In short: Tripplo’s analysis covers a sample of 66 guest reviews of Bodmin Jail Hotel. Guests in the sample highlight The rooms, Service & staff and Food & restaurants. The most common complaints: Restaurant meals and drinks are widely seen as overpriced. Reception can be short-staffed, hard to reach by phone and at times unfriendly.
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Bodmin Jail Hotel in Bodmin is housed in a historic building, offering a unique and charming atmosphere. The property features a fitness centre, sun terrace, restaurant, bar, and free WiFi, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable stay.
Rooms include air-conditioning, private bathrooms, and modern amenities such as minibars and flat-screen TVs. Additional facilities include a fitness room, lift, 24-hour front desk, concierge service, and free on-site private parking.
The restaurant serves British and international cuisines in a traditional and romantic ambience. Breakfast options include continental, buffet, à la carte, full English/Irish, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free, featuring warm dishes, fresh pastries, and more.
Located 26 km from Newquay Cornwall Airport, the hotel is near attractions like Bodmin and Wenford Railway (2.1 km), Restormel Castle (11 km), and Eden Project (17 km). Guests appreciate the property's history, culture, and excellent service.
Tripplo’s hotel summary
Tripplo’s analysis · Updated 20 October 2026 · How we review hotels
Bodmin Jail Hotel is for travellers who want the building to be part of the trip. The old jail in Bodmin has been converted with care, so stone walls and cell features stay visible while the rooms feel modern, spacious and comfortable. Guests speak warmly about the staff and above all about breakfast, and the central location makes it an easy base for exploring Cornwall by car, with free parking on site and the Eden Project 17 km away. The trade-offs are about cost and surroundings. Food and drinks in the restaurant and bar are priced high, the evening menu is fine dining only, and Bodmin offers little to do once the day is done. Busy mealtimes can bring a wait. Couples and touring drivers who want character and comfort will be well looked after; anyone set on a sea view or a lively evening should look to the coast.
Guests score it 9.1 out of 10 — the average across the 9 hotels we list in Cornwall is 9.0.
- Guests keep returning to the building itself: the conversion leaves the old stone walls and features exposed, and small touches such as notes about the prisoners once held in your cell make the history part of the stay rather than a backdrop.
- Rooms are described as spacious, immaculately clean and very comfortable, with good beds and bathrooms that several guests call luxurious, often with a powerful rain shower.
- The most common reservation is cost: several guests found food and drink in the restaurant and bar expensive, and some felt the room rate was on the high side too.
- The evening menu is fine dining only and the bar food is limited, while guests note that the immediate area offers few pubs or other things to do once the day is over.
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Should you book it?
Bodmin Jail Hotel is worth booking for couples looking for a stay with real character — but pick somewhere else if you want to wake up by the sea.
Book it if you want
- Couples looking for a stay with real character
- Drivers using central Cornwall as a base for day trips
Pick somewhere else if
- You want to wake up by the sea
- You want pubs and nightlife within walking distance
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What guests actually say
Tripplo’s analysis uses a sample of 66 guest reviews. Texts may be shortened. Mentions are counted after automated classification and describe the sample, rather than every guest’s experience.
The sample follows how Booking.com and Google sort reviews, which puts satisfied guests first, so criticism is under-represented. Read the drawbacks below and the latest reviews on Booking.com before you book.
Food & restaurants
- +Breakfast is widely praised, with both cooked and continental choices
- +Some guests found dinner delicious and well cooked
- +The bar has a large outdoor space
- –Dinner service in the restaurant draws frequent complaints: slow, chaotic and with long waits
- –Some dishes disappoint, from a tough steak to small portions and little variety
- –The evening menu is fine dining only with few vegetarian options, and the bar is sometimes unstaffed or closed
”The food, and the breakfast in particular, was sublime.” — guest, translated
Service & staff
- +A warm, friendly welcome at reception
- +Breakfast and dining staff are praised as helpful and attentive
- +Staff go the extra mile and sort out problems smoothly
- –Reception can be short-staffed, hard to reach by phone and at times unfriendly
- –Pre-arranged extras, such as a cot or an anniversary surprise, were not always ready
- –Poor communication, for instance about closed areas of the building
”The staff were extremely friendly and welcoming.” — guest, translated
The rooms
- +Former cells turned into spacious, modern and stylish rooms
- +Luxurious bathrooms, with baths that guests love
- +Comfortable, quirky rooms full of character
- –Some find the beds and pillows too hard
- –Narrow windows that do not open can make rooms feel claustrophobic
- –Amenities such as towels and robes feel below the standard expected
”The room was the best I have stayed in all year, surprising considering it was a cell, well, three knocked together.” — guest, translated
Condition & cleanliness
- +The conversion of the old jail is praised as sympathetic and finished to a high standard
- +Rooms are very clean, with spotless bathrooms and crisp bedding
- –Housekeeping lapses on longer stays, including insects in one room
- –Maintenance problems such as underfloor heating that did not work
- –Parts of the building were closed for pest control without warning
”The bathroom was spotless and the bedding crisp and clean.” — guest, translated
Location
- +A one-of-a-kind setting in a historic building with striking grounds
- +A good base for touring Cornwall if you have a car
- –Little to do in the immediate area, with few pubs or places to eat in the evening
”A great spot to experience, and to use as a base for touring.” — guest, translated
Noise levels
- –Rooms above the delivery area can be noisy at night
- –Work in the side car park once meant drilling and banging all day
- –A noisy fan in the bathroom
”Our room was comfortable, but it sat above a delivery area, so there was some noise at night.” — guest, translated
Value for money
- –Restaurant meals and drinks are widely seen as overpriced
- –Some feel the rooms and amenities do not match the price
- –Visiting the jail attraction costs extra
”It is a lovely place, a little overpriced, but you are paying for the novelty.” — guest, translated
Pools, beach & aquapark are mentioned too rarely in the sample for an honest picture — we don't guess.
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Frequently asked questions
How far is Bodmin Jail Hotel from Cornwall Airport Newquay (NQY)?
Bodmin Jail Hotel is approximately 18.7 km from Cornwall Airport Newquay (NQY) in a straight line, calculated from map coordinates. This is not a road distance or transfer time; check the route and transport options before booking.
How do guests rate Bodmin Jail Hotel?
On Booking.com it scores 9.1/10 from 2,083 guest reviews.
How many stars does Bodmin Jail Hotel have?
Bodmin Jail Hotel is a 4-star hotel.
What amenities does Bodmin Jail Hotel offer?
Bodmin Jail Hotel offers historic Building, restaurant, bar, fitness Centre, sun Terrace and air Conditioning.
Weather & sea temperature — Cornwall
Right now: 11° air · 15° sea
Prices for your dates
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Scarlett's Well Road, Bodmin, PL31 2PL, United Kingdom