The Esplanade Hotel

We stayed at The Esplanade Hotel as a family of four over 4 nights to celebrate my 40th birthday, and unfortunately, the experience was incredibly disappointing. The hotel is marketed as a luxury, upmarket destination for families—but the reality fell far short. The Good: The location is fantastic—right by Fistral Beach with stunning views The soft play area in the restaurant was a real plus to give us a break during dinner and was loved by our young children. The housekeeping staff were warm, friendly, and helpful—the only team we felt genuinely cared about guest experience. The Rest: Sadly, everything else let the stay down: Room Issues: Our family room (112) was far too small, even if the advertised bunk beds had been provided (they weren’t). None of the windows close properly, and the bathroom window blew open while we were at dinner, leaving us to come back to bath a tired 5 year old in a freezing room. The toilet roll holder was broken, and the towel rail was barely big enough for two people, let alone four. There were multiple stains on the bedding which didn’t give a clean impression. No bedside table or lamp on one side of the room for the separate single bed — only harsh, overhead spotlights. There were no dimmable lights so once the kids were asleep, we had to sit in the dark, as the lighting was too bright to keep on. Our room was directly above the bins and we were woken at 6am on my birthday by the bins being emptied right under our window. Cleanliness & Maintenance: Carpets were dirty, both in the room and public areas. The restaurant floors were incredibly sticky and felt like a nightclub dancefloor, the restaurant window sills were crumb-covered, and there was even a leaking window in the restaurant soaking one of the tables. The hotel felt tired, poorly maintained, and far from the “luxury” image it sells. Restaurant: No explanation of what was included with half board or how to order. Long waits at restaurant entrance for staff to seat us. Slow, disorganised service — on one morning we waited ages for coffee at breakfast while others were served first despite being seated after us. Staff seemed disengaged and unhappy, which created a flat and unwelcoming dining atmosphere. A service charge was added to our final bill though this was not separately detailed or made clear on the invoice, and when asked to remove it due to poor service, staff showed no concern. The restaurant menu was far too limited for a stay longer than two nights—only 2–3 dishes appealed to us. Mind you the coach groups of elderly holiday makers seemed to be enjoying a completely different menu so more could clearly be offered. Reception & Staff Communication: The reception was often unmanned and when I called down from the room phone about the bathroom window not shutting I gave up after calling 3 times and only getting BT call minder. When staffed, the attitude was cold and occasionally argumentative. We sent emails immediately after bookimg in January to book the advertised babysitting service. Replies were slow and unhelpful, and it took until late March to be told we couldn't use the service to done without the children on my birthday. Children’s Activities & Pool: Activities were poorly delivered and completely unsupervised—just a pile of materials dropped on a table without instruction or enthusiasm. The “silent disco” wasn’t silent, as bar music played alongside the headphones. The pool was far too cold and the water felt and looked unclean as if it lacked correct chemical levels. Parking: We paid for reserved parking, but it was completely unregulated—guests parked between bollards and in non-spaces. One evening, we were forced to reverse through the car park exit as the entrance was blocked by someone parking opposite the allocated spaces at the entrance. Safety: The steps leading into the hotel became dangerously slippery when wet, with no drainage or safety signage—a serious hazard, especially for families. Overall: This hotel has a great concept and location, but it fails massively in execution. The experience was uncomfortable, frustrating, and at times unsafe. If you’re expecting a polished, welcoming family stay—you won’t find it here.

The room and food were great. Kids play area was really helpful. The pool was not as it appeared in the photos.

Absolutely lovely experience! We loved the play areas for children, the pool and sauna and the different bars and eating areas! The mini cinema for children was a good touch.

Nice little hotel. Great location. Lovely views over Fistral. Restaurant service a bit scatty but overall a good Stay.

In just three words … Clean, Cosy and calming We had a wonderful very last minute stay this week. We had a beautiful Quiksilver sea view room that was absolutely spotless. The bed was extremely comfortable and the in room tea tray was full of different Cornish choices to try. Breakfast was very good and full English very tasty. The two times we ate in the evening the meals were excellent . The Staff, all polite smart and helpful. Our little dog was made to feel very welcomed by all the staff and he throughly enjoyed the dog treats and his toy 🐾A big Fistral thank you x We will be back again very soon and thank for making our holiday a happy and relaxing one.

We were staying in an Air B&B nearby but stopped here for beers and one Sunday lunch. The hotel appears very busy and child friendly with loads of kids party’s being hosted. Pub stocks local beers and lagers, we paid £11 for two pints so about average price for a hotel. Great views of the surfers and beach from the bar and dining areas. Sunday lunch was excellent, huge portions and very well cooked and well presented. I thought the food presented excellent value. Although we walked here on several occasions, I understood and saw parking being an issue. I believe there is a new parking system in place, drivers need to check this out before parking to avoid charges.

We went on a coach trip. Booked a wet room or stand alone shower as my husband is disabled. Were allocated a shower in the bath on 2nd floor. Staff not very helpful. After quite a while, we had to pay a supplement for another room as all the wet rooms/stand alone showers were allegedly in use. Also food not up to standard for a 4*. Were supposedly all inclusive. Packed lunches - sandwiches, were incorrectly labelled. Had lunch in hotel 1 day. which consisted of a jacket potato, with no drinks available. Evening meals left a lot to be desired also the free bar between 6 - 9pm did not include fruit juice. Had to pay £2 for an apple juice. Also a cooked breakfast on our last day was not available - was offered a packed breakfast which consisted of two small prepacked croissants, yogurt and a bottle of water which was not acceptable. Obviously we would not recommend this hotel.

Just ended a 4 nights stay at the Esplanade and must say the hotel and our room were spotless. We were welcomed by Claudia on Reception who was just so helpful and seems to go above and beyond to help everyone. Must say from the staff serving meals, the staff that clean the rooms snd the staff on reception, well done. You all make your visitors so welcome and help them have such a relaxing time. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

I have been visiting the Esplanade Hotel for a few years now, and I am consistently impressed by the exceptional service and warm atmosphere. The staff are always polite, friendly, and have a fantastic "can-do" attitude. From my very first visit, it has been a five star experience all the way. Most recently, I stayed at the hotel from the 7th-10th March 2025, and once again I was blown away by the level of service. A special mention to Lauren, Claudia, Adam, Isobel and Judith, whose customer service was absolutely outstanding. If anyone needs a masterclass in hospitality, these individuals are the ones to learn from. They went above and beyond to accommodate all my needs, consistently demonstrating that wonderful "can-do" attitude. The food was lovely, and I really enjoyed the new evening menu. Service was quick and faultless, and housekeeping did a fantastic job in maintaining cleanliness and comfort throughout my stay. The entire team truly deserves recognition for a job well done. Thank you one again for making my stay such a positive experience. I highly recommend the Esplanade Hotel to anyone looking for a welcoming and enjoyable stay.

From arrival to departure the whole weekend was fantastic! Excellent room with a beautiful view of Fistral beach. Pool was lovely and the food was exceptional in a fabulously set restaurant with a view!!