In a wooded valley 10 minutes’ walk from St Austell town, The Waterwheel Inn is surrounded by 1.5 acres of grounds. It has free Wi-Fi and free parking on site, and a full cooked breakfast is provided each morning.
With simple décor and a flat-screen TV, rooms at The Waterwheel Inn all benefit from facilities for making tea and coffee. Each has its own bathroom, and some rooms also retain old wooden beams.
Food is served in the elegant dining room, where you can enjoy a 3-course meal or select options from the à la carte menu. Dishes include monkfish in satay sauce, crab, lobster and traditional favourites.
The Waterwheel Inn is surrounded by charming fishing villages. The Eden Project is nearby, and the Lost Gardens of Heligan can be reached in 15 minutes by car.
Score from 282 reviews
Superb
9.1/10
Rooms: 8
(Search)
Address: Bodmin Road, St Austell PL25 5RR 
(Map)
The Waterwheel Inn - Photos
What people say
Mark and Francesca were great hosts and gave us a warm and friendly greeting when we arrived. Bailey was fast asleep most of the time but came to us in the restaurant for a tickle and a stroke. Kernow is an amazing fellow who accompanied us on a walk through the garden to the little chapel and the Druid's chair where he posed without prompting for a photograph. The food was excellent, both evening meal and breakfast. The room was a little on the small side but perfectly adequate, clean and with. all reviews »
This is a family run restaurant and bed and breakfast. The menu was extensive with specials on each day. The evening meals were freshly cooked and superb. The breakfast is also hearty and a full English. The room was clean, bright and comfortable (room 8). There were 4 of us (two couples) and we stayed for three nights. The hotel was a perfect base for day trips out to the sights of Cornwall. We would definitely stay again. Thank you Francesca and Mark!.
This is a family run restaurant and bed and breakfast. The menu was extensive with specials on each day. The evening meals were freshly cooked and superb. The breakfast is also hearty and a full English. The room was clean, bright and comfortable (room 8). There were 4 of us (two couples) and we stayed for three nights. The hotel was a perfect base for day trips out to the sights of Cornwall. We would definitely stay again. Thank you Francesca and Mark!.
The room was very comfortable, quiet with a super bed and a view across
the lovely garden towards the chapel and waterfall. The restaurant was
very good with fine food and wine at good affordable prices for such an
extensive menu. The welcome from Mark and Francesca was very inviting
and they have done a lot to the property to make it such a top place to
stay - St Austell, Heligan, Eden and many other attractions are only a
short drive away.
Lovely,hard working couple making a real go. Good rooms etc but the best thing is the great evening food and relaxing Bar facilities. Also plenty of parking, wonderful garden and dog friendly rooms. We were really made welcome and nothing was too much trouble. Breakfast was a joy and one of the best B & B, evening bar and superb restaurant with excellent veggie opition, we have ever been to. We will come back ASAP!.
Ideal base for visiting the gardens
of Cornwall. Mark and Francesca
were excellent hosts. The restaurant is very nice and the
food is lovely. If visiting the area
in the future would stay here again.
Mark and Francesca are working
really hard to make improvements
to the l7th century building and
have plans for the garden too. There is a lovely conservatory to
relax in and a large outside area
to enjoy too.
The owners, Francesca and Mark, are very good hosts and will do anything
(if possible) to make your stay pleasurable.
The rooms are clean and the beds are confortable with tea/coffee making facilities and TV.
The Waterwheel is an old building which has been empathetically and beautifully refurbished.
The breakfast was very good and I ate the best crab cakes I have ever tasted for dinner.
We loved our stay at the Waterwheel Inn. The proprietors and staff were great. The breakfast and restaurant were excelent. Our room had been recently refurbished, was very clean and the bed linen was replaced regularly during our 11 night stay. The hotel was also close to many attractions.
From the moment we arrived we were made to feel welcome. The room was excellent and overlooked the stream that runs alongside. We decided to eat at The Waterwheel and the food was also excellent. We would recommend this hotel to anyone who is thinking of staying in this area. Brilliant!.
