The Idle Rocks in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Wonderful view from the terrace. Empty on an October lunchtime. Excellent very high standard of service and decor. Fortunately it only rained briefly and the waiter immediately offered to move us indoors but we saw it out for the view! The main courses were excellent to taste, Brill, and a kind of beef steak. The portions on the small side. The bread and seaweed butter were also excellent. The desserts, on the other hand, were small and disappointing and poor value. With a glass of Rose and a soft drink the bill came to £110. We both wished we had not had the desserts. Would return on dry day for the view, bread and butter and mains, but above all for the view. Would avoid the desserts.

Wonderful meal at the Idle Rocks last week with excellent service. The vegetarian starter was particularly good! We have eaten at the Idle Rocks multiple times over the last few years and it was good to find that the quality remains consistently high.

Outstanding Sunday lunch , their first Sunday lunch in the restaurant trial . This was no trial, It was the best Sunday lunch experience , everything was spot on , great taste, excellent presentation , and just outstanding . If your looking for a great experience this is it , £38 for 3 course , £32 for 2 course . Starter was amazing something we don’t usually have either.

Undoubtedly lovely views and a nice inside space, but food underwhelming. Small portions of not particularly exciting food, tiniest mackerel fillet starter I've ever seen and tiny crab open sandwich. Wine very expensive. Wouldn't recommend for the price you pay

Stunning location, fabulous friendly staff, delicious fresh seafood, and the best cocktails around - Thank you We visited The Idle Rocks for our Wedding Anniversary on Tuesday and had the most wonderful evening The staff were super attentive and accommodating, the decor was clean fresh and felt luxurious, and the food was divine - The hotel had even brought in my favourite champagne for me on request which showed they really do go the extra mile for their guests. We will be back soon, thank you for a super special evening!

Very poor service, food ok, but not great as it should be for the price, stayed at hotel a few years ago and eaten there many times, nowhere near as good as previous visits, unusual menu for a Sunday, I think the chef or manager overthought things and completely got it wrong, overheard 3 other tables voicing their concerns to staff, also our bill and the adjoining table ( friends) were wrong, we are all reasonably local to the Falmouth area but we won’t be returning anytime soon. Disappointed customer

Although we had a disappointing experience and wrote a review I am very pleased to say that the management responded and apologised. This would definitely encourage me to visit again - thank you for your professional reaction to our complaint.

Wednesday, 22nd May, 12:30. Four adults. This is a top notch establishment, unfortunately overrated in my opinion. Read on: Seated on the terrace upon arrival, cocktails ordered and speedily delivered, one being spilt by the waiter. No nibbles offered or provided with aperitifs. Very keen to rush us into the restaurant. Menu: surprisingly, for each course only a choice of two things and one of these was "off" and replaced with steak tartare. There was no vegetarian course and had to be requested. Excellent amuse bouche. Excellent salmon starter. Excellent sommelier/ barman. Excellent main course of hake. Only two desserts to choose from and one was not available. Poor performance given its reputation.

I wrote an email 2 weeks ago directly to the management as i felt that, while the service and food were well below the levels to be expected from a Relais & Chateau property, they should be given some leniency given they are under new management and culinary staff. Having had no response at all, i feel it is now worth writing a few words about our experience as their lack of response only serves to underline the issues they are clearly having. We went to the restaurant to celebrate my wife's birthday and our 10 year anniversary. We sat out on the terrace and were, of course, very happy with the aspect which is the only element of the place that hadn't changed since we were there 10 years before. Unfortunately, as is the common theme of these reviews, the service that we incurred and the quality of the meal versus the cost, was all well below the standard that you would expect from a Relais & Chateau property. We ordered from the dinner menu, the lobster tempura and the beef medley for starter and main course. When the starter arrived it was a lobster 'mousse' at best and was definitely not great. When the main course arrived, it appeared that the waiter had thought we were ordering 'surf and turf' and so brought a half lobster and a well done fillet steak (at no point were we asked how we would like our steak cooked and, to overcook a fillet steak . Not wanting to kick up a fuss, we ate the meal but did note to the waitress that this wasn't what had been ordered. Given the level of price this restaurant prices at, and that this was a very special occasion, you would have thought that a manager would have, at least, come and had a word with us...or sent a cupcake with a birthday message on there but nothing came. We decided to leave and have a drink elsewhere and you could almost hear the sigh of relief from the staff when i paid the £90 per person for the 'special order' main course without any fuss...more fool me i guess. Anyway, as someone who works in the travel industry and deals with Relais & Chateau properties a good deal across the world, i understand how hard the properties who have the membership fight to retain that branding. I think that, rightly, The Idle Rocks will lose that accreditation very quickly if they continue in this vein.

