nothing

• Sarah from United Kingdom – 30 June 2024 (10/10)

  The location, the cottage and garden were amazing, the place is better in real life than the photos, a really special find and I know we will visit again. Thank you Mo , we loved our break and will look forward to returning.
  
  What could be improved: Going home.

• Viktória from Slovakia – 19 June 2024 (9/10)

  Very clean and cozy

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

  Lovely and clean and comfortable with a beautiful garden and conservatory to relax in

• Nathalie from Netherlands – 10 May 2024 (9/10)

  Nice and quiet yet close to the hustle and bustle

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities