The Old Custom House

We came for my daughter’s birthday because she wanted a Sunday roast, and it didn’t disappoint. She had a birthday card from the team and they made her feel really special. We had a window seat with an awesome view of the harbour, and the outside and inside of the building are beautiful. The service was amazing, with Laura and Kim going the extra mile.

The best parts were the location, the fantastic staff and the excellent, really delicious breakfasts. The bar felt cosy and relaxed in the evening, and the bar staff were happy and helpful. My room, number 10, had a bay window over the harbour and was spotlessly clean, with everything needed, including lovely toiletries. It did look a little tired and could use some paint, though. The bigger problem was hearing people in room 11. On the first night I could make out every word and hear their TV loudly, quite late. I told reception and they apologised, but didn’t offer to move me. The next guests were quieter, which helped, but I could still hear them chatting and tell what was on their noisy TV. I don’t think they were especially loud, the soundproofing just seems poor. I came to relax for a few days, but the noise left me stressed. Such a lovely location, so it was a real shame the room was disappointing.

The food was great as always, and the team were really friendly and helpful. We had a restaurant booking, but our dog had settled in the bar, so we asked to switch tables. They sorted it out with no fuss, which we appreciated because food service in the bar had stopped due to how busy it was. There was a short wait, which didn’t bother us, but they still apologised as we left.

We stayed at Old Customs House at the end of April and had a nice visit. Breakfast was very enjoyable, the staff were friendly, and my salmon with scrambled eggs and a side of hash browns was no trouble to order. Our room, number 14, was at the top of the building and had a lovely harbour view. It was spacious, with a generously sized, fairly modern bathroom, though there were signs that some repairs were needed. The bed felt a bit small. The top floor gets very warm, with no AC. A Dyson fan was provided, but its blue light lit up the room, and even with the windows open all night it stayed hot. The shutters didn’t close properly, so daylight came in early. Being so close to the harbour is part of the charm: after dinner, we saw a man on the bench opposite our window playing acoustic guitar to passersby, which was lovely. There was some pub chatter, but it wasn’t too loud. Later, between 11 and 12:30 pm, a live folk band nearby woke us. The single-glazed windows weren’t soundproof, and we had to keep them open because of the heat. The gulls on the roof were loud in the morning too, though that’s to be expected. The hotel is prominently placed by the harbour, making it easy to get around town. There’s a car park opposite with plenty of spaces, but no EV charging. They recommend Tesco, though charging there is very slow and parking is free for only 1 hour and 15 minutes. We went to Texaco petrol station instead, where there’s a 150KW charger, and spent 20 minutes there. There doesn’t seem to be a nearby place to leave your car charging while you visit Padstow.