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The Beach suites

Relax in the comfort of your own suite at The Beach at Bude. Completed in 2018, our two suites provide a little extra room to chill out after a day exploring the Bude area, making them perfect, but not exclusively for, families staying with children.

Both our suites have two bedrooms, which can be made up as doubles or twins; family-sized bathrooms and lounges. See below for further information on each suite, and what makes them amongst some of the most unique holiday accommodation in Bude.

The Suite

The Suite provides ultimate hotel luxury. The modern bathroom features a large walk-in shower with a separate freestanding bathtub and glamorous marble wall tiles. The lounge houses a rich navy velvet corner sofa, designed to complement the coastal accessories and create a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere to sit and watch the wall-mounted TV.

Leading out from the lounge is a private terrace with outdoor furniture, which provides a space to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine and sea air whilst being away from the general public on our main terrace at the front of the hotel.

The Retreat

The Retreat is the largest of the two new suites. It comes complete with a well appointed kitchen, diner and lounge – providing the maximum flexibility for your stay in Bude, with access to the hotel’s restaurant with delicious food prepared by our award-winning head chef Jamie Coleman, or the option to cook your own food back in your suite. Appliances include a fridge, washing machine and range cooker with gas hob; meaning you can choose whether you want the luxury of a fully serviced hotel stay or a more relaxed self-catering holiday.

Its clean, modern interiors have been designed to allow this suite to be dog-friendly. For more information on bringing your dog to the area, check out our blog post on a dog-friendly Bude.

Suites start from £175 bed and breakfast per night. For more information or to book call our reception on 01288 389800. Booking is also available online.

Interior focus: Lloyd Loom chairs

When staying at The Beach at Bude, guests are welcomed into a relaxed New England seaside style decor. Whether returning from a surf, beach walk or a paddle down the Bude canal in a kayak, we understand the need for a calming atmosphere which is reflected in our interiors.

A signature feature throughout the bedrooms and suites at The Beach are the stylish and comfortable Lloyd Loom chairs. Whether sat in front of a window facing the sea view stretching across Summerleaze beach, or tucked in under a dressing table providing comfort whilst getting ready for an indulgent evening of cocktails and dinner downstairs in our bar and restaurant, the statement pieces are perfectly positioned with guests enjoyment in mind.

The name ‘Lloyd Loom’ was given to the woven fabric which makes the design so iconic. The smooth, durable pieces are designed to last for generations, a quality of the household name which has become somewhat of a collectors item. The chairs, which The Beach hand-pick from the Lloyd Loom collection, are chosen to compliment the order tramadol with paypal white walls, natural wood furniture and luxury linens, creating a simple beachside retreat for guests to relax in.

Experience the style, comfort and luxury for yourself and book your next Cornish escape with us. Book online or call us on 01288 389800.

No.15 Great Pulteney's Oliver Clarke at The Beach

We are extremely excited to be welcoming No.15 Great Pulteney‘s Oliver Clarke back to Bude to prepare dinner alongside Joe Simmonds on Friday 8 June.

Born and bred in Bude, Oliver is now head chef of Bath’s beautiful boutique hotel, spa and restaurant, and has previously worked for a number of fantastic places, including Bordeaux Quay in Bristol, Langdon Court in Devon, and Horn of Plenty in Cornwall, as well as The Beckford Arms in Tisbury, which won best dining pub of the year during Oliver’s time there.

Oliver prides himself on a classic cooking style with modern touches, preparing dishes that showcase the finest local and seasonal produce available. The pair will be preparing a six-course feast on Friday 8 June at The Beach, with a fantastic menu:

Pheasant Cannelloni
Crispy pheasant egg, black garlic emulsion and gremolata dressing.

Hand Picked Cornish Crab
Coconut, pineapple salsa, wasabi and yuzu gel.

Confit Fillet of Stonebass
Tomato, broad beans, tarragon and radish with smoked tomato and tarragon consommé.

Salt Marsh Lamb
Courgette and basil, confit tomato, pomme anna and lamb jus.

Baked White Chocolate
Passion fruit curd, lemon and thyme and salted caramel.

Bitter Dark Chocolate Mousse
Cherry gel, kirsch parfait, candied cherries and chocolate crumb.

 

To find out more information or book at table, call our friendly team on 01288 389800.

