Chapel House PZ
Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom
From the moment you enter, you experience perfection. Susan Stuart’s minimalist transformation is a triumph of restoration but what makes the place so special is that it actually feels like home. You get homemade cake and a cuppa on arrival, you can hunker down by a fire whenever you fancy, or take a drink to the small walled garden. Nothing’s off limits; you come and go as you please, and there’s a boot room with coats, hats, flippers and wellies in case you’ve left yours behind (toothbrushes too!). Taxis are ordered, restaurants booked, kids’ games provided, dogs accommodated - and you can watch breakfast being cooked on the range, by Susan. (Don’t miss the sizzled cods’ roes.) She’s a fabulous cook - pre-dinner drinks are on the house for her Kitchen Suppers - and with a tinkling on the piano, these evenings can feel like a brilliant house party.
Highs
- Just 6 large, luminous bedrooms, with state-of-the-art bathrooms and sea views
- An intimate and relaxing feel
- Delicious meals from Cornish produce, and complimentary coffees and cakes throughout the day
- Georgian features blend with exceptional workmanship, local art and ingenious design
- A car pass to gated parking nearby
Lows
- Kitchen Suppers (Mon-Sat) are served communally, which might not suit everyone, but there are great restaurants nearby
- No twin rooms
- Room 3's bathroom is door-free, and Room 5's is in a glass box!
Best time to go
Our top tips
We love the whitewashed Tolcarne Inn at Newlyn for fabulous seafood on the coastal path. Live jazz on Sundays is a plus.
- Boutique Hotel
- 6 rooms
- Breakfast; weekend dinners; restaurants nearby
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
Rooms
All 6 bedrooms are bathed in light, decorated in sea tones, and have views of the sea - in most cases, to Mount’s Bay and the Lizard beyond.
Décor is immaculate, a blend of period and contemporary. Renovated floorboards have been painted white, and topped with rugs. Large Georgian windows are shuttered and sashed, enormous beds have been hand-crafted from oak, there are easy chairs and sofas in beautiful colours, and if your child needs a spare bed, chances are it will be an Ercol.
Bedrooms 1, 2 and 3 are on the first floor, cleanly furnished with elegant antiques; Room 2 has a wood-burner. Rooms 4, 5 and 6 are more contemporary in feel, set on the top floor beneath the rafters, where a glass dormer gives views to the harbour, and the church tower above. Room 5 has no curtains or blinds, as "the views are too good to cover up". Happily, it still gives plenty of privacy plus you can sit in bed and watch the sun rise. Room 6 is a real wow, with a free-standing bath under a sliding glass roof so you can enjoy a soak beneath the stars.
The attention to detail is second to none: fresh flowers and nice bevvies, even shaving kits. Smart TVs and tea/coffee-making facilities are yours if requested, and each room has an iPad which includes Facetime for room service and a hand-picked selection of walks, beaches, galleries, pubs and eateries - brilliant.
Bed linen is crisp, mattresses deep and bathrooms are exquisite. All are stocked with locally-made soaps and big white towels, deep tubs and/or waterfall showers.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Hairdryer
- WiFi
Eating
Keen cook Susan is mad about fresh produce and offers you Cornwall’s finest. We loved our breakfast. It is served at chunky tables in the sleek basement kitchen-dining room, where coffee, tea and scrumptious cake is on tap all day. Tuck into Greek yogurt, just-squeezed juices, artisan breads and warm pastries, along with local preserves and homemade smoothies, sizzled cods' roes (a west Cornish speciality), smoked haddock, buttered samphire, and eggs any way you want them. If you're feeling lazy, light breakfasts - breads and pastries or hot breakfast sandwiches - can be brought to your room.
Other meals on offer are Sunday brunch, Sunday lunch (roast or vegetarian) and Monday-Saturday Kitchen Suppers, served communally around a big table. On sunny days you can eat in the walled garden and hotel guests get a free pre-dinner drink. Expect a short menu designed around seasonal Cornish produce: lobster, scallops, bowls of crab ravioli, risottos, bouillabaisse, cheeses, bread and butter pudding… The wines flow and the food is a treat.
For a change of scene, cross the road to the Cornish Barn at Artist Residence for small sharing plates, cocktails and a buzzy vibe or visit the Admiral Benbow for traditional pub grub.
Features include:
- Breakfast
- Communal dining
- Dinner by arrangement
- Kids' meals
- Organic produce
- Restaurants nearby
- Room service
- Vegetarian options
Activities
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Cooking classes
- Foraging
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Museums / galleries
- Plantlife / flora
- Shopping / markets
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Theatre
Kids
Parents and children are warmly welcomed at Chapel House. The kitchen/breakfast room is stocked with complimentary teas, coffee and cake. There are books, games and colouring things for rainy days and childrens’ cooking classes on Saturdays.
Best for:
Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years)
Family friendly accommodation:
All bedrooms are big, with lots of space for a baby cot (all rooms) or rollaway bed (Rooms 4 & 6). All bar one (Room 5) have a bath. Rooms 4, 5 and 6 can be taken together to create a family suite with a large sofa’d landing. Kids will love the in-room iPads! Note, there are no twin rooms
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
Babysitting:
On request
Baby equipment:
Highchairs
Remember baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking
Children's meals:
On request
Kids Activities on site:
Kids' cookery classes on Saturdays
Distances:
- Shops: 1 minute
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Chapel House is in the heart of Penzance, on Cornwall’s southern coast. It's a short walk to the ferry for the Isles of Scilly.
By Air:
The nearest airport is Newquay (64km), but you'll find more flights to Exeter (188km). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports. Transfers aren't available and taxis are expensive, so we'd recommend hiring a car if you fly in. There's gated parking nearby.
By Car:
Penzance is just off the A30, the main road through Cornwall. It's 5 hours from London and 3.5 hours from Bristol.
By Train
There are regular trains to Penzance from London, Bristol and elsewhere in the UK. The station is a 10-minute stroll downhill, or a short taxi ride.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to the UK and getting around
Airports:
- Newquay 64.0 km NWQ
- Exeter 188.0 km EXE
Other:
- Beach 3.0 km
- Shops 0.2 km
- Restaurant 0.2 km