Payments made by partners impact the order of prices displayed. Room types may vary.
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Set on a beach in north Cornwall, Watergate Bay Hotel is so close to the sea that you can watch the surfers while you eat. It's about the balance in life: getting among the elements, eating and drinking well and having fun. The Bay has a dedicated surf school, year-round events, Swim Club, the hotel's take on a spa and three restaurants. Eat at sea level in The Beach Hut. Take your time over seasonal produce in Zacry's Restaurant. Pass the sharing boards in The Living Space, which has a staggering bar selection, especially if you're a gin lover. From epic beach lofts with floor to ceiling windows, standard house doubles and sea-view-suites, no two bedrooms are the same. And with family suites, dog-friendly rooms, carefully planned Kids' Zone activities and dinner reservations, parents can find time for themselves on their family holiday.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
Powered by AI
Watergate Bay Hotel is widely celebrated for its spotless rooms and inviting atmosphere, complete with beautiful decorations and a family-friendly vibe. The prime beachfront location is a highlight, offering guests stunning views and direct access to the beach. While the hotel's amenities, including diverse dining options and exceptional leisure facilities, receive high marks, some guests have noted a need for better maintenance and window cleaning.
Although the service garners appreciation for its attentiveness, there are occasional grievances regarding its speed and professionalism. Moreover, some travelers question the hotel's value, citing high prices and additional charges.
Location
Beachfront
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Lavish
Was this helpful?
Tripadvisor is not responsible for this summary or the opinions in it. For more information, please read the traveller reviews and learn more about how the site works.
Watergate bay hotel is ideal for couple escapes, family holidays and dogs - caters for all! My boyfriend and I tried surfing for the first time in the most ideal location; one minute you’re catching waves in the sea, the next you’re in the comforts of homely but luxury hotel room. The communal and private areas of the hotel are stylish and the hotel staff were constantly cleaning to ensure it was sand/mud/gems free. The quality of the food at the breakfast buffet at Zacrys was very good and the fresh waffles is a must-try! The front desk staff was also friendly and always willing to help; no question is a stupid question to them. The highlight of the stay has to be the hot tub and sauna on the outside deck facing the sea view; truly amazing and accessible to all hotel guests without booking. The room we stayed in (room 10) was spacious, sparkling clean and homely. The rainforest shower in room was hot and powerful, the Land & Water toiletries are lovely- makes you want to take them home, but they are only available to purchase! The only downside of the room was the location, it was situated right at the end of the a busy corridor, under the stairs and next to the access to apartments, where it was fairly noisy and unfortunately not great for a light sleeper like me. The second night we stayed in room 14 and this was also right next to the entrance and stairways to the first floor. I would avoid those rooms if you’re a light sleeper or bring your own ear plugs! Otherwise the stay was wonderful and I would 100% recommend to family and friends
Read more
Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Download the hotel app in advance to precook swimming sessions, breakfast times and surfing lessons
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hannah Collings, Guest Services / Front Office at Watergate Bay Hotel
Responded 11 Jun 2021
Dear 716CY, Many thanks for your brilliant review and compliments for our team. It's great to see that you got a taste of everything we have to offer at the Bay! I am sorry that you did not like the location of your rooms, however. I hope that you would like to return to us in the future. If so, please do speak with our excellent reservations team directly, who can advise on an alternative for you. Thanks again, and we'll hope to see you soon.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Watergate Bay Hotel has a pristine location and is very elegantly structured so when we booked an evening meal here I was expecting to be blown away, it was lovely but just a bit below expectations.
We were seated at our table and it was quite nice to see all the covid amendments they have put in place in the hotel and restaurant.
We thought the menu itself was a bit restricted which was a bit annoying however eventually we decided on our drinks and food. I had a venison aranchini to start which tasted delicious. Then the main I had lamb and it was quite bland, there wasn’t any intense, vibrant flavours, it was just pretty plain.