Alan Zoeftig Zed Sofa Bed

We have recently introduced a brand new sofa bed to our Deluxe suite in the hotel, a Zed Sofa Bed Bedchair, and we’re extremely excited about it. Designed by Alan Zoeftig, the Bedchair is one of the first of its kind, and perfectly merges beauty with function. Having been at the forefront of seating design for over 50 years with his former company, Zoeftig, Alan is an incredibly talented furniture designer that’s based in Bude, with a whole wealth of experience in creating beautiful pieces of furniture that can be found all over the world. We met up with Alan to find out a little more about him and discover what inspires him.

We know that you studied at Camberwell and Central St Martin’s in London. What did you specifically study?

Furniture design. Camberwell was fine art and then Central St Martin’s was specialising in furniture design. I’m actually dyslexic and I wasn’t very academic, but I was good at art, and so I was able to go on to art school. That was a day when you didn’t need O-levels or A-levels or anything like that, they just took you if you could draw. Margaret Thatcher changed all that so you have to have all sorts of academic nonsense before you could go to an art school now.

We also saw that your daughter Sara is helping you with the business. Has she followed in your footsteps of furniture design?

Initially she helped with the first products that I designed and sold them very well, but then she got married and had children and studied to be a teacher.

How do you source the first class materials that you use, and are they all from within the UK?

I like to get everything I possibly can manufactured in the UK. This fabric is an English fabric, and on every product that I create I try to use English fabric if it can be. The plywood is Scandinavian which is where all plywood comes from, we don’t make that in the UK. The engineered parts are all made by local engineers and companies. All the parts are made by local companies and then brought together and we assemble them.

Your signature Style 63 design from the ’60’s is a really impressive piece. What inspired it?

My first job from college was with one of my college tutors, and I managed to design a complicated mechanism for a sofa that changed into a bed, so he employed me. The whole business of sofa beds are so complicated and cumbersome in many ways, so I tried to devise a simple way of doing it and designed the Style 63. By chance, at that time, there was an international competition being held for furniture design and I entered that and won it. It was held in Cantu in Italy, the centre of the furniture industry in Italy. And that was my first design.

What have you made the Bedchair for specifically?

Well if you buy a sofa bed, generally you’ve got to take all the pillows off and cushions off, and then there’s a mechanism underneath thats usually made of metal and springs that you pull out, and then there’s another skinny mattress to contend with. You’ve got to know where to put all those cushions once it’s pulled out. Other sofa beds are also not every good for your back because, when sitting on sofa cushions, your lumbar region isn’t supported. The reason I designed this one was because at an exhibition, showing those other sofas (Style 63) people said ‘they’re too big for hotel bedrooms, why can’t you make a chair that turns into a bed?’ So that’s what I did.

What inspires you?

It probably sounds a bit high brow, but we don’t need to clutter our lives, we don’t need to have things bombarding us all the time. All my designs are really based on not seeking status or glamour or showing one’s wealth, I think things aesthetically can be beautiful by being as simple as they can be. I find Shaker Furniture very inspiring. Quakers went to America and designed everything so that it didn’t get in their way of thinking about God all the time, so they hung their chairs on the wall and you could walk through a room without having to navigate around anything. With the furniture they made, they respected the material as well, they wouldn’t over elaborate it or decorate it, it was just simple enough to see the beauty of the timber.

How did you end up in Bude, and what has made you stay here?

I was evacuated here in the war, and when I got married we bought a very small cottage and would come down every holiday or long weekend from London. And when they joined up the motorway, I realised you could work from here. It was a gamble, a bit like getting married, you do it and then make it work, or otherwise. I think its absolutely true that when you’re younger, you do things incredibly naïvely, and if they work out its fantastic, but if you consider everything that could go wrong you probably wouldn’t do anything.

Do you think it’s a limiting factor being based in Bude?

Initially it was, but to operate from here it got better. With the previous company (Zoeftig) I designed some furniture for Buchannan bus station in Glasgow, and the architects were brilliant. World Architecture Magazine took a photograph of the interior, and right at the front of the picture was my seat. The architects in Las Vegas said ‘wow, we want this seat for our airport’, and I put some together and rushed over there, and eventually 22,000 seats were sold to them. Once you start doing something that sells well, and you can employ more people and you make sure you can keep the quality, then nothing stops you.

Bude in pictures: an interview with Cornish surf photographer Clive Symm

Clive Symm is a talented Cornish surf photographer, who also captures weddings, landscapes and portraits, and over the years he’s taken some fantastic pictures in and around Bude.

