Address: St Mawes, Cornwall, TR2 5DR.
Telephone: 01326 270055.
Fax: 01326 270053.
Email: info@tresanton.com
Website: tresanton.com

First impressions: Boutique chic with breathtaking sea views. St Mawes sits on the tip of the Roseland peninsula, a sliver of south Cornwall bounded in the west by the Fal estuary and the Percuil River. The terrace commands a chocolate-box view of bobbing boats, and opposite is unspoilt St Anthony's Head.

What are the rooms like? The hotel was restored to give every room a sea view. Thanks to the view, TV was redundant.

The bed test: Everything you'd expect at this end of the market. A coma-inducing mattress buried beneath scatter cushions, and the whole surrounded by antique side tables and lamps.

The bathroom test: Equally luxurious. Big bath perfect for easing sailing school aches.

The restaurant: For a flat £33, three courses from a well-pitched menu served either on the terrace or in the restaurant. Menu naturally leans on the abundance of locally-caught fish (while you were in the bath, dinner was still swimming).

What is there to see in walking distance? The walk on St Anthony's Head - a short ferry ride away - takes you past the divine chapel of St Anthony's in Roseland. Strike uphill from here and you're soon at the lighthouse and the open sea. Further on, a secluded and peaceful beach. Behind the hotel, in what is reputedly the mildest micro-climate in Britain, Lamorran Gardens.

What is there within driving distance? The Eden Project, the Lost Gardens of Heligan, Land's End, the Lizard etc etc.

How much is it a night? April-October £180-£250 a night. November-March, £150-£220.