The Old Rectory

One of those special places one doesn’t want to talk too much about, to keep the magic secret to one self. Arriving at the Old Rectory is like stepping into a fairy tale world. Or a Victorian novel, which is more appropriate: this is the place where Thomas Hardy met his wife-to-be, Emma, the heroine of “A pair of blue eyes”. And you can sleep in Hardy’s room, or in Emma’s room, with Emma’s lovely watercolours on the walls and an impressive authentic Victorian toilet. The furnitures and decor are original, but you will find every modern comfort (the shower is so great). The garden is simply gorgeous, and all the products for the (simply amazing) breakfast comes from the vegetable organic garden. The area around the Old Rectory gives one endless possibilities: the lovely St Julliot church (full of Hardy’s memories) is just a short stroll away, you can walk to lovely Boscastle through an enchanted forest, Tintagel or Port Isaac are few miles away. Sally, the owner and engine of Old Rectory’s magic, is a wonderful, welcoming and charming hostess.

A really lovely stay with perfect weather and good, well presented rooms and decent breakfast. The only gripe would be the lady owner who was very full-on and a bit bossy! (I felt like I was back at school!) All in all a lovely location though.

My wife and I stayed here from Friday to Sunday in March and had a fantastic time. As per the other reviews the garden was incredible, amazing views from 2 different viewpoints. Great location close to Boacastle, and easy enough drives to Bude and Padstow. The kind hosts recommended using the ferry from Rock to Padstow which saved us around an hour or driving to and from - perfect. The hosts were very accommodating and provided fantastic breakfasts also. We also loved the stories of the house and history. Especially the fighter pilot story! Make sure you ask about that. A great weekend away and we’ll be going back.

My bestfriend and I visited Boscastle in early September and stayed at the Old Old Rectory. We loved it! The house is truly beautiful, amazingly decorated, spotless and very inspiring (we stayed in the same room where Thomas Hardy did) Their garden is a real gem and we have been given the tour of both garden and green patch which was very cool! I was also impressed with the breakfast service and the choice of shampoo and body wash in the bathroom (I know, small details but it was another plus for me since they use the same brand I use at home!) We have been welcomed and looked after by the owners and their beautiful doggo and we highly recommend this place to everyone who wants to visit Boscastle! The only downside is the very narrow countryside roads that for city people are a nightmare to drive, but this will not stop us from coming back!