The dreamy off-the-beaten track Cornwall estate of Tremaine Manor & Country Cottages is perfect for a laidback Cornwall minimoon, discovers Wersha Bharadwa. Read our Tremaine Manor review below.
Location
A secluded gem sitting pretty in Southeast Cornwall’s unspoiled countryside, the sleepy, private hamlet of Tremaine Manor encompasses just one six-bedroom historic manor house circled by 12 cottages and outbuildings five miles from Looe – one of Cornwall’s most picture-postcard fishing villages and a great place to grab a bag of quayside fish and chips or Cornish fudge.
The enchanting harbour at Polperro along with its cove, cobbled lanes and crooked, whitewashed buildings and pubs are only a 10-minute drive away. Fowey, 30 minutes away, is perfect for whiling away hours, drinks in hand, and watching fishing boats come and go. Tremaine literally offers a prime location for accessing Cornwall’s delights and there’s easy access to the Southwest Coast Path including a direct route passing colourful meadows and babbling brooks directly from the estate to the village of Pelynt which sits a mile away.
There you’ll find the Jubilee Inn pub, founded in the 17th century by the Slade family who also once owned Tremaine. Local beaches, Talland Bay and Millendreath, offer romance, seclusion and plenty of space to learn how to paddleboard. The world-famous Eden Project is only 25 minutes away too.
First Impressions
Hidden down a narrow country lane, the 17th century estate lies behind a fragrant-flower filled courtyard and impressive stone archway. It’s hard to believe Tremaine Manor is well over 400 years old as the vibe here is modern, Cornish glamour.
It comes courtesy of savvy hotelier, Peter Du Savary, once owner of some of the UK’s most illustrious venues including Skibo Castle where Madonna and Guy Richie tied the knot, Bovey Castle and posh pub Carys Arms in Devon. He and his family sprinkled their renowned magic touch on the estate after purchasing it in 2021 and multi-million-pound renovations have since resulted in a glorious playground come hideaway perfect for weddings or honeymoons by the coast.
Staycation accommodation comes in the form of the main Manor House (once belonging to the owners) former stables, servant’s and worker’s cottages and a piggery which are all centred around a small-scale village green complete with a water pump, antique road signs, lavender shrubs and where a 300-year old tree’s weeping branches provide shade on blistering summer days for spur-of-the-moment picnics.
You’ll be up like kids on Christmas day each morning to feed the guinea pigs, Shetland ponies and pygmy goats Nutty, Jazzy and Razzy – all residents of a wonderful animal paddock behind the cottages too. The paddock works largely as an on-site, therapeutic petting zoo rather than an actual farmyard but still makes the estate appealing for honeymooning nature lovers. There are hens, too, from which you can collect eggs for breakfast every morning.
Meander through the pretty gardens filled with spectacular displays of China-blue hydrangeas alongside heritage roses, magnolias, lavender and camellias to the adorable duck pond before seeing if you can pick an apple or two in Tremaine’s own mini-orchard.
There’s also a nine-hole mini golf course, croquet and boules for when you want to get active, and in addition to books inside your cottage, there’s a communal library in the games room filled with the latest fiction and nonfiction best-sellers as well as local books on the area and beach reads. Grab one and head for a hammock under the shade.
While Tremaine’s the kind of place you book to do your own thing and you’re left to do exactly what you please with your time (there are, thankfully, no exhausting activity itineraries) estate manager, Febe Campbell-Collins and staff here offer faultless service.
We’d recommend the extra special touches of a personal chef one night (their in-house chef, Dave Sargent serves up a mean roast Cornish lobster) and an in-cottage pamper package with a local spa therapist the next.
You should book surf lessons with surf school Global Boarders while you’re here, too (they are excellent and offer couple sessions away from the busier tourist-trap parts of the region).
Cottage Dreams
All the characterful holiday cottages are equally swoon-worthy and have views of the beautifully kept gardens and surrounding fields. Names of cottages are based on the occupations of the skilled labourers and tradespeople who were once housed on the estate (except for Mariner’s which is the said former piggery conversion and the stables now serve as covered parking spots with electric vehicle charging stations).
As you and your beau are personally shown to your cottage, the feeling is more like you’ve been invited for a sleepover at a friend’s weekend pile for an extremely cosy and fun getaway – just the remedy after months of wedding planning.
Aside from two hot tubs and a private walled garden of its own, like the other properties, the dreamy main Manor House fuses charming period exteriors with bang-up-to-date modernity on the inside. Antiques and furnishings are from the de Savary family’s private collection including two very cool grandfather clocks and a gramophone in the lounge. Another lounge has a polished wood dining table which cleverly converts into a full-sized snooker table for Bond style parties.