Chunks of beetroot in vinagrette , £12. Passable piece of pork belly (no crackling) with a small amount of boiled veg, £26. Some cheese that looked as though it had been cut several hours ago, £16. A really poor experience overall, given the cost.

We called in for a drink and wanted to see about staying in the future. We had visited some years ago and had a pleasant afternoon and said we would one day revisit and stay. However when we arrived and entered a lady asked what we wanted and I said we just wanted a drink. She said the restaurant was closed and she would have to ask a bar staff member if we could stay for a drink, The lounge area had plenty of free seating only two groups in the place. She then went on to serve the two groups leaving us standing in the room looking stupid. She came back and said we could stay and sit. We waited a while to be served again this time the bar tender served the others and then came to us. We ordered two hot chocolates and the bar staff member smirked as if to say we where below him. We had two small hot chocolates which seemed watery and cost £4 each. The room was more shabby than chic with the carpet needing a good clean and the window cushions frayed as well as the rug. Needless we left saying we would not be back. We felt belittled and we could see no reason for the snobbish attitude of the staff as the establisment did not live up to a high standard.

Loved it. Food was amazing. Service impeccable. It was the evening so couldn’t see the view, but during the day I’m sure it would have been good. It is expensive, but you get what you pay for

We have been to this restaurant many times over the last four or five years -always first choice for birthdays anniversaries etc. It is a beautiful place overlooking the water and has always been first class for food and service. We were so upset with our experience on Saturday 9th September, my husband"s birthday. The menu change was hugely disappointing. I know that the concept of sharing plates has become trendy lately but unfortunately the waiter could not answer our questions about portion size - he didn't even seem to know what was on the menu! We asked if one portion of smoked trout would be enough to share for a starter and he said yes it was, however when it arrived it was not really enough for one person!!! We also ordered several other dishes but told the waiter we did not want them all at once. This request was ignored as everything arrived together and as mentioned by some previous reviewers the portions were miniscule. The food was good but the meal was completely spoilt because of the above and also some other issues like having tea and coffee added to our bill which we had not ordered, ordering one glass of wine and being brought a bottle. If the waiter had been able to explain more about the menu, particularly portion size it might have been a more pleasurable experience but as it stands we will not be returning to The Idle Rocks.

Dinner Saturday evening 26th August. We chose chefs signature 7 course menu and it was delicious throughout. Excellent service from all staff, attentive but not intrusive. Highly recommended

We popped in for a drink overlooking the harbour. Good service. Great view. Comfortable seating. Idle Rocks is beautifully decorated and furnished throughout. The pink fizzy cider is the best!

My family and I enjoyed a super cream tea at the Idle Rocks Hotel and the staff were great. However, we we not impressed with the 12.5% service charge on top of our bill. Why not advertise the actual cost of your food and drinks without adding this ridiculous surcharge.

What a gorgeous place, and so friendly. For a Michelin star establishment they welcomed us in with 4 adults and 5 young children for drinks outside overlooking the harbour. They have a children's room available which we didn't use but what an excellent amenity. It is immaculate and the view was amazing.

Tasty, well presented food, nice enough decor. But sadly has succumbed to the on-trend concept of 'sharing plates', which aren't really sharing plates at all - more mid way between stater and main course size. Food comes out when it's ready, which meant for us having hot fish dishes and lamb, followed by smoked cold fish dish, then eating sides (salads, chips, vegetables) after we've finished everything else. Half the table of 8 had almost finished before the others got the dishes they'd ordered. It would have been a much more shared experience if we'd all been served at the same time. Real shame, sadly won't be back.

