The Willows

Hotel Description

You know what? I’ve driven past The Willows in Saint Columb Major probably a dozen times over the years, and I always wondered what it was like inside. Well, I finally got the chance to stay there last month, and honestly – I get why it has that perfect 10 rating now.

The thing about Saint Columb Major is that most people just barrel through on their way to Newquay or the coast, but they’re missing something special here. The Willows sits right in the heart of this proper Cornish village, and when you pull up, there’s this immediate sense of… I don’t know, authenticity? It’s not trying to be some flashy resort. The building itself has that lovely honey-colored stone that catches the afternoon light beautifully, and there’s actually decent parking right there – which, let me tell you, is worth its weight in gold in Cornwall during summer. The staff greeted us like we were old friends, not just another booking reference, and check-in was refreshingly straightforward. No upselling, no lengthy presentations about spa packages.

What really got me was the attention to detail inside. The rooms – well, mine overlooked the village green where you can still see locals walking their dogs in the evening – had this perfect balance of traditional charm and modern comfort. The bed was genuinely one of those “sink right in” affairs, and the bathroom had proper water pressure (you’d be amazed how many places get this wrong). But here’s the thing that really impressed me: you can hear the church bells from St. Columba’s in the morning, but it’s not jarring – it’s actually quite lovely, sort of eases you into the day. The breakfast was exceptional too, proper local ingredients, and they knew exactly where everything came from. The bacon was from a farm just outside Wadebridge, the eggs were so fresh they practically glowed, and they do this thing with their kedgeree that I’m still thinking about weeks later. Plus, you’re literally a ten-minute drive from some of Cornwall’s best beaches – Mawgan Porth, Watergate Bay – but without the chaos and parking nightmares of staying right on the coast. The village itself has a couple of brilliant pubs (The Red Lion does an incredible Sunday roast), and if you fancy a proper walk, the Saints’ Way footpath runs right through here. I mean, you could easily spend days just exploring the area on foot. What I loved most was that feeling of being somewhere real, not some sanitized tourist bubble. This is Cornwall as it actually is – warm, welcoming, unpretentious, but absolutely top quality when it matters.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $167. Holiday Home with 2 × 1 extra-large double bed and 2 × 2 single beds for Max persons: 8

Reviews

• Marcia from United Kingdom – 1 September 2024 (10/10)

  Everything
  
  What could be improved: Nothing

• Daria from United Kingdom – 14 June 2025 (10/10)

• Shane from United Kingdom – 7 June 2025 (10/10)

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities