For a small town, St. Austell – home of the Eden Project and located on the south west coast of England in Cornwall, has a surprising number of hotels, bed and breakfasts and campsites. While this is due to the nearby Eden Project, which is not only a tourist destination in its own right but also a location for massive concerts during the summer, the fact that the surrounding area is absolutely gorgeous definitely doesn’t hurt.
So I was faced with numerous choices for where to stay while in St. Austell over the Easter holidays, and didn’t have much to go on when I selected, a bit at random, the Porth Avallen hotel on Carlyon Bay. What a wonderful decision! I was immediately impressed by the breathtaking views of the Bay and ocean beyond (their motto is “the only thing we overlook is the bay”) and their interior was filled with common areas to sit and read or just enjoy the view – including the lovely restaurant (where I enjoyed a full English breakfast each morning), the bar and the lounge. My single room was comfortable and – as promised, had a view of the bay. The brand new television and absolutely massive bath towels were just added bonuses.
View from the Porth Avallen Hotel in St Austell, Cornwall
But what was most impressive throughout my stay was the overwhelming friendliness and kindness of the staff. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted warmly by the receptionist (who I later learned was also staffing the bar and brasserie!) who provided me with maps of the area and suggestions for dinner that night. After my first night in the Porth Avallen, I awoke to a torrential downpour and upon wandering down stairs to ask how I might get to the Eden Project (my plan had been to walk) the owner of the hotel, George, offered to give me a ride! It was clear he was proud of his hotel and rightly so.
The Porth Avallen made a fantastic home away from home for my holiday and I would highly recommend it for anyone visiting the area, in particular single travellers as the welcoming air and amazing views much more than compensate for any travelling companion.
Porth Avallen Hotel
http://www.porthavallen.co.uk/
Sea Road,
Carlyon Bay
St Austell
Cornwall
PL25 3SG
Tel 01726 812802
Meaghan Fitzgerald is a marketer and entrepreneur building and growing consumer and gaming products and experiences. A Silicon Valley native, she started her first company, DormWise, in 2006 which she later sold in 2009. Meaghan spent 7 years in London in early stage consumer startups, two years at Xbox as a product marketer for Minecraft, and is currently the head of product marketing for VR experiences at Facebook and Oculus. Meaghan writes here about business, technology, gaming, and marketing. She has been named a top