We caught up with him recently to find out a little more about the man behind the lens, providing insights into what motivates him, his thoughts on Bude’s fantastic surf scene, and why he loves Bude Sea Pool.

 

Tell us a little bit about your background and how you got into photography?

I’ve loved photography since I was at school, way before digital cameras were available. I worked at a local supermarket for the whole of the summer to save up and buy my first “proper” camera, a Ricoh KR10 Super and a 50mm lens. I’ve never stopped taking photos since then really. I’ve had a lot of sales jobs with some pretty big companies and being a photographer has always helped to build my profile within these. When I was at JVC I was often given their latest video cameras to take home and test.

You’ve taken some incredible pictures of the surf in and around Bude. What is it that motivates you to take pictures of surfing in particular?

Having surfed myself since the age of about 14 it’s a great way to enjoy two of my passions at the same time. Also taking the odd surf shot has helped me stay focused on the sea when I’ve been unable to surf due to injuries or ill health.

What’s your favourite thing about shooting around Bude?

Bude has a great “vibe” about it, it’s one of those places that always feels welcoming no matter what the weather’s doing, the scenery is stunning and the people are, mostly, friendly. I love just going for an unplanned walk with my camera and seeing what images I can come up with. It’s not often I get home disappointed with the results.

Bude has produced some of the best professional surfers in the country in recent years. Why do you think that is?

I think there’s loads of factors that have attributed to the success of our local surfers. Obviously we have some quality waves within a few miles of Bude and depending on the tide our local beaches can be surfed at almost any size. There aren’t that many days when there’s no surf. I’ve been doing this a long time and seen the amount of time and effort these athletes spend in the water improving their skills. They’re training constantly which makes a huge difference to their performance. There’s a great community spirit locally.

Bude Wave Riders, run by volunteers, offer a great introduction into surfing for very little outlay. Also our more experienced surfers seem quite happy to share their knowledge with the young, up and coming, super keen, groms. We have some excellent surf schools, some of which run “elite” clubs for the up and coming kids that show potential. They can even get one-on-one coaching from British and European champions if they want it. Obviously media coverage is a huge part of everything these days. Luckily we have some great local photographers and videographers who spend a lot of time, in and out of the water, capturing images and footage of these guys helping to show the world of what they’re capable of.

Do you surf yourself, and if so, where’s your favourite spot?

I do and my favourite local spot has to be any one of Bude’s three beaches. I live a couple of minutes away by foot from Crooklets and like being able to just wander down, check the conditions, get changed at home and be in the water within 10 minutes.

Your portfolio features some beautiful landscape pictures. Where is the most photogenic place you’ve come across in Cornwall?

Thank you, that’s a tough question, the whole of Cornwall is beautiful. I don’t really have a favourite. I’ll check the conditions, the time of year, when the sun sets, etc. and decide where to go on the day, could be anywhere…

We’ve also noticed Bude Sea Pool in lots of your images, and we’ve even shared a few of them ourselves. What do you think the pool brings to the local community?

I think it’s a fantastic facility, one of the best ocean pools in the country, definitely a great tourist attraction which brings people into town. I really enjoy capturing the different moods it seems to have, very photogenic and just 5 minutes from home.

What’s the most memorable or favourite image that you’ve ever taken?

I don’t really have a favourite but this image (below) always comes to mind. It was taken just down the coast from Bude on a very stormy winter day a few years ago. I just love the energy and movement, not to mention the timing of that wave breaking against the cliff in the background…

What would your ideal day in Bude consist of?

It would be warm and sunny with light offshore winds and the surf at first light would be about 4ft and clean. That’s when I’d get in for a wave. After a couple of hours I’d get out look back and see the surf building to 8ft. I’d check my phone for messages and see that the Ash brothers (two of my favourite local surfers) where going in for a wave. I’d grab my camera and shoot them until they got out. Have a quick look at the photos I’d taken and then head down to the sea pool for the sunset and maybe stay a little later to photograph the stars reflected in the water. Then on to The Beach for a drink at the bar.

Follow the Cornish surf photographer at Symages Photography on Facebook and Instagram @symagesphotography.

The best coverage of 2017

Our hotel, bar and restaurant received some fantastic coverage and reviews in 2017, with lots of great feedback from some brilliant sources.

Have a read of some of our favourite features, and if you’d like to enjoy a stay or meal with us, give us a call on 01288 389800.