Gamekeeper’s Cottage (adjacent to Cobbler’s Cottage which features cobblers wooden show moulds and tools in the main room) is a romantic two-bedroom bolthole and Febe’s recommended choice for honeymooners along with one-bedroomed Gardener’s Cottage.
Again, the décor here reflects the name: finds from around the world make up the interiors and under the beamed ceilings of an open plan kitchen and living room, there’s an eye-catching display of hunting paraphernalia, rifles and antlers. There’s a Smart TV, but with so much to do and take in, we doubt you’ll bother. The first sizeable, sun-flooded bedroom comes with a wooden-framed double bed and the second with twin beds that convert into a superking – both decked out with cloud-like, pillows and crisp cotton. It’s cutesy, countrified deco with a lovely bathroom offering views over the fields and animals to boot.
Nights may be medieval-times pitch black, but on longer summer evenings local bats put on aerodynamic shows in the skies so that’s when you head for the BBQ, and fire pit (complimentary marshmallows and decanters of sloe gin are another Peter Du Savary signature touch).
You’ll wake to the sound of birdsong (seriously, in the second twin room, open the windows and you’ll see a family of swallows twittering back and forth from nests tucked into the wooden beams of the stone archway and barns now used as garages) and pull back the curtains at dawn to see Jazz, Razzle and Nutsy grazing in the morning light.
As the estate allows guests to feed the animals, after you’ve met Febe and hand-fed the animals their hefty and nutritious breakfast, you’ll head back for your own delicious morning fare of tasty local bacon, sausages and farmhouse toast with lashings of local butter (courtesy a wonderful welcome hamper).
Outdoor living is a cinch too – whatever the season. Come summer, you’ll find the pull of relaxing on large, squishy seats and immaculate sun loungers sipping on refreshing mint teas or chilled glasses of Pimms irresistible.
Tremaine Manor offers everything you could possibly want for a romantic English coastal honeymoon and more; the estate’s well-heeled guests are friendly and like you, here for the magic of the coast and countryside as well as the complete privacy on offer. It feels so perfectly blissful here, you may just find that like them, you’ll want to book your return visit before you leave.
Weddings at Tremaine Manor & Country Cottages
Brides and grooms can hire the entire estate on an exclusive use basis with guests staying in the luxury self-catering cottages and the wedding parties in the newly restored Manor House (it sleeps upto 14 if rented all together or can be split into two wings sleeping six each).
With exposed beams, vintage chandeliers and an antique bar area – the Manor House is a stylish wedding setting offering you and your guests lots of space and even better spots for Instagram selfies including the communal courtyard, walled garden, woodland, apple orchard, mini golf course and duck pond.
Two separate entrances enable you to split the Manor House into two properties – an important point for traditional couples who won’t want to risk bumping into each other the morning of the big day. The Manor House lawns, plus the dining and lounge areas inside the property offer additional spaces of loveliness for pre-wedding breakfast and pre-speech drinks with ample seating for your nearest and dearest to gather around and organise post-bash beach days.
For larger weddings, guests can dance the night away in a purpose-built marquee in the Manor House gardens and the team work closely with local wedding suppliers and events organisers to help with everything from flowers and cakes to style, décor and tableware.
READ MORE: The Best Minimoon Activities in Cornwall
What You’ll Love
• Don’t worry about packing racquets; there are plenty to borrow alongside tennis balls for when you fancy hitting the private full-sized tennis court. Make sure you’ve enough time to spare for the nine-hole mini golf course, some outdoor chess, boules and badminton too!
• Brollys and boots are available to borrow for longer walks under overcast skies, and – handily – there’s a hot water outdoor tap at the side of the cottage to help wash off muddy paws if you’re bringing the pooch
• Millendreath Beach is a stunning and mostly secluded cove at the bottom of a valley with plenty of nature’s architecture on display and is only a 10 minute drive away. It’s where Febe and in-the-know laid-back locals head to for delicate sands, peaceful paddleboarding (everyone brings the dog along), sea-scootering and kayaking
• Thinking of booking a familymoon? Tremaine has everything to keep little (and big) ones entertained; an outdoor children’s playground with swings sits beside a lovely conker tree, and the comprehensive games barn is filled with kids’ books galore,
table tennis, pool, bagatelle and table football
How to Book
Visit Tremaine Manor & Country Cottages Near Looe Cornwall PL13 2LT. Three nights’ self-catering for two from £450. To book a reservation, visit tremainemanor.com, email [email protected] or call: +44 (0) 1503 220 333.