The Count House

Hotel Description

You know what really gets me about The Count House? It’s one of those places that completely blindsides you – I mean, you’re driving through this tiny Cornish village called Rosudgeon (which honestly, I’d never heard of before), past farmland and stone walls, and suddenly there’s this absolutely stunning converted manor house just sitting there like it owns the place. Which, let’s be honest, it kind of does.

The thing about this area – Lower Kenneggy, they call it – is that it’s properly rural Cornwall without being touristy rural, if that makes sense. You’re about ten minutes from Penzance if you need civilization, but close enough to some incredible coastal walks that you’ll actually want to leave your room (and trust me, that’s saying something because the rooms are gorgeous). The owners have done this brilliant job of keeping all the original character – thick stone walls, exposed beams, that sort of thing – but everything feels fresh and luxurious rather than musty and old. I actually stayed in what used to be the old counting house where they’d tally up the tin mining profits back in the day, which is pretty cool when you think about it.

What really impressed me was the attention to detail that you don’t usually get, even at five-star places. The beds are properly comfortable (none of that too-soft nonsense), and they’ve got these amazing local touches – Cornish soaps, locally roasted coffee, that kind of thing. Parking’s easy, which is a relief because some of these country places make you haul your luggage up gravel paths for ages. The breakfast… well, let’s just say I understood why their rating is 9.7 after the first morning. They source everything locally, and I mean everything – even the honey comes from hives you can see from some of the windows. The staff actually know the area too, not just the usual “there’s a lovely beach somewhere” vagueness you often get. They sent me to this little cove near Praa Sands that I never would have found otherwise, and it was completely empty on a day when the main beaches were packed. Honestly, staying here felt like having very posh local friends who happen to run an exceptional hotel – you get the insider knowledge along with the luxury, which is exactly what you want when you’re exploring somewhere like Cornwall.

Facilities