We skipped dessert and went to have some cocktails in the bar across from the restaurant. We got four espresso martinis which were also quite disappointing, tasted like a pre made mixed cocktail that you can buy in a local supermarket.
Throughout our experience the service was great which made it really.
Unsure if we’d return.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hannah Collings, Guest Services / Front Office at Watergate Bay Hotel
Responded 11 Oct 2020
Dear aymanelswaf, Thank you for your feedback. I am sorry to see that you were disappointed on this occasion, however. I hope that you'll visit us again in the future.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
I’ve wanted to stay at this hotel since I was a child and so I was a bit nervous it couldn’t possibly live up to my expectations, but it was excellent. The decor is so beautiful, from the rooms themselves to the picture box windows in the public spaces. Every meal was excellent, as well as the cocktails served in the lounge area. Our room itself was extremely comfy and well appointed, even when a storm tried to batter the sea front one night. They also handled COVID safety brilliantly. From sanitiser stations every few metres to explaining exactly how the rooms are cleaned, I felt really reassured. They also handled the new restrictions without the sparse reality of other places we’ve visited recently. The pre-arrival information was excellent, meaning my itinerary was packed before we had set off. I had booked all of my dinner reservations beforehand, as recommended by the hotel, so I encountered no issues. The app makes it really easy to organise and the fact that the establishments on the waterfront are all linked makes life very easy. I can’t wait to come back.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hannah Collings, Guest Services / Front Office at Watergate Bay Hotel
Responded 11 Oct 2020
Dear catpeee, Thank you for your feedback, and we are so pleased that you had an excellent break with us. I will pass your kind words along to our team, and we'll very much hope to welcome you back again soon!
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
After reading all the amazing reviews, we were very excited for our long awaited holiday here. Positives - Great location, Stunning views Good selection of restaurants and food Well staffed Good booking system for swimming and activities during Covid High standard of cleanliness Negatives - With 2 young kids we have really struggled at meal times...only 2 restaurants have kids menus, the same 3 dishes available at both restaurants for lunch and dinner every day! 3 days in and my kids are bored and we are booked in for a week! Kitchen doesn’t open until 12 for lunch and 5 pm for dinner and food takes atleast 30 mins to arrive so trying to keep 2 hungry kids entertained for 30 mins every meal time hasnt been fun. As mentioned above, the quality of food is good but the lack of variety is a bit frustrating. It’s great to have a choice of 4 restaurants but not so much if they are all serving the same food. Our biggest frustration has been the room - we had requested a standard family room and the one we got was facing the very noisy road with deliveries and bin collections happening literally outside our window every day. We are very disappointed that the hotel did not make us aware of this in advance and / or give us a choice especially as we are travelling with 2 young kids. The kids bedroom literally has enough room for 2 bunk beds...I’m surprised they even call this a room and charge as such. In summary, I think it is a great location with good food. They want to be family friendly but frankly, just aren’t...atleast for families with younger kids and need to up their game on customer service especially at their price point.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hannah Collings, Guest Services / Front Office at Watergate Bay Hotel
Responded 11 Oct 2020
Dear Mobile618942, Thank you for your review. I am sorry to see that you were disappointed with your room. I have passed your comments along to our team, and I hope that you'll give us another try in the future. We have lots of different room categories across the hotel, so I do hope that we can find one better suited to you in the future.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I cannot fault the setting which is utterly beautiful, the beach is huge, lovely sand & when the weather is good it is idyllic. However the hotel can’t take credit for that……..the stand out about this hotel is that it is VERY expensive for what it is, in every aspect. The building is a warren and because I hadn’t got a premium room (mine was a mere £200+ a night) I was forced to go up and down corridors & over a car park into a sort of annexe which smelt strongly of cooking and left me in no doubt that I was on the B list. The room was not cleaned properly every day, the bed was made in a perfunctory way & the bathroom wasn’t touched at all during my three day stay. The food was mediocre & expensive, a Goan fish curry which was a complete non event of tasteless slop & cost £24 stands out, and I would say that the whole experience did not represent value for money, what I spent in three days could translate into a weeks holiday outside the UK including flights with better food, service etc. If it wasn’t for the pandemic I would have done precisely that, & I definitely felt I was being rinsed for that reason. I’ve already received hard sell emails inviting me to book again next year & putting the pressure on saying I have to get in quickly as they can only guarantee to get bookings for a few days……..answer to that is hell no as hopefully we will be able to go abroad where we will receive double the luxury, better food & better accommodation for half the money.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hannah Collings, Guest Services / Front Office at Watergate Bay Hotel
Responded 21 Aug 2021
Dear Tomptie, Thank you for taking the time to leave us your feedback. I am sorry to read your comments regarding value and our housekeeping. I will raise this with our team. Our largest family rooms are located in the Coach House, however, you will find a mixture of room types across both the main hotel and Coach House. It is a shame that you left feeling this way and that we may not get to welcome you in the future.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stay at Watergate Bay every year in school summer holidays. This year was slightly different due to Covid restrictions but we still had a fantasitc break.
