In short: Tripplo’s analysis covers a sample of 57 guest reviews of Talland Bay Hotel. Guests in the sample highlight Location, Service & staff and Food & restaurants. The most common complaints: Budget rooms and cabins are small and some look onto the car park. Many feel the rooms are overpriced, especially the budget rooms.
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Talland Bay Hotel sits in gardens above a sheltered bay on Cornwall's south coast, between Looe and Polperro, with wide views over the sea.
The South West Coast Path runs past the grounds, and both Looe and Polperro are less than ten minutes away by car or reachable on a coastal walk; Fowey and the Eden Project lie a little further along the coast. The hotel is very dog-friendly, so dogs can come along on the walks.
The restaurant builds its menus around local Cornish produce, from fresh scallops to seasonal tasting menus, and also serves afternoon tea with sea views, a good wine list and the hotel's own gin and tonic.
Each of the 20 rooms has its own theme and décor, and art and playful details run through the house and garden.
Tripplo’s hotel summary
Tripplo’s analysis · Updated 20 October 2026 · How we review hotels
Talland Bay Hotel is for travellers who want their stay to have a personality. The 20 rooms each have their own theme, art turns up in every corner of the house and garden, and guests use words like quirky, joyful and gloriously eccentric. Behind the playfulness sits serious cooking: the restaurant works with local Cornish produce, and dinner, afternoon tea and breakfast are praised as warmly as the friendly, attentive staff. The setting above Talland Bay is peaceful because it is remote. Getting there means narrow lanes, parts of the old building are reached by steep staircases, and the cove below is an easy walk down and a hard one back. The hotel is also very dog-friendly, which is a joy for some guests and less so for others. Couples, food lovers and walkers with a dog will feel right at home; those who prefer classic interiors and easy access may want somewhere more conventional.
Guests score it 9.2 out of 10 — the average across the 9 hotels we list in Cornwall is 9.0.
- The hotel looks out over Talland Bay from its gardens, and guests describe a peaceful setting with uninterrupted sea views, moonrise over the water and church bells drifting across the valley. A small cove lies just down the hill for a morning swim.
- No two rooms are alike, and guests love the art and design surprises around every corner, calling them quirky without being cheesy. Rooms are described as spotless and comfortable, with very good beds, and some are particularly spacious with sea views.
- The hotel is reached on very narrow Cornish lanes, which several guests found nerve-racking to drive, and it sits on its own above the bay. Shops and restaurants mean a drive or a coastal walk to Looe or Polperro.
- The building is a historic property converted over the years, and some parts are reached by steep, narrow staircases; staff help with luggage. The path to the cove is short but steep on the way back, though there is a car park at the beach.
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Should you book it?
Talland Bay Hotel is worth booking for couples who want character, sea views and a serious dinner — but pick somewhere else if you dislike driving on narrow country lanes.
Book it if you want
- Couples who want character, sea views and a serious dinner
- Dog owners walking the South West Coast Path
Pick somewhere else if
- You dislike driving on narrow country lanes
- You would rather not share the lounge with dogs
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What guests actually say
Tripplo’s analysis uses a sample of 57 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
- +Exceptional dinners and a great wine list
- +A fantastic breakfast with both a buffet and cooked dishes
- +Lovely afternoon tea and cocktails
- –Breakfast is served in a small conservatory that can be crowded with dogs
- –Some found the food uneven or very expensive
- –A limited dinner menu if you don't eat fish
”Food is exceptional; we ate here every night and the quality of the cooking was fantastic.” — guest, translated
Service & staff
- +Exceptionally warm, helpful staff who go the extra mile
- +A relaxed, non-corporate feel where you are made to feel at home
- +Help carrying luggage up the steep stairs
- –Requests to move from noisy or smelly rooms were not always met
- –Some found staff uninterested when they raised problems
”The staff were amazing, friendly and helpful, and would always go the extra mile.” — guest, translated
The rooms
- +Individual, elegantly decorated rooms full of quirky character
- +Very comfortable beds, and extras such as a coffee machine and fresh milk
- +Some rooms with stunning sea views
- –Budget rooms and cabins are small and some look onto the car park
- –No air conditioning, and some rooms get too hot
- –Small bathrooms and steep stairs, with no lift
”The room was beautiful, very clean, with lots of extras, and the view was stunning.” — guest, translated
Condition & cleanliness
- +Very clean rooms and public areas
- +Beautifully kept grounds
- –An old building, with tired carpets and paintwork in some rooms
- –Small faults such as weak shower pressure, a stuck plug or a hard-to-flush toilet
- –A dirty hot-tub deck on arrival for one guest
”The room was extremely clean and beautifully decorated.” — guest, translated
Location
- +A stunning, peaceful setting with views over Talland Bay
- +Beautiful gardens and grounds
- +A short walk to a small beach and the South West Coast Path
- –Narrow, nerve-racking access roads
- –The path down to the cove is steep
”The location is stunning, with unbroken views out to sea over the bay.” — guest, translated
Noise levels
- +Peaceful and quiet
- –Rooms above the kitchen suffer from a loud extractor fan
- –Thin walls and plumbing noise in some rooms
”Our room was above the kitchen vent, which was noisy.” — guest, translated
Value for money
- +Pricey but worth it as a treat, according to some
- –Many feel the rooms are overpriced, especially the budget rooms
- –An extra charge for sea views that are not always clear
- –Expensive food and drink
”Pricey but worth it for a treat.” — 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 Talland Bay Hotel from Cornwall Airport Newquay (NQY)?
Talland Bay Hotel is approximately 37 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 Talland Bay Hotel?
On Booking.com it scores 9.2/10 from 283 guest reviews.
How many stars does Talland Bay Hotel have?
Talland Bay Hotel is a 4-star hotel.
What amenities does Talland Bay Hotel offer?
Talland Bay Hotel offers sea View, 2 Restaurants, bar, garden, terrace and free Wifi.
Weather & sea temperature — Cornwall
Right now: 10° air · 15° sea
Prices for your dates
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Porthallow, Talland, PL13 2JB, United Kingdom