London Unattached

The team at London Unattached nominated their top boutique hotels across the UK, and ours was in the top seven favourites. Kay Woolley stayed with us for one night in October and said ‘Bude is another North Cornish town which is following in the footsteps of Padstow and Wadebridge with refurbished hotels, shops and other facilities making it an ideal base from which to explore the whole area.’

She also particularly enjoyed the food and restaurant, adding that ‘the menu makes good use of the fresh produce available in Cornwall. I chose to drink the Sauvignon Blanc which perfectly complemented the food. Each dish was tasty and beautifully presented, the service was good without being overly attentive.’

Read the whole article here.

The Daily Telegraph

Our hotel was featured in the Daily Telegraph in February of 2017 in a round up of it’s favourite luxury hotels in Cornwall, The Cream of The Crop. Of our hotel, it said: ‘the vibe is contemporary, young and unpretentious, though its a hotel enjoyed by folk of all ages. Rooms are flooded with dazzling north Cornwall light – at least on sunny days – and contain big baths perfect for warming up after a swim or surf.’

 

Prima

We were featured in Prima magazine’s 2017 Holiday Hot List, and our hotel described as a ‘gorgeous boutique bolthole, which overlooks Summerleaze Beach and has 16 beautiful rooms’.

Red Magazine

Our hotel was included in Red magazine’s 20 Of The Best Boutique Beach Hotels In Europe, and we were thrilled to read such a positive review of our hotel and restaurant: ‘soothing bedrooms are decked out in a New England style and many look out to sea. Joe Simmonds heads up the restaurant with dishes like seared king scallops and butter and tarragon poached hake fillet’.

Read the full article here.

Country & Town House

We were featured in Country & Town House’s Great British Hotels, with the comment ‘the hottest of Cornish hotspots, The Beach at Bude is a skilfully updated Victorian house, retaining its original character, but with decoration that feels fresh and modern and looks the epitome of seaside chic. The groovy Beach Bar positively hums at weekends, with its inventive cocktail menu and summer terrace drawing a young crowd.’

Read the full article here.

The Sunday Times

In October we were delighted to be included in The Sunday Times 100 Great British Hotels list with a brilliant write up: “The Beach’s terrace is Cornwall at its most photogenic, packed with beautiful young things in floaty slip dresses and Orlebar Brown leisurewear, accessorised with Ray-Bans and Cornish mules. (That’s a vodka-based cocktail, by the way.) Even this crowd isn’t nearly as cool as the view: it takes in one of the best beaches in Britain, Summerleaze, with a tidal pool and rows of pastel huts.”

Olive Magazine

Our brilliant head chef Joe Simmonds was recognised as one to watch for 2018 by Olive Magazine, contributing to getting Bude to be more widely recognised as a foodie destination and ‘drawing a crowd’ to our AA awarded restaurant.

The Beach in the press

We’ve cropped up in the press several times in the last few months, and we’re incredibly proud of the great reviews and positive feedback we’ve received. 

Here are a few of the latest clippings. If you like what you see, give us a call!

In October we were delighted to be included in The Sunday Times 100 Great British Hotels list. Here’s what they had to say about us:

“The Beach’s terrace is Cornwall at its most photogenic, packed with beautiful young things in floaty slip dresses and Orlebar Brown leisurewear, accessorised with Ray-Bans and Cornish mules. (That’s a vodka-based cocktail, by the way.) Even this crowd isn’t nearly as cool as the view: it takes in one of the best beaches in Britain, Summerleaze, with a tidal pool and rows of pastel huts. The ground floor is dominated by a huge bar with a brushed zinc counter, and there’s an informal bistro overseen by Joe Simmonds (once of the Bath Priory’s Michelin-starred kitchen). The 16 rooms are chic, with dainty prints and limed oak furniture, and all have at least king-size beds.”

In August, we were included in a roundup of the most stunning restaurant views in the country by the Daily Mail.

“Situated right on the coast in North Cornwall, The Beach at Bude is a rightly popular restaurant, bar and hotel with sweeping views across spectacular Summerleaze Beach and the Atlantic.”

Read the full article here.

Cornish journalist Lee Trewhela included us in his Cornish Guardian article looking at the coolest places in Cornwall.

He said:

“[Bude has] this wonderful boutique hotel: a fantastic restaurant with some of the best food in Cornwall, a great bar, chic rooms and that view over Summerleaze Beach.”

Back in the summer, we went State-side. USA Today included the hotel in a roundup of 20 scenic beside hotels in Great Britain.