Comfortable accommodation. Laid back, friendly service yet attentive if needed. Food was excellent both at breakfast (big full English!) and in the evening (Good menu with some nice wines). Characterful location with nearby clay 'museum' (which also has a very good cafe).
The food is excellent and the owners are working hard at renovating this old building. Very friendly reception and helpful attitude. Fine for a short break. Quiet and peaceful surroundings. Don't miss out on a walk down the garden to the old well and waterfall.
Superb Independant restuarant and B & B. Food is fantastic and the breakfast is huge, infact every thing is five star. Would recomend to all visitors in this part of Cornwall. If you are visiting the Eden Project you must stay here, only 10 minutes away.
Everything ! A rare opportunity to find a place that is so friendly. The staff were excellent and obviously enjoyed working at the Waterwheel. Food quality and quantity was excellent and the Full English the best we have had anywhere .. Simply excellent.
the staff were very welcoming-the breakfast and evening meal in the atmospheric restaurant lovely- real ale and cornish lager on tap a must for beer lovers-easy parking-quiet country location near to eden project and coast.
Welcoming, friendly and relaxing. The room was just right and very comfortable and the Inn has a very definite charm of its own and the owners making. The food and service care was excellent. It was a pleasure to stay there.
Friendly and efficient staff. Spotlessly clean rooms. Fabulous food. Beautiful restaurant and bedroom decor. Lovely garden walk. Within easy reach of Heligan gardens/Eden Project.
Loved it and would go back in a heartbeat.
Everything about the Waterwheel Inn was fantastic from the start to the finish of our visit. Staff were superb, the food was excellent, and the sheer romance of the building and surrounding areas was out of this world.
It was very comfortable just like being in your own home . Food was very good plenty of choice. the place was very clean , the owners very friendly and the pets were great.Central for visiting a number of attractions.
Nice B&B with clean rooms and nicely decorated common areas. The Waterwheel is situated in a beautiful lush wooded area next to a stream. Their breakfast is delicious with perhaps the best mushrooms I've ever had.
Everything it was amazing! Friendly people, incredible food and a very comfortable room with a beautiful view of the garden. We really want to go back one day, what a special place to have our honeymoon. Thank you.
The Waterwheel was very friendly and welcoming. Room was very good and clean. Breakfast was good although it would have been nice to have fish on the menu. All in all, the location was very good. Thanks.
A warm and very friendly welcome to clean and comfortable accommodation. Easy to find and conveniently situated. A good hearty breakfast set us up for the day, and we enjoyed excellent food in the evening.
Felt very relaxed from the moment we arrived, friendly proprietors and staff. Really good food and not expensive. good position for local attractions e.g. Eden Project. Would recommend to friends.
We liked everything about the Waterwheel Inn, Setting was beautiful, owners were very helpful, wonderful food, an Inn with a lot of history and furnished really well, we were made to feel at home.
Franchescas friendly way of dealing with the public very helpful, full of the areas helpful tips of what to do and where to go.Although a very buy couple both had time to oblige with any requests.
The Inn is beautifully located in a green valley besides a nice stream. The view of the gardens from the room is really impressive. The choice of food was good both for dinner and for breakfast.
Francesca & Mark were fabulous, they made my stay very welcoming.
The food is fantastic, and great value for money. The rooms were very
clean, and the surroundings are lovely and peaceful.
Very pretty room. The proprietors were happy to include my step-brother & sister in law in at our breakfast table. This meant we could keep to the tight schedule we'd planned.
very friendly owners. very nice surrounded by the countryside. nice rooms, couldn´t expect more for the price. would recommend the place any time to anyone. touch of romatic too..
The whole ambience of the place was excellent. The room was clean &
roomy, the food was amazing & the garden was a good 5 minute walk to
the end with their dog "Colonel".
The food was amazing & the service & friendliness of the hosts was an added bonus. The room/en suite was nicely decorated & clean. Does everything it says on the tin!.
The hosts were perfect, couldn't be more helpful.
