Union Hotel Penzance

There was a nice feel in the bar when a band played in the evening. The hotel interior was impressive, though a little worn in spots, and both the staff and breakfast were good. The road outside was really noisy for a weeknight. I’m not sure what was going on or whether that’s usual.

The location is handy: turn right from the hotel and the high street is about 200 yards away; turn left and it’s roughly 1000 yards to the waterfront. The promenade and chapel street are close too. I stayed here ages ago and came back recently. Still a lovely hotel, the staff are cool, and it’s a beautiful place.

The location was the one good thing. My room smelled, the door was broken, and the room felt very old and inundated. There was a weird smell throughout the hotel too. In 2025 there was no wifi, and the breakfast choice was minimal, with cold coffee and cold food. There was no hairdryer, even though the website says there is.

The barman was really friendly, and at £125 for a double the price seemed reasonable for the location. Still, you can find better for a similar price if you book well ahead. The room looked good at first, but closer up there were stains on the walls, as if something had burst and sprayed them, and brown marks on the bedding, though the bedding itself was otherwise good quality. The mattress was super soft and lumpy, with a dip in the middle. The bathroom was clean, but its wallpaper was bubbling and peeling, and the room had a musty smell. The rest was okay, with no dust on the furniture and a hoovered carpet, but nothing special. Our room faced the street and was noisy all the time. At night, cars with souped-up exhausts and quad bikes raced around. Early in the morning, bin lorries and building work woke us. That may not be the hotel’s fault, but bear it in mind if noise makes it hard for you to sleep. We had to leave the window open because the room was unbearably stuffy. Breakfast was simple: a full English with one sausage, one bacon, eggs your choice, beans and mushrooms. There was bread for toasting and cereal on a table, but late risers could miss out on milk and juice because they weren’t topped up. The WiFi didn’t work at all either, so keep that in mind if you need to check emails.