The Cornwall Hotel, Spa & Estate

While the history of the Cornwall Estate dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period, the mansion that's the hotel's centerpiece was built by a banker in 1834. From the outside, the white building still looks like a grand home, its entrance flanked by low stone walls and elegant topiaries, preceded by a carpet of bright green lawn. Inside, the contemporary style dates back to the building's reopening in 2010, and combines natural materials with modern finishes. The furniture suggests a designer update on traditional English decor, including chairs and couches covered in contrasting hues of cotton or velour, feathery accents hanging above the front desk, and a striking turquoise accent wall near the elevator. In the restaurants, the exposed stone walls and antique fireplaces remind guests of the building's lineage. Guests are mostly couples who can be seen strolling the quaint grounds or relaxing on the terrace over afternoon tea, though families and groups of friends are also frequent guests here. 

While there are plenty of activities to keep guests occupied at The Cornwall Estate, the region also has several attractions, including beaches and gardens. Cornwall (the region) is a peninsula bordered by the Celtic Sea and English channel. Within a two- to three-minute drive of the estate is a row of beaches where canoes can be rented. The Lost Gardens of Heligan, a popular, 200-acre botanical restoration project, is a 10-minute drive away. The Porthpean Golf Club is a six-minute drive away and overlooks St. Austell Bay. The drive from Heathrow Airport to the Cornwall Estate will take about four hours. The region is also accessible by train, which can take six to seven hours from London.

The Cornwall Estate has so many variations on a guest room that it's best to know your preferred type when booking. The 56 Woodland hotel rooms have contemporary dark-stained wood decor, seven-foot plush beds, coffee/tea-making facilities, mini-fridges, and balconies overlooking the greenery. Their spacious bathrooms are equipped with modern fixtures and free designer toiletries, and have powerful showers and separate tubs. The bedrooms and bathrooms in the Woodland Homes are similarly designed, but feel more like staying in an upscale vacation condo than a hotel. The homes also have full modern kitchens and plenty of sofas and loveseats for relaxing. Guests who want a more distinctive experience can stay in the Cornwall Cottage, a 19th-century Victorian cottage that has been refurbished to look magazine-ready. Standard guest rooms in the original manor house are individually decorated with, for example, artist-commissioned murals, and named after members of the Cornish family who used to live here; they retain some original Victorian design features, though, like all rooms, have modern amenities like flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and power showers. 

The features of The Cornwall Hotel Spa and Estate are set up to appeal to numerous types of guests: families looking for fun, couples hoping for romance, spa enthusiasts trying to relax, and business travelers planning to get off-site organization done. The grounds outside of the main house are neatly manicured with space given to croquet and lawn bowling. The grounds include various woodland creatures like owls and badgers, and even a bat cave. There are also a wooden playground and tennis courts. Cornwall's gym has an infinity pool with a hot tub, a fitness room with exercise machines, and so many spa packages it could take half a day just to figure out everything that's offered. On-site restaurants, The Arboretum and Acorns Brasserie, serve upscale continental dishes and light brasserie fare, respectively, as well as brunch and tea on the terrace. Full English breakfast is available for a fee, and there's limited room service. The Estate's business meeting space can accommodate up to 20 people, and free Wi-Fi is available in rooms and some public spaces.