Artist Residence Penzance Artist Residence

Smack bang in the middle of Penzance, it would have been all too easy to buy up this elegant Georgian townhouse and run a traditional hotel with bragging rights about its top location. Not so for the Artist Residence Penzance, where time and effort have gone into a unique design that stands out from the crowds. The boutique hotel is tucked away on historic Chapel Street, bringing a slice of eccentric charm to the dreamy lanes of the historic seaside town, and is home to 16 eclectically decorated bedrooms and 3 fabulous suites. There's also a cosy 3-bedroom cottage that's the perfect seaside retreat for a family.

The key word throughout is comfort. The rooms are stylishly decorated with limited edition prints and have en-suite bathrooms with eco-friendly toiletries, flatscreen TVs and free WiFi. Fourteen rooms welcome dogs, as do all the public spaces, and it isn’t infrequent to see some of the staff’s pooches chilling out by the fire. Meanwhile, the self-contained cottage has an open-plan living room and a kitchenette, plus a luxurious bathroom with a copper roll-top bath and walk-in rainfall shower. It's their Fido-friendly offering for larger families, with a log burner shouting out for a hound to curl up in front of, after a long day exploring the town. Old railway sleepers and leather armchairs maintain the charm of Cornwall in a different era, while following the hotel’s unique style in the details.

Breakfast is served in the ground-floor restaurant using local produce, and the restaurant is also open for lunch and dinner, providing a selection of small plates and meat and fish dishes from the smoker. There's a large beer garden complete with table football, ping pong, a fully stocked bar and BBQ for summer days, and an indoor bar-lounge with a log burner and a focus on local ales and cocktails crafted using Cornish spirits. It all adds up to a stunning hotel with delicious food and a thoroughly laid-back atmosphere – topped off by that central location that, yes, they should still brag about!

It is a refreshingly vibrant place for a break away for a couple or small family, especially as it’s only a five-minute walk to the Isles of Scilly ferry. And the good news is, they have other equally enticing locations in Brighton, London, Bristol and Oxfordshire.