Make no mistake this hotel isn't cheap. But the facilities are amazing with plenty of spaces for guests to enjoy, tastefully decorated and grab some serene time gazing out to sea.
The booking process is a bit of a dance and very restrictive. But once you are there soon forgotten. We've stayed 4-5 times and did miss some of our favourite moments (the tasty and plentiful buffet breakfast, the kids zone and pool facilities - all limited this year as expected).
We usually stay in a Family Suite which suits us (2 pre teen children), we like the air con and quiet of the coach house but it's tricky to get one of our preferred rooms so usually grab what we can get/within our budget. Rooms in the main buidign are slightly smaller/less storage/bit noisy with people stomping down the corridors.
Restaurants are generally a good standard, breakfast is high quality (a bit slower this year due to table service), Beach Hut has great views, Living Space spacious, but we find Zacrys a bit stiff. There's not loads of veggie options so after a couple of meals you run out of new options. Also you have to book well in advance.
The pool is amazing, the best views and a lovely space. Booking was a bit of a pain this year but I understand why. My children usually love the Kids Club but it wasn't on this year and we managed to grab a couple of sessions in the games room (again booking was a little competitive). Covid hadn't impacted the flow of the hotel much at all, they managed to retain the cool, calm feel. Staff wore masks 24/7 which was reassuring.
It's worth booking a surf lesson at the Extreme Academy (linked to the hotel) and making use of the wetsuit/bodyboard storage. Watergate beach is a great windy beach for surfers and big waves so is a lot of fun and does get v busy but it's nice to have it on the doorstep when staying at the hotel.
We've already booked to go next year. Hopefully it's business as usual. Thanks for another great stay. (We also stayed at the Bedruthan this summer, another local hotel, and it pailed in comparison...same price...nowhere near as good in any way)
Read more
Date of stay: July 2020
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Rooms on the first floor of the main hotel are a bit noisy from people creakign on the corridors....
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hannah Collings, Guest Services / Front Office at Watergate Bay Hotel
Responded 11 Oct 2020
Dear Snowcalfe, Thank you so much for your detailed review. It's great to read that you enjoyed another break with us, and found that our 'new normal' procedures still worked for you and your family. We're looking forward to seeing you again next year.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Our room was lovely, spotlessly clean and with beautiful sea views.
The facilities were fantastic! Swim Club, with the outside decking in the sunshine was something special. Being able to order drinks to your area was a nice touch.
Our daughter loved the supervised toddler sessions in Kids Club. The staff were wonderful with her and we collected her each time looking very happy and ready for her nap. It was lovely to have some time to ourselves to enjoy the facilities while she was enjoying herself too.
We had dinner and breakfast in Zacry’s. The food was sublime with plenty of choice. The service was brilliant, and when we said we couldn’t have dessert because we needed to get our daughter to bed, our waiter suggested taking it to our room. Great for the hotel not missing out on us ordering another course, but lovely for us to have the option! Enjoying our cheeseboard with a bottle of wine on our balcony, watching the sunset over the beach was a highlight of our stay!
