Staying En Route
However you choose to reach Tresco – by helicopter, plane or sea – let the journey become part of the pleasure, with a memorable stay along the way.
Let the journey soften at the edges. Trade a long drive for an unhurried overnight stay; pause awhile, rest well, and wake already attuned to the gentler rhythm of island time.
Below, you’ll find a handful of favourite stopping places along the way – personally chosen and perfectly placed for an easy pause when travelling via Exeter, Newquay or Penzance.
Tresco Loves...
A few of our favourite West Country stopovers – chosen to turn your journey to Tresco into part of the holiday itself.
Penzance: The Old Coastguard
A characterful coastal retreat, full of warmth and quiet flair, overlooking the sea at the edge of the picturesque fishing village of Mousehole. Expect thoughtful hospitality and beautifully crafted dishes, served with the shoreline just beyond the window. Penzance Heliport, the quay and Land’s End Airport are all just a short drive away – perfectly placed for an easy onward journey to the islands.
Bristol: Number 38 Clifton
If your journey takes you anywhere near Bristol, we can warmly recommend a stay at Adam and Michael Dorrien-Smith’s Georgian merchant’s house in Clifton. Number 38 feels less like a hotel and more like a beautifully kept private home – quietly contemporary, deeply comfortable, with sweeping views across the city rooftops.
Newquay: Watergate Bay
So close to the water you can watch the surfers from the pool, Watergate Bay eases you gently into the spirit of the sea before your island escape. Set on a sweeping two-mile beach along Cornwall’s north coast, it pairs contemporary coastal comfort with the easy sociability of a ski lodge – relaxed, elemental and quietly invigorating.
Exeter: Lympstone Manor
We have a soft spot for Lympstone Manor, a contemporary country house overlooking the still waters of the Exe Estuary. With Michael Caines at the helm, its Michelin-starred dining is as considered as the view - elegant, assured and deeply rooted in place. Just a short drive from Exeter Airport, it makes an effortless prelude to island life - or a gracious pause on the road west to Cornwall.