We had an excellent lunch at the restaurant a few years ago and decided to return as part of my husband's 60th birthday celebrations. Same stunning views, same excellent service, same relaxed environment but the lunch was so disappointing. We were told they now offer a series of 'small plates' "we recommend couples order 3 or 4 small plates and a side" our server advised. We duly obliged, ordered 4 plates and a side of chips but were completely stunned by the portions! The food was excellent, but there was so little of it. We eeked out the half a small burrata, the tiny but delightful sliver of trout, the lamb was divine but teeny tiny...you get the picture?Ranging in price from £12 to £16 per tiny portion, thank goodness we ordered a side of chips! I have emailed the hotel twice about our experience (14th & 21st July) using the contact form on their website, but haven't even received an acknowledgement.

Es ist teuer hier, ja. Aber es lohnt sich! Der Platz direkt am Wasser ist am Abend wirklich grossartig, mit den letzten Sonnenstrahlen und dem weiten Blick über die Flussmündung und nach Falmouth. Das Essen war grossartig, wunderbar und mit grosser Handwekskunst zusammengebaute Speisen, weshalb der hohe Preis gerechtfertigt ist. Unser bestes Essen auf unserer 14tägigen Reise in Newquai und Falmouth!

Beautiful location, but very expensive breakfast. Eggs benedict, should have read egg benedict, only one egg and not particularly good. The avocado toast was almost inedible, and in fact we both left ours. Orange juice out of a bottle. Not fresh.

A last minute dinner reservation was handled perfectly. Staff were young but extremely attentive, polite and delightful. I think it was the first night of the new summer dinner menu. It was superb and rates as one of the best meals we’ve ever had. We had been into the hotel for coffee in the morning and were warmly welcomed too even though we were not staying there. Go if you can.

What a fabulous view of the harbour from the terrace. Delicious lunch, superb service and nice contemporary decor inside. We will most certainly return. Recommend

Although the meal was good there is no variation on the menu, unless you pay a supplement if £20 or more!! We have returned each year and have mentioned this to the management..there are 3 starters,3 mains,3 desserts!!

The food was amazing, maybe rather small helpings but beautifully presented. The location is perfect overlooking the harbour, outside and inside seating is available. The service was top class. It was though on the overpriced side of normal

We visited for Sunday lunch and the experience exceeded our expectations. It’s not cheap to eat here but it’s worth every penny. The food, service and setting are perfect. A most wonderful way to spend a Sunday. The staff make you feel special and the quality of the food is second to none. Cannot fault it.

This is quite rightly rated a 5 star and beyond restaurant The food, quality of the food and the presentation were just fabulous And chef made food for us not on the menu. Now that’s what I call super service and attention to the customer We really appreciated the attention given to us

Family lunch here for my wife's 70th birthday and WHAT a treat. Hadn't been for a while, but just as stunning as ever. Food out of this world, service excellent and, of course, the view . . . The lack of a private car park (but with a large public one very close by) is a small price to pay for such a huge pleasure.

I would certainly have given the restaurant at the Idle Rocks a 5–star based on the lovely dishes we (4) had and the great location.Everything thing we ate from the bread as we sat down through the amuse bouche of scallops, then crab soufflé, plaice, brill, lamb and deserts - all perfectly cooked (especially the fish dishes) and presented. So, no complaints whatsoever from the four of us. Service was also efficient, friendly and professional all night.Sadly, and we were here in late May, it was a very chilly and very windy evening and our booking was on the fabulous terrace overlooking the bay. We survived a pre-dinner cocktail but for fear of being blown off the terrace they found us a table inside, even though the restaurant was very busy.A few diners braved dinner on the terrace (I think we had the last table inside) and they must have found it quite uncomfortable even though blankets were provided. I say this because, whilst we were inside, the door to the terrace near our table was left open in order to go back and forth to the terrace - so even at our indoor table it was still very cold.On a warm evening I can think of fewer more perfect spots to enjoy dinner than the terrace at the Idle Rocks. But given the weather we had, it’s why ‘only’ four out of five this time.