The only negatives were our two lunches at The Living Space. The decor and views are beautiful, and the food is tasty. But the poor service really lets it down. On our first visit we weren’t acknowledged for 20 minutes and had to go and ask someone for the WiFi code (online menu and no signal), who seemed annoyed that we had gone to them. Overall with delays in being served it took 1.5hrs to get a sandwich and a salad (chosen to be quick so we could put our baby down for her nap). Several other diners had to go inside to ask a staff member to place an order, so it wasn’t just us, and it wasn’t particularly busy.
We gave it another try the next day while our daughter was at kids club. Again, we weren’t acknowledged for a while and after 15mins I went in to order. We had the meat antipasti board, which was mostly vegetables, very tasty, but only 4 small slices of cured meats which was disappointing for the price. When we went in to pay, two separate diners came in to ask to place an order, to be told it was table service and someone would be out to take their order soon (by a staff member standing at the bar doing nothing). Meanwhile there were 2-3 waiting staff chatting in the kitchen, one putting cutlery away in the dining room and another folding napkins. Great to prep but not when you have customers who haven’t yet been served. When we were served, it felt like it was an inconvenience for them, besides 2 staff members who were friendly and checked we had everything.
I say all this in the hope that my review is read and this is addressed because it wasn’t really dealt with when we mentioned it whilst there. It was such a stark difference from the rest of the hotel and felt like we were somewhere completely different! If the service was improved in this restaurant, the hotel would genuinely be perfect! It could so easily be fixed by seating diners as they arrive so staff remember they’re there, or by allowing people to order online as the menu is digital.
Overall though, a wonderful stay that we all thoroughly enjoyed, and we hope to be back again soon. We will certainly be bringing family and friends to dine in Zacry’s and hopefully for the Swim Club too.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Rooms overlooking the sea are absolutely worth it!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hannah Collings, Guest Services / Front Office at Watergate Bay Hotel
Responded 6 Aug 2022
Dear noneill29, Thank you for taking the time to leave us your detailed feedback. I'm pleased you enjoyed yourselves overall. However, naturally, I’m sorry that you left disappointed with some aspects. It's such a shame to read about your experience at The Living Space, and your comments certainly don't reflect what we're used to reading. I will follow up with our team manager. Despite this, I hope we get the chance to welcome you back in the future.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
If I was just rating the staff here, it would be a 5. Everyone from the reservation team, reception and restaurant staff were so helpful and friendly. Couldn’t fault them. The hotel is a perfect location on the beautiful watergate bay and stunning coastal walks from the hotel. Evening meals in Zacrys and Emily Scott were perfect. Not cheap, but the food is excellent in both. Our rooms were sea view and due to extending our stay we moved to a sea view room in the ocean wing, which although smaller, we actually preferred as had a balcony and a great view down the bay. Housekeeping do a great job as most of the rooms seem to be constantly in use and need a quick turnaround. However, considering it’s so early in the season, there are definite signs of wear and tear. The ceiling extractor fan in bathroom thick with dust, tile grouting becoming discoloured, biro scribbles from a child on the seating, scuff/ grubby marks on the walls. Although overall the rooms have a bright, airy feel. Breakfast at Zacrys is like a different place to evening, it’s noisy , busy and sounds like a school canteen. We took breakfast one day to the living space, much quieter. The pool is lovely, but full of children all day. We tried it on our 3rd attempt of looking, but soon left. Sauna and hot tub full as seems to be only place to escape the noise. It’s a family friendly hotel and advertised as such, however there were quite a few childless couples there, who like us, probably assumed midweek in term time it would be quieter. The adult only hours for the pool aren’t suitable, adults like a lie in and need to eat dinner too! If the hotel did adult only weeks out of season, we would return, however as it is, I don’t think it’s for us. We had a nice stay as used it as a base for walking and not for a quiet retreat luckily.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Ocean view rooms at far end have a great view from balcony.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hannah Collings, Guest Services / Front Office at Watergate Bay Hotel
Responded 13 Apr 2022
Dear MidlandsSophie, Thank you for taking the time to leave us your review. We are pleased that overall you enjoyed your time with us. Of course, we welcome your feedback and will ensure this is shared with the relevant departments. Despite this, I hope we get the opportunity to welcome you back again.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed in Tudy one of the seaview apartments as a family for 'a taste of the bay break'. The apartment was very well equipped with full kitchen with handy neff appliances including dishwasher, washer and dryer. The smart TV enables you to enjoy your netflix and sky is installed and your bedrooms are both en suite. The sea can be seen from your living room, dining area and terrace and is spectacular. The hotels has 3 restaurants and we tried them all. The food was extremely good and staff attentive and friendly. The lounges have beach views and are the perfect hideaway for your book complete with log fire. Theres a lovely swimming pool and out door hot tub which overlook the sea. All in all we had a fantastic stay and would definitely recommend!
