The Old Coastguard

The Old Coastguard is a family-owned hotel and restaurant on The Parade in Mousehole, a fishing village on the far west of Cornwall. Fourteen bedrooms fill the building, nearly all looking out over the water towards St Michael's Mount and the Lizard. The heliport for the Isles of Scilly is a 10-minute drive away.

Owner Charles Inkin's group also runs the Felin Fach Griffin in Wales and the Gurnard's Head on the other side of Penwith, and took on the Old Coastguard in 2011. The dining room is hung with art, and an outside terrace sits above a subtropical garden sloping down toward the sea. The kitchen serves seasonal, locally sourced food that follows the coastal calendar through the year, and the hotel is open every day of the week.

Mousehole Beach is 200 metres from the front door. Newlyn, Penzance and St Ives, all with working artists' studios, sit within reach, and the Minack Theatre is a short drive along the coast. Dogs and children are welcome throughout, and the hotel takes walk-ins for a drink or a meal, not just overnight guests.

Best for couples or groups wanting a sea-view restaurant and characterful rooms in a working fishing village. Less good for anyone wanting a resort-style hotel with a pool or spa - the focus here is the food, the garden and the view.