Smugglers’ Challenge

Having been diagnosed with a brain tumour in early 2017, Bude local Brown Cardoo became aware of the overwhelming number of people that are affected by cancer, so he decided to do something about it. Along with three of his best friends, one of which lost their sister-in-law to cancer this year, the team came up with the idea of the Smugglers’ Challenge, a huge feat that will be the first of its kind in the UK. The challenge will involve the four men hand paddling from Plymouth to Bude in an attempt to raise £20,000 for two great cancer charities: The Force and Cancer Research UK.

For one hour intervals in a ‘tag team’ system, the men will take it in turns to paddle, sleep, keep watch, and plot the route, continuing through day and night and battling whatever weather conditions are thrown at them.

Whilst one is paddling the remaining three will be aboard a small support boat, which will also offer assistance should they run into any trouble. The journey is estimated to take five days of non-stop paddling, departing from Plymouth towards the end of August or beginning of September depending on affecting factors that will need to be measured closer to the time, such as weather conditions, wind speed and tide.

With two of the team being volunteers for Bude’s RNLI lifeboat and each regularly taking part in sea-going activities, the team are well aware of the potential threats and dangers they could encounter at sea, but all are willing to take on the challenge for the great cause.

Experiencing harsh seas, days of broken sleep, and the potential of seasickness, the team are putting themselves through the ultimate test of endurance, both mentally and physically.

We are the main sponsors of the challenge and will be hosting plenty of fundraisers before, during and after the event to help raise as much money as possible for the campaign. Keep your eyes on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds for more information on the events that we’ll be hosting to raise money for the incredible paddle, including a wine tasting dinner on Thursday 7 September.

Useful Links

A passion martini recipe

Our cocktail menu is brimming with sophisticated blends and delicious tipples that are perfect to sip on in the bar or on the terrace. We thought we’d give you a slice of the action and let you in on learn how to make one of the most popular cocktails on the menu: a passion martini.

Passion Martini

Let our bar manager Rudi West take you through the steps to make a passion martini at home.


INGREDIENTS

– 25ml Passoa
– 50ml Absolut vanilla vodka
– 50ml passionfruit purée
– 25ml lime juice
– 12.5ml vanilla syrup
– Prosecco
– Half a passionfruit

 

Equipment you will need:

– A spirit measure
– Boston cocktail shaker
– Two serving glasses, one coupé for the martini and a shot glass for prosecco
– Strainer

 

Directions

1. Chill your serving glass by filling it with ice and set aside.

2. Place all ingredients apart from the prosecco in the Boston cocktail shaker.

3. Fill the shaker with ice, place the lid on firmly and shake for 10 to 15 seconds.

4. Remove the ice from the serving glass.

5. Separate the Boston shaker, place the strainer on top and pour into the chilled serving glass.

6. Top with the passionfruit half and serve with a shot glass of prosecco.

Enjoy!

 

AA Awards for our hotel and restaurant

We recently had an AA inspection and received some fantastic results that we’re all very proud of, with great success for both the restaurant and hotel.

The hotel was awarded an AA Four Star classification and the restaurant received two AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence, which is a fantastic result.

The inspection took place in late March and was judged by an inspector on a three course dinner, an overnight stay with breakfast and a review of two more rooms in the hotel.

The inspector was particularly looking at the six critical assessment areas, which are used by the AA across all inspections; cleanliness, hospitality, service, bedrooms, bathrooms and food. The hotel was awarded 78 out of 100 and therefore achieved four star status.

Inspector Robert Martin said “The Beach Hotel impresses for its many qualities, this was a most enjoyable visit, to a well-managed establishment with a focused team, delivering friendly hospitality and attentive service in a delightful environment.”

He added “The meal taken did impress for ingredient quality and cookery, Two AA Rosette Award achieved and deserved. In terms of cleanliness, compliments to the team, a very positive score, delightfully clean.”

The restaurant has been awarded two AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence based on the inspector trying three courses from the menu: mushroom and egg yolk ravioli; lamb striploin with boulangère potatoes; and panna cotta with rhubarb and ginger crumble. This is a real achievement for us, and for our fantastic head chef Joe Simmonds and team.

We are thrilled that the hotel and restaurant has achieved the recognition it deserves, and everyone has worked incredibly hard to get it where it is, so thank you to all our great staff for their hard work, and to the AA inspector Robert for his great review.