I booked this weekend break as a surprise for my wife's 40th birthday. I phoned a couple of days before our arrival to make sure we got a double room and not a twin. I also informed the receptionist that it was a special occasion as other hotels we have stayed at have gone the extra mile to provide something extra special.
We travelled down on the friday evening and arrived about 7:30 pm. We were informed that the restaurant was off limits on both friday and saturday night as they had functions there. It was a bit of a moot point though as I was not told that the restaurant requires a shirt and tie and I had not bought these items for a short weekend break.
We were told we could use the "informal" dining experience in the Taste Brasserie. As we had travelled nearly 3 hours to get there we went to our room. For a 4 star establishment, the best we were offered was "your room is on the first floor, turn right at the top of the stairs"
We freshened up and then went to the Brasserie. As we descended the stairs, we were amidst a golf club evening that had basically overtaken the whole ground floor of the hotel. We had to wind our way through the golf club suits that occupied the reception area. I wore smart jeans and a t-shirt. I was greeted with a somewhat chilly reception, mainly due to my dress sense. We were attended by seven different members of staff within five minutes of our arrival. The menu was very confusing and nothing was explained. I didn't fancy any wine after the long drive so just ordered a beer to go with my meal and my wife did likewise. Well you would think that I had just stripped naked and danced on the table. The look of disgust from the Maitre'd, Ian Dorson was unbelievable. He breezed around the room, chatting to every table. Except ours! We were obviously not the type of people that he talked to.
The meal had high points and low points. I had a crab salad starter, and my wife had a prawn cocktail. They were both excellent. She then had a crab salad main course and I had a fillet steak. I was only offered a sauce halfway through the main course. I asked for the pepper sauce. I thought this was complimentary but it was not. The peeper sauce was a mistake as it could best be described as tinned tomato soup with some bovril in it and some peppercorns floating around. Not nice at all. I expected a creamy sauce. The steak was fairly good but the vegetables were the tiniest portion I have ever seen. The waitress said they had made a mistake so there were 2 dishes of veg. Even this hardly made a meal. The veg for my meal was presented in a 6" by 4" dish and was only a single layer deep. Certainly an unimpressive start to our stay.
Our room was well furnished but of compact dimensions. It was supposed to be a superior room with a sea view. Admittedly, you could see the sea from an angle, but the fire escape plan had a floor plan on it and our "superior" room was one of the smaller rooms shown.
The next day we were going to visit the "Eden Project". The English Breakfast buffet was a severe disappointment. Greasy lukewarm bacon, undercooked fried eggs and congealed beans. I have had far better breakfasts, cooked to order at small B&B's that charged a fifth of the price. Again, we received a condescending attitude from Ian [--]. My wife stopped at reception and asked to book a table at the Taste Brasserie for that evening. She was told that it was for "residents only"! When she informed the receptionist that we were residents, no apology was offered, but a scornful booking was taken.
After a wonderful day at the Eden Project we decided to try the spa facilities offered by the hotel. Again, we were told that this was for residents only! Again, no apology was offered when we informed them that we were residents.
The spa facilities and the pool are very nice, It was a shame the steam room was out of order.
After Friday nights eating experience, we decided to make our own plans for saturday evening. The saturday evening was taken up with a hotel full of Rotary club members. A drink in the bar was impossible again as the whole of the ground floor was taken up by the event. We were made to feel like we were imposing on the Rotary club people just by sitting in the bar. They seemed to have the impression that the hotel was theirs for the evening.
After another below average breakfast on sunday, we decided to leave and travel home instead of using the spa facilities.
In conclusion, I could not recommend this hotel to anyone, unless your are a golf playing taxi driver or some other form of social climber.
The staff have spent so long dealing with the so-called upper class that they think they are somehow their equal. So when someone ordinary like ourselves turn up, they think they have the right to look down on us. The staff do not know who I am or how much money I have. I choose to wear jeans at the weekend. So what? Does that make my money any less welcome than anyone else's? In this case apparently it does. Not worth the £495 bill for 2 nights.

My husband & I got married at The Carlyon Bay Hotel and it was a wonderful venue.
We chose the Carlyon after checking out other venues in the area and finding them overpriced and unattractive. We were shocked when we discovered how reasonably priced it was as it looked like it would be the most expensive.
The staff were attentive and friendly and were very helpful from when we booked the wedding right through to when we checked out after our complimentary overnight stay with a champagne breakfast.
I was a bit of a Bridezilla and the staff let me have control without trying to press their own ideas or limit my creativity.
Apart from being unbelievably well priced for a wedding venue, the food was wonderful (all our guests were praising the food). The wedding package offers many food and drink packages although we opted to design our own menu and the chef did us proud.
It was lovely getting a complimentary spa treatment for the brideas well (I opted for a pedicure which, after all the running about being a bridezilla, was much needed).
With the beautiful clifftop location and the perfectly manicured lawns, it made for some wonderful photos and a perfect day.
Very much recommended.

We stayed for a long weekend and found the hotel/rooms/spa clean and well appointed. Our room was fine and overlooked the sea which the photos show. All the staff we spoke were positive and polite. The hotel style is traditional but not chintzy/OTT. We didn't eat in the restaurants but had a good size burger and a decent club sandwich in the main bar.
Spa was very clean and pool warm.
All in all a lovely stay and the warm weather helped make it a very pleasant trip to Cornwall/Eden Project

Just returned from another great stay at the Carlyon Bay hotel. Such great value, we went for the three day break at £75 pppn a Carlyon inland double, dinner, bed and breakfast. This included a free bottle of champers on arrival, a free lunch on the day of our choosing and 25% of all spa treatments plus a free round of golf on a championship course every day. We could use the spa facilities, pool, sauna, steam room, very large jacuzzi, and the well appointed gym, all of which was very clean and tidy and towels in abbundance. The food was superb and wine suggestions each night were spot on. Breakfast was bountiful, cooked or continental.The staff are second to none when it comes to attentive service but not intrusively so, special note to Kevin in the coffee room and Craig, the wine waiter. All in all, when we compare the value for money to other hotels in the area, The Carlyon bay Hotel always beats them hands down. Great stop for The Eden project or the Lost gardens of Helegan which are close by.