Cornwall’s Hidden Treasure

The Black Prince called Lostwithiel ‘the fairest of all small cities’. Once the Duchy Capital, this small town has a character all it’s own, proud of its heritage, independent, yet friendly and happy to share its many charms.

Lostwithiel is the antiques and ‘slow food’ centre of the Duchy. Its shops, antique markets, auctions, pubs and restaurants draw people from far and wide. Here, you can browse for paintings, antiques, ceramics, lace, jewellery, eco products and old books, local food and produce; and enjoy excellent food in the pubs, restaurants, cafes and takeaways.

This beautiful valley is a doorway to the unspoilt enjoyment of nature. You can start with a gentle walk to Restormel Castle and carry on to Lanhydrock House & Gardens if you wish. There are guided walks through this ancient town during summer. For those more energetic there is a splendid golf course, or, kayaking on the river (arranged through encountercornwall.co.uk).

John Betjeman is reputed to have said ‘there is history in every stone in Cornwall’. We can start with the Duchy Palace and the Bridge both being the oldest buildings and structures in Cornwall. When Lostwithiel was the Capital, ships and boats would traverse the river to the bridge to take on the tin that was mined locally. Restormel Castle, originally built by the Normans, has beautiful views overlooking the river valley, and enough left of the ruins to have a good climb over!

Naturally, Penrose is also the perfect base to explore the south and north coasts of Cornwall. This has to include the Eden Project, Lost Gardens of Heligan, Lanhydrock House & Gardens, local beaches and gardens. Something Chris has done since childhood and Heidi for the past 20 years since knowing Chris.

Chris has over 26 years experience in the hotel industry, working in 4 & 5 star properties. As a child every holiday was spent in Cornwall, and Chris’s family live within 5 miles of Lostwithiel.

Heidi’s customer service skills come from banking, accounting and working for small businesses. ‘Without customers there is no business’. They both love to show off their home to everyone who stays, ‘and the house doesn’t seem the same when we have no-one staying’ says Heidi. You can follow Chris & Heidi and Penrose on Facebook and Twitter (we will try not to be too boring!!).

Our ethos is:

We want you, the guest, to feel as if you have just arrived home and can put your feet up and relax. Anything you need, you just have to ask (we’ll try our best!) – Nothing is too much trouble. We truly want you to enjoy your stay at Penrose and in Cornwall.

Our environmental policy and ethos is:

We are changing every spent light bulb with long life ones.

We recycle glass & plastic bottles, tins, paper, cardboard and clothes.

All electric appliances that die are replaced by ‘A’ rated ones.

There are showers in all the ensuites and bathrooms to cut down on the amount of water used.

For those of you enjoying a longer stay with us, we change the towels every other day and the sheets every 4 days.

We encourage you the guests, to use the local trains and buses, and you can use the computer to find out the timetables.

At night you can leave the car and walk into town for the best food & drink in Cornwall.

‘Best hosts, best accommodation, best breakfast, homely and friendly, what more can you ask for’ – Denise & Mick