Hotel Meudon’s tagline is ‘Cornwall’s Best Kept Secret’ and I think they might be right!
On the outskirts of Falmouth, Hotel Meudon is hidden away in its own valley amongst the beautiful subtropical gardens, and even leads down to a secluded cove facing out to Falmouth bay. I’ve driven past it a handful of times on my way to Maenporth beach (a 2 minute drive down the road), but had never realised what was hiding behind its Cornish stone walls…
The hotel has recently undergone a rebrand and refurbishment, and the rooms look like modern apartments as you walk past, with stunning views over the valley. When you walk through the property and out onto their garden terrace, it’s amazing to see how big the gardens truly are! Split out on to several levels, there are many subtropical plants and trees (thanks to the local microclimate) as well as flowers that were in full bloom during our June visit.
Thankfully the sun was shining and we were excited to be able to have our afternoon tea outside! We had our tea and coffee, and decided to get a cocktail alongside our food as well – both opting for a ‘Cornish Rose’ gin-based tipple, which was exactly the refreshing drink we needed for this balmy afternoon.
The food arrived looking beautifully presented on a tiered stand, with cucumber, salmon, chicken, and egg sandwiches, plus scones with jam and clotted cream (of course!), and little cakes and tarts to try as well.
As you can probably imagine, we were stuffed by the end, and ended up spending a couple of hours just sat giggling and munching in the sunshine.
After we’d finished, we decided to explore around the gardens, and found the path that takes you down through the valley and leads down to a gorgeous secluded cove (known as ‘Bream Cove’). I have actually been to this little beach before as you can also access it via the South West Coast Path if you walk from Nansidwell (one of my fave walks), and it’s beautiful! Perfect for snorkelling, swimming, or even stand up paddleboarding or kayaking.
The walk took about 5-10 minutes and it feels like you’re on holiday. There are lots of private gardens around this area that you can visit, but we said to each other that you could equally plan an afternoon here instead, with an afternoon tea or even just a coffee/cocktail at the hotel and a walk through the gardens to this beach. Heavenly!
The hotel really is in one of the most dreamy locations – within 5 minutes drive of some of my favourite spots in the whole of Cornwall, and a stone’s throw from Falmouth too, which always has some kind of events going on and lots of different bars, restaurants and cafes to choose from. All of the beaches around here a beautiful too, with (usually!) calm waters making them perfect for a summer dip.
Find out more about dining or stays on the Hotel Meudon website.
* We were asked to visit for a complimentary afternoon tea, but all opinions are my own
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