02/10/2025
Perched dramatically above St Austell Bay, the Carlyon Bay Hotel blends Art Deco elegance with modern Cornish hospitality. From its clifftop terrace you can sip a gin and tonic while gazing across the sea — a setting that feels a world away.
Golf is central to the hotel’s charm. The championship course is in fine condition with fast greens, combining cliff-top holes with sweeping parkland, and even bisected by the Great Western Railway. It’s friendly rather than intimidating — ideal for beginners, families or simply evening knock-abouts on the 9-hole short course. For groups and enthusiasts, the hotel offers tailored packages, from tuition breaks with PGA pros to challenge weekends and group stays with discounted buggy hire.
Beyond the fairways, the spa delivers quiet indulgence, with heated pools, whirlpool bath, sauna, steam room, treatment rooms and those irresistible heated loungers. Dining is another highlight: the Bay View restaurant offers excellent value, with set menus of two or three courses that showcase consistently high-quality cooking.
What makes Carlyon Bay special, however, is its people. Many of the team have been there for years, in some cases decades, and that longevity of service creates a warm, family-like atmosphere. Guests feel genuinely cared for — one reason why so many return year after year, often bringing their children and grandchildren to recreate the same holiday memories.
That ethos was recently recognised when the Brend Collection, which owns Carlyon Bay, was awarded AA Small Hotel Group of the Year 2025/26. With coastal walks, tennis courts, and attractions such as Fowey, Mevagissey, the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project nearby, Carlyon Bay offers something for every generation — elegant, welcoming, and memorable.