Looking for somewhere to rest your head in London? Try the very flash AMANO Covent Garden or seek refined luxury at The Beaumont in Mayfair. 

 

What is it?

What is it?

A cosy Cornish bolthole with super-luxe apartments.

What's the deal?

What's the deal?

There’s something uniquely humbling about checking into a holiday apartment that’s both bigger and more luxuriously-appointed than your own flat. We can almost guarantee that the self-catering apartments adjoining Marchants Manor – a four-star hotel set within a whitewashed Queen Anne-style mansion in creative, chilled-out Falmouth – will induce flat-envy, no matter how thoughtfully-curated or well-laid out our own home may be. There are two apartments available to rent, both housed in standalone timber-framed structures ringfenced by thick foliage that keep prying eyes away. The Landlubber features two bedrooms, two bathrooms (each with walk-in rain showers), a capacious dining and living space, a full-sized kitchen, and a large wraparound terrace with a jacuzzi; the Landlubber is similarly laid out, only with an ocean-facing patio. Both are stylishly decorated in brown, green, and blue tones that nod to Falmouth’s bountiful fauna; little nautical touches also pay tribute to the town’s position by the sea. 

Inside the main house, a snug bar and lounge space invites guests to stay a while with a crackling fireplace and plenty of plush seating options. Muted grey-blue walls let the architecture speak for itself – doorways and nooks trimmed in ornate moulding, soaring colonial windows, and grand white columns all add up to a luxe but cosy atmosphere. The hotel restaurant, Rastella, is where newly-minted head chef Aiden Blakely-May – a Falmouth local who cut his teeth cheffing in London kitchens – serves produce-forward dishes with an agnostic, cut-and-paste approach to flavour. Take the two snacks that open the £59 set menu – one is a mini-tartlet of fried chicken, served simply with homemade sriracha and clearly inspired by the deep-fryer food of East Asia; the other is a breaded arancini-like ball of Davidstow cheddar that’s cribbed from British tastes. You also have the option to go a la carte at lunch or dinner – the wine list showcases British biodynamic and natural bottles alongside more classic varietals from the continent. Rooms in the main house are bright and simply-decorated, and come either double or king-sized.

Merchants Manor bills itself as a “grown-up holiday retreat”. While we’re not exactly sure what that means, the hotel does make a great base for a romantic seaside holiday à deux – particularly if you can spring for one of the apartments, where a combination of space and privacy makes the perfect love pad.

The best stay for...

The best stay for...

Lovers looking for a weekend by the sea.