West Winds, Fore Street, Polruan by Fowey

West Winds is a guest house on Fore Street in the riverside village of Polruan, at the mouth of the Fowey estuary. Guests usually stay in the king room with its own private bathroom, though other rooms are available by request. Booking.com guests rate it 9.6 from 33 reviews, with staff scoring 10 out of 10.

Breakfast is served with harbour views and comes as continental, buffet, vegetarian or vegan, including special diet options. The property has a spa bath, a shared lounge and kitchen, and a garden with outdoor seating. Host Alison Stevens keeps free car parking on site and shares the house with two cats. It's a short walk downhill to the Quayside.

Readymoney Cove is around 1,000 metres away, with Lantic Bay 1,600 metres in the other direction. Looe and Polperro are a few miles along the coast, with fishing lakes and shark-watching trips available from Looe. The Eden Project is just over 10 miles inland, and St Michael's Mount at Marazion is within reach for a day out.

Best for couples wanting a quiet estuary-side base with parking sorted and breakfast included. Less good for anyone needing multiple bedrooms - West Winds keeps one king room as its main letting.