Chapel House – Boutique Hotel Penzance West Cornwall

Review of Chapel House, Penzance, West Cornwall

I grew up in Cornwall and fondly remember visiting Penzance as a child, as well as taking my girls there for day trips when they were younger.  But I hadn’t ventured to West Cornwall for a few years so welcomed an invitation to check out the charming Chapel House boutique hotel in Penzance.  Already visiting Boscastle, North Cornwall for a week in September, it seemed an excellent opportunity to explore a bit and go west.

The drive down from Boscastle went quickly as I took in the beautiful scenery on the way. On reaching Penzance, it was easy enough to find Chapel Street and the hotel.  Chapel House Hotel is at the bottom end of this historic street not far from the harbour. Finding a place to park looked like it might prove difficult, as you cannot park in front of the house, happily I found a parking spot on a nearby road a short walk away. Although I drove,  Penzance is easy to get to by train too, a journey of around six hours from London Paddington, and the hotel is just a short walk or taxi ride from the station. The exterior of this Grade Two listed Georgian townhouse is impressively restored. Chapel House was built in 1790 and was home to Admiral Samuel Hood Linzee, whose ship HMS Temeraire featured in JMW Turner’s famous painting. More recently the building was home to Penzance Arts Club. The current owner, Susan, has renovated the building to a very high standard, with great attention to detail and quality furnishings.

I was given a warm welcome and shown to my room,  one of the six unique rooms of the hotel, passing through the large entrance hallway where there was a display of original art from the Newlyn School of Art. Room One, where I was staying, was light and spacious with a high ceiling, a large bed, sofa and a mixture of contemporary and antique furniture. The muted grey and green colour scheme complemented the outside scenery and made the space appear light and airy. An original fireplace and fresh flowers on the dresser were charming features and there was a white wooden stand with tea and coffee making facilities. In the state of the art ensuite bathroom, the tiles were a pale grey with marble surrounding the very deep bath which fitted the room perfectly. The bathroom suite was modern and stylish with subtle, small, spot-lighting near the floor making it easy to find your way in the dark. Handmade toiletries, including a small pot of hand cream and body lotion, were provided from Pure Nuff Stuff an artisan Penzance company. I later popped into their shop which is a short walk up Chapel Street. From the two high windows of my bedroom, I had a stunning view of the sea with the harbour in the foreground and St Michael’s Mount majestically rising out of the water in the bay.

Having dropped off my bag I went downstairs where there is a large, comfortable, drawing room and a door leading to an enclosed garden with seating that would be perfect for fine weather. After a stroll around Penzance I returned to the hotel for complimentary tea in the drawing room; freshly made and moist cake with a glass jug of steaming tea was a welcome treat.  Then it was time to take the opportunity to have a bath before going out to a local pub, the Tolcarne Inn, for supper. There was plentiful hot water and lots of fluffy white towels. The bath was very deep so might not be suitable for someone with mobility issues though it was a wonderful way for me to relax.

As I returned later in the evening the wind had picked up with a storm blowing in from the west. I shut the wooden shutters and felt very cosy and snug, falling asleep to the sound of the wind outside. Despite the storm, it was exceptionally quiet, the bed was extremely comfortable and I woke the next morning refreshed by a good sleep. I went outside for a quick walk before breakfast and was pleased to see that the storm had subsided. Breakfast is served downstairs in the spacious open plan kitchen.  A  buffet of cereals freshly made smoothies, yoghurt and fresh fruit looked very enticing, along with a menu of cooked breakfast options. I tucked in to granola with fresh fruit and Greek yoghurt accompanied by a small cafetiere of coffee, to follow a tasty bacon sandwich. Everything was extremely delicious and set me up for the day.

I can definitely recommend Chapel House boutique hotel in Penzance. A charming, beautifully decorated and stylish hotel it has stunning views over the harbour and Mounts Bay. Susan, the owner, is friendly and very helpful and Chapel House hotel is perfectly located for exploring everything that West Cornwall has to offer.  I’ll be writing more about that in my next feature.

Thinking of visiting Penzance or looking for a boutique hotel in Cornwall?  Why not pin this post for later!

Chapel House Hotel
Chapel Street
Penzance
Cornwall
TR18 4AQ
Call 01736 362024 or email hello@chapelhousepz.co.uk.
For more details on Chapel House including availability and pricing visit www.chapelhousepz.co.uk.

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