The Darlington

We chose the Darlington again for our second trip touring Cornwall, since we knew and liked the area and what the hotel offered. Its location is one reason we enjoy staying there, along with the straightforward, no-fuss hospitality and atmosphere. There are four good food places down the road: a Nepalese and Indian restaurant, Chinese and pizza takeaways, and Peckish, an excellent fish and chips takeaway. The room and bathroom were clean and comfortable, and breakfast was simple but satisfying, with tea and coffee. If you're expecting a five-star luxury experience, this probably isn't the place for you. But for comfort and satisfaction at a very reasonable price, you really can't do better.

The family room was a great size, and charming in its own quirky way, with no straight lines and quaint half-timbered walls onto the hallway. It was clean, with crisp linen and comfortable beds. This is a building over 750 years old, and the owners have a big restoration job ahead of them. Having a shared fridge and microwave made it easy to sort breakfast or pack a picnic. The very well-equipped park and river walk are just down the road too.

We had a nice three-night stay in a great area. The room was clean and nicely presented, though there were a few little things that could be improved.

There was no mention that the heating wasn't working when I was shown my room, though it did have what may have been the smallest oil radiator ever. The building is old, the en suite is in a separate room, and the temperature outside was below zero, so you can imagine how that went. I texted the number I'd been given to ask for more heaters and got a reply the next morning. It's been a long time since I last slept in bed wearing my clothes, and that time was because of alcohol!