Read more
Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hannah Collings, Guest Services / Front Office at Watergate Bay Hotel
Responded 9 Nov 2020
Dear mandy_moops, Thank you very much for your brilliant review and recommendation. We're so pleased you enjoyed your break, and will look forward to seeing you again!
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We had a wonderful three days at Watergate Bay, a hotel we’ve been visiting for many years now, especially when our son was younger. It’s been a couple of years since our last trip and I was delighted to see the place looking as fresh and stylish as ever. This trip has truly rekindled my love of the place. The bedrooms are great, staff fantastic and of course there’s the wonderful beach. It’s a place you can really relax in. We took our dog this year and were delighted at just how easy it was. The staff are geared up to having dogs stay and are very thoughtful - lots of water bowls offered whenever you sit down. Food was generally very good, although we had a bit of a nightmare in Zacry’s which was slow and our orders forgotten. Apologies were made and the bill reduced. The Beach Hut was great as was The Living Space. Excellent cocktails there too. Breakfasts as good as ever and well thought out, taking into consideration the Covid restrictions. Andrew on the waffle station is amazing. Professional and very friendly he really looked after us. Waffles were delicious too! Only a couple of niggles. Firstly adult swim times - 7am to 7.45am or @8pm. Al other times are family times. Could just one session in the afternoon not be given to adults? Secondly, new booking terms mean that you no longer just pay a deposit to hold your room, you have to pay in full up front. We are considering going back next summer but I’m reluctant to pay the entire amount twelve months out. I can’t think of anywhere else we stay that operates this policy.
Read more
Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hannah Collings, Guest Services / Front Office at Watergate Bay Hotel
Responded 29 Jul 2021
Dear ReviewerCB, Thank you very much for your five-star review. We're so pleased that you rekindled your love for the Bay on this trip. We take all guest comments and suggestions on board, and are currently re-looking at our adult-only swim times for example. I am sorry to read about your experience at Zacry's, and I'm glad that this was rectified for you at the time. I very much hope we can look forward to welcoming you back next year.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hello, yes we have a cardio room which includes a matrix hybrid cross-trainer and rowing machine, a treadmill and a fitness bike. We also have free weights, medicine balls and yoga mats.
Hello, yes we are very dog friendly. The beach is dog friendly all year round and we have two dog friendly restaurants and several dog friendly bedrooms.
Hello, yes many families with teenagers come and stay at Watergate Bay.
We have the Extreme Academy surf school right on the beach which offers surfing, stand-up paddle board and kitesurfing tuition along with hire of wetsuits and boards.
There are plenty of casual dining options including The Beach Hut restaurant and the Living Space bar and we have great WiFi
Best wishes
Judi & WBH team
There are more places to choose from in the Newquay area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
the hotel and extreme academy, watergate bay, watergate bay hotel, hotel watergate bay, watergate hotel newquay, bay hotel watergate, watergate bay newquay
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandCornwallNewquay
NUMBER OF ROOMS
80
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
