The Nare is one of the best places to stay in Cornwall. Family and dog-friendly this privately owned country house hotel by the sea has been a favourite across many generations. It's not only relaxed and in a great location, it provides traditional hospitality that many hotels these days seem to be lacking. Think solid brass keys, leather bound guest book, personal service by staff who have been here for years. If you haven't yet visited, add The Nare to your bucket list, it really is a very special hotel.
Rarely do your shoulders drop the moment you arrive at a hotel, but that is exactly what happens at The Nare. Pull up outside to unload our bags and before the engine is even switched off a member of staff will appear to take the keys, carry the luggage and guide you inside. Within minutes, the outside world will feel very far away.
The first thing you notice at The Nare is the overwhelming sense of comfort and familiarity. Fires crackle in the sitting rooms, newspapers and magazines are neatly laid out beside squashy sofas and there is the smell of fresh coffee drifting through the hallways. Then there is the view. The Nare sits just metres from Carne Beach, one of Cornwall’s loveliest stretches of coastline, with uninterrupted sea views and a vast sweep of sand that seems to stretch for miles.
If you are searching for a slick contemporary beach hotel with minimalist interiors and DJs by the pool, The Nare will not be for you. This is a traditional country house hotel by the sea and proudly so. Family-owned for generations, it has built its reputation on timeless interiors, old-fashioned hospitality and the kind of service which has become increasingly rare in the hotel world. Families return year after year, often booking their next stay before leaving. Children who once came here with their parents now return with their own children.
The atmosphere throughout the hotel is wonderfully relaxed. Fresh flowers in every room, staff greet returning guests by name; many members of the team have worked here for decades - Ken in the bar has been here for 50 years! There is no sense of performance or formality or fake smiles, the staff are passionate about The Nare and the service they provide. Celebrities stay here precisely because nobody makes a fuss. Everyone is simply left to relax.
The Nare has 40 individually designed bedrooms and suites, many with sea views and terraces. Interiors are traditional rather than trendy, with wallpapers, comfortable armchairs and thoughtful details throughout. Shoe horns, Penhaligon products, fluffy bathrobes, proper flannels, fresh flowers and automatic bathroom lights for midnight trips all add to the feeling that somebody has genuinely thought about what makes a stay comfortable.
Mornings begin slowly by the seaside. Tea, coffee and newspapers are delivered to your room at a time that suits you before breakfast is served downstairs in the dining room from 8 am. The breakfast menu remains reassuringly classic with options including kedgeree, full English with kidneys, smoked salmon and continental favourites.
The hotel’s facilities are exactly what you would expect from a country house hotel by the sea. There is an indoor and outdoor pool, tennis court, sauna, steam room and hot tub, alongside sun loungers scattered across the terraces overlooking the sea. Families will appreciate the swings in the garden and direct access to the beach below.
Dining is another of The Nare’s great strengths. Begin the evening with drinks and canapés before making your dinner choices at The Dining Room, where traditional dishes such as Dover sole remain permanent fixtures alongside daily-changing specials. Tables are softly lit with candles, bread is baked in-house and the whole experience feels wonderfully timeless. Quarterdeck offers a more relaxed alternative with a stronger focus on seafood and lighter dishes during the day.
The team are refreshingly accommodating. Dietary requirements are handled with ease and efficiency and there is a thoughtful list of non-alcoholic cocktails for those not drinking. Afterwards, take your cheese course and wine through to the drawing room and settle beside the fire.
If the weather is kind, book a trip aboard Alice Rose, owner Toby Ashworth’s motor boat, complete with chilled drinks and light refreshments. A gentle cruise towards Falmouth or St Mawes is one of the loveliest ways to experience this stretch of coastline.
Then there is Ann with an ‘e’, whose treatments soothe tired bodies and frazzled nervous systems so effectively you may find yourself floating back to your room afterwards.
The Nare is not trying to reinvent the luxury hotel experience, and that is exactly why you will love it. It is traditional, deeply comfortable, and run by people with hospitality in their genes. Anniversaries are celebrated here. Proposals happen here. Families return generation after generation. The average stay may be three nights, but if time and budget allow, book a week. It's the best seaside holiday you will have.