Food was excellent and reasonably priced. Rooms were suitably furnished.
Location was ideal for Heligan, Eden project and others.
We and our dog were made very welcome and there is a lovely garden to sit and walk in. The Inn had a lovely relaxed but smart atmosphere helped by the friendliness of the hosts.
Easy to find, good parking, very friendly and helpful. Hotel a little quirky but this adds to its charm. Very well located for Eden Project, Heligan and surrounding countryside.
Everything - Such nice people and very comfortable and the evening menu is a gourmet experience. After the breakfast in the morning we did not need to eat the rest of the day!.
Very friendly hosts made you feel very at home, enjoyed their company. Loved the cat!
Decor and layout good, liked the bar and restaurant, plenty of parking and nice garden.
Everything,the staff were extremely helpful, The food was five star and the choices covered a wide variety of dishes.It was one of the high lights of our time in the UK.
Family owned business, were happy to share knowledge of the area. Friendly and welcoming and excellent restaurant. Beautiful surroundings indoor as well as outdoors.
Very attractive surroundings, pleasant friendly staff, very good service and perfect location for places we wanted to visit eg Eden Project, Lost Gardens of Heligan.
Mark & Francesca were excellent hosts; welcoming, friendly and
helpful. The food was good and the rooms comfortable. Good value for
money and a perfect getaway.
Run by a lovely young couple, who are always there to please customers -
including their lovely pets, the dog and fat cat! The breakfast is
superb, to die for!.
The location was peacfull the owners welcoming, food was superb, ideal stop over on way to cornwall.very relaxing ,recommend it to all little hidden jem.
Great location, guest facilities very nicely done, Francesca and Mark
are a lovely couple, and have great plans for the place so it can only
get better!.
Always welcomed and nothing was too much trouble. Food was Fab, rooms clean and well presented, good bed. Lovely country setting but not far from town.
Warm & friendly welcome excelent evening meal at reasonable prices,clean ,warm & good atmosphere.Nothing to much trouble to accomodate diet.
Location and surroundings, Breakfast and evening meals were excellent.
We used this location as a hub to travel Cornwall. Perfect location for this.
The food was excelent, well presented and plenty of.
The staff were all friendly and obliging.
Although a B&B the rooms were well presented.
enjoyed our stay,lovely friendly black labrador and ginger cat.Rooms very comfortable and nicely decorated.Good menu and delicious breakfast.
The owners are very friendly and helpful. The position of the hotel is great and the food is excellent. Would recommend the Inn to anyone.
Food
Atmosphere
Friendliness of owners
Nothing too much trouble for owners & staff.
Good location for visiting other parts of Cornwall.
A very minor comment, not a criticism, was that the cistern in the adjacent room was quite loud when refilling after a flush. I suspect ours was loud to them as well. I'm sure this will be something that will be cured in due course with the fitting of quieter flush/refill mechanisms.
We had to leave at the end of our stay.
Must admit the bathroom was a bit cramped but then again how big
do you need?.
Leaving!.
There was nothing to dislike.
The room we had was rather compact and this wasn't helped by the rather elaborate metal bedstead.
nothing to dislike.
Rooms a bit noisy as near the road (however we did have our windows open during the night, which obviously didn't help). En-suite rather small, but spotlessly clean.
Nothing.
the stay was too short !.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Nothing.
the weather!!!!.
The bathroom could need a visit of a plumber, as neither the toilet nor the shower were functioning properly.
nothing to comlain ..
The bed wasn't the most comfortable, but is any bed more comfortable than your own.
Bed was hard - that's it!.
Nothing to dislike.
we didnt stay long enough!.
Nothing although our ensuite was a bit small.
There wasn't anything that I disliked, a truly enjoyable stay, would have loved to stay longer.
Room and bathroom a little small for a stay of several days. Found local roads challenging without Satnav.
Nothing to complain about!.
nothing to dislike.
Nothing.
Shower wasn't too good, poor pressure.
Our room was alongside a road that was noisy at times.
Nothing.
