Falmouth, Cornwall: A great hotel and town for families

We were supposed to visit the Royal Duchy Hotel in Falmouth about three years ago, but thanks to COVID, it kept getting put off, so imagine my sheer delight when I got finally got to visit this old-school Cornish haven

The last time we visited the Royal Duchy Hotel, a fair few years ago now, it was as a couple, but this time we visited with our own little seasoned traveller, our four-year-old.

My first impression on approach to the hotel is of how conveniently situated it was, just a short walk from the main town with its independent shops and restaurants. The Royal Duchy Hotel was one of the first hotels set up in Falmouth more than 100 years ago and it retains its old-school charm to this day.

The hotel has a gorgeous indoor pool, which we had to ourselves most of the time and a lovely TV and games room, very handy if you want to chill out with the kids and watch a film or play a boardgame.

The Royal Duchy Hotel 's swimming pool (Image: (C)Dean Chapple)

The indoor sun terrace and bar have gorgeous panoramic views over the bay and are a wonderful spot in which to sit and soak in the seaside atmosphere. There's also a lovely garden and outside patio which offers a tranquil space to relax on a sunny day.

The room

We were booked into a family room, which offers a big kingsize (and very comfortable bed), a single bed through an archway and a lounge area - plenty of space for our family of three.

Our room didn't have much of a view - but many do, so in my opinion, it's worth asking when you book - what a wonderful view it would be to wake up to in the morning.

Opt for a sea view (Image: Kevin Nicholson)

Much to my husband's delight, there was a bath - none of those new-fangled ideas about showers being best here! But the rooms have definitely been modernised and brought up to date decor-wise since our last visit.

The rooms have been updated and the decor is modern and stylish (Image: C Skidmore)

The restaurant
Breakfast in the restaurant was a varied affair - with a cold buffet of cereal, fruit, juices, smoothies, yogurts and more. Plus a great cooked section including waffles, smoked salmon, pancakes stacks and cooked English breakfast with very tasty locally-sourced sausages.

It was salmon and scrambled egg for breakfast for me - twice! (Image: C Skidmore)

Or why not try the pancakes for breakfast? (Image: C Skidmore)

However, my oh my, dinner in the main restaurant is a special experience. Walking in there to piano music, seeing the white table cloths and napkins on the tables and soft lighting, I knew we were in for a great evening.

It was crab bisque for me to start, with a smaller portion for our daughter. The crab bisque was, no lie, the best I have ever tasted. The perfect creamy and tangy mix, without an overpowering taste of the fish.

It was the crab bisque for me and mini me to start (Image: C Skidmore)

For main course, it had to be steak of course. It was pretty tender and perfectly cooked, with just a hint of chargrilling on the outside - exactly how I like it.

The steak - just a little chargrilled as I like it (Image: C Skidmore)

The triple-cooked chips were nice and crunchy, not too greasy and we ordered a side of thyme-roasted courgettes and brocolli with toasted almonds. Vegetables are always a must for me, so these went well with the steak.

The Restaurant has won AA Rosettes for its creative menu which combines classic British cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian flavours. And it is clear to see why. The children's menu is varied but includes quality food, rather than the same old kids' options.

Taking inspiration from the fresh Cornish produce in and around Falmouth and Cornwall and making the most of the abundance of amazing local produce on the doorstep is clearly also very important to the hotel.

In conclusion
The Royal Duchy Hotel is part of the Brend Hotels group, a family-run company that has been a leader in West Country hospitality for more than 50 years. The group has steadily built up a collection of fabulous hotels and restaurants across Devon and Cornwall that now features 11 luxury hotels and 18 restaurants.

It is clear to see how Brend Hotels retains its custom. It keeps core values at heart and traditional holidaying at the fore. Its staff are a credit and give such a warm welcome and it believes in quality and making your holiday one of memory-making.

Peace and tranquility at the Royal Duchy Hotel (Image: (C)Dean Chapple)

Falmouth

An aerial view of trendy Falmouth (Image: Deep Aerial)

Falmouth has turned into a mega cool destination over the past decade - with its independent shops and restaurants in the town centre and the development of the marina.

Try the many independent cafes and restaurants the town has to offer (Image: Falmouth Town Team)

The National Maritime Museum
One particular highlight is the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. Learn all about the secrets and fascinating facts of the sea at this must-visit tourist attraction.

Among the current exhibits is Monsters of the Deep, which is running until January. Find out all about the creatures who live in the shadows under the water.

Discover the history of the sea at The National Maritime Museum (Image: paul abbitt)

Another highlight is Coastguard 200. To mark the 200th birthday of HM Coastguard in 2022, this new exhibition tells the story of the Coastguard and explores its role as one of the UK’s emergency services.

There are live shows for all the family to enjoy as well.

Indidog
If you can only visit one restaurant when you visit Falmouth, make sure it is Indidog.
The views alone will make you fall in love with this gorgeous eatery set at the water's edge.

The restaurant prides itself on buying local produce and serving it up fresh and in an honest way - they don't mess with the ingredients too much, they simply combine flavours to create mouthwatering meals.

The cocktail list is to die for; mine was a French 75, lemon juice, Champagne and gin - what a dream combination.

I had scallops to start, cooked with melon, prosciutto salt and ponzu - I was concerned the melon may overpower the scallops with sweetness but bizarrely the taste buds were tingling with the salty teriyaki-style sauce.

The salty, tangy scallops, which were perfectly cooked (Image: C Skidmore)

Owner, Simon, is incredibly knowledgable about both food and wine and he recommended the plaice special for me - cooked with salsa verde. The meatiness of the fish was fabulous and it was so tender it fell apart. The salsa was lemony and tangy, with the vinegary capers coming through - gert lush as they say around here!

My husband enjoyed a meaty cod with crushed peas - he devoured it, so it must have tasted good - I didn't get a look in.

The presentation of the food is pretty special here too - the food looks good, there's plenty of it but it's not too 'fussy'.

The tomato spaghetti got a massive thumbs up from the youngest member of our party. Clearly, she enjoyed it as there was as much on her face as in the dish!

Indidog, I am a little bit in love with you. Can you open a branch in Somerset now please?