The Gallery

The gallery has amazing views, a relaxed feel and a central location, and it was great value. We stayed in the quaint, picturesque Harbour View Room on the second floor. Our host made us feel very welcome and was excellent, nothing was too much trouble. I can't rate this place highly enough.

We were delighted with our choice. From our second-floor room, we had an unbeatable view of the harbour. It felt homey and clean, with a cottagey, bohemian vibe, and there was an en suite bathroom. A little window nook had a table and chairs where we ate a big full breakfast while looking out at the harbour. We were grinning ear to ear at our good fortune.

It's a special place above Martyn's art studio, looking out over the harbour. We had room number 2 on the top floor, with a harbour-facing window, a separate bathroom with gorgeous Alhambra-type tiles and a bath. It was our first bath on our walking trip in Cornwall, and there was a waterfall shower too. The huge superking bed was comfortable, the tea and coffee were handy, and the WiFi actually worked. The garden was lovely, arranged in three tiers up the slope behind the house. Each level has tables and chairs, so you can move up to catch the last rays as the sun dips behind the hills. We ate fish and chips there with some wine. Martyn lets you use the whole garden and is very laid back. There are stairs, and it's not the place if you want someone pampering you around the clock. But for total freedom and the true romance of Port isaac, I can't recommend it highly enough.

Avoid this place. We booked through Expedia and paid upfront, but when we arrived the owner was nowhere to be found. We went next door to eat and asked if anyone knew where he was. The waitress said people were always coming in looking for him. Another couple who were staying there eventually let us in; otherwise, we'd have had to find somewhere else. Getting our money back would have been a problem, since they refuse refunds after taking payment upfront. The bathroom was awful and needed major updates. We didn't stay around for breakfast. The other couple was arguing with the caretaker, who was really rude and nasty. We got out in a hurry. We learned our lesson: no other place we'd stayed at had taken our money upfront like this. Avoid at all costs.