Was brought here by friends and all I can say, is that is place is wonderful, great food, great serves and well priced! This is definitely one for people who love food food, with a view

Had lunch here whilst staying at Hotel Tresanton. Nice spot opposite the harbour. We had an outside table but started raining so had to come in. Staff all very friendly albeit the floor manager was a little OTT…. Food was solid but a little fussy and a set menu of sorts - more of an evening menu in our opinion. When eating lunch here I think there could have been more obvious lunch options - a really good burger, fish pie, fish and chips etc etc. The room was good but ideally you want to be on the terrace on a nice day…

Really lovely lunch, friendly and efficient service and great food. There was a choice thar every one liked! If being really critical and why it’s not five stars, was that there was a bit of a wait between courses. They did apologise.

The first thing the traveller must know that this hotel/restaurant does not have a car park. We had to park some distance away in the municipal pay and display car park where we waited in the rain with a queue of other parkers trying to work out how the ticket machine worked. Eventually my wife gave me a five minute start and, dressed in our wet weather gear, we met up at the hotel reception. The two nice ladies working on reception took us directly through to a pleasant looking dining room which had double doors out onto a terrace overlooking the bay. A youngish waiter tried very hard to prevent us from sitting down because he said we were in the wrong place and then he became even more agitated when I could not give him a room number. He took scant consolation from the fact that we were paying cash and had a confirmed dinner reservation. After this it became very difficult to capture anyone's attention and indeed we were only able to order drinks by flagging down one of the restaurant managers. Had the weather been better this would have been a lovely place to have had a drink. However, it was very cramped due to the fact that there were large parasol bases between every table and hence space was congested. Eventually we walked the three metres to our dining table and persuaded a member of staff to take our raincoats.The order process was simple although the selection was very limited. My wife started with a slow cooked hens egg which cost £20 (here in the Cotswolds we buy a dozen large farm fresh free range eggs for £2.80). I had a small offering something which tasted of onions and purported to be wild sea bass which also cost £20 and tasted rancid. We both had very small (not by choice) fillets of Cornish Brill served in the centre of large plates circled with drizzled sauce, These cost £40 each. To wash it down I had a small (175ml) glass of a very indifferent Chablis at a cost of £14. For dessert my wife had a small slice of blueberry cheesecake at a cost of £10 and I had three Cornish cheeses for £10. The problem with the cheese was that one piece which was about the size of two sugar lumps resembled a dessicated lump of cheddar which had spent too long in the open air. The second piece which I believe was supposed to be goats cheese was entirely edible but had no taste at all. The third piece was the rind carefully cut off Cornish Brie and had to be replaced by the cheese itself. All of this was accompanied by 5 grapes two of which were brown with age. During the meal we were looked after a charming young lady called Lucy who had copious energy and managed to retain her sense of humour. At one point, she went rushing out on to the terrace to catch a glass bottle which was in the process of rolling on to the stone sea wall. Thereafter a Manager appeared and, with the help of his assistant, manage to close both the double doors. Throughout the meal we were studiously ignored by the 2 managers and we had no reason to believe that this was out of shyness. When the time came for us to leave we asked the manager for our coats and he told us to go to reception and pick them up there. When we reached reception the girls found our coats and asked how we had enjoyed our evening. When we told them that the whole evening had been an unfortunate and unpleasant experience they sympathised and said that they would pass on our complaints so that someone could call us the following day. No-one called us. We then walked back up the hill to our car and luckily were not overfull, so the journey was manageable. We shall not return to this establishment.

We decided to book ourselves a post Christmas lunch as a treat at the Idle Rocks Restaurant. We were not disappointed. We had a lovely table by the french windows so we could see out to the view, which got sunnier by the minute. The decor is delightful, coastal chic and very comfortable. Our food was superb from start to finish. We had a butternut squash amuse bouche, cured sea trout with beetroot ice cream to start, the guinea fowl for mains and the apple streudel for dessert, Everything was tasty, well presented and just the best lunch we've had in a long time. A great bottle of wine and a lovely mellow double expresso topped it off. Set lunch was £40 a head plus drinks. What a treat! We'll be back soon and plan to bring our guests when they visit us.

We visited the Idle Rocks today as a treat for my dads birthday and it really was such a treat! The service was excellent from start to finish, friendly and attentive, and the setting was of course fantastic with panoramic views out from St Mawes Harbour. We had the festive menu which was 3 courses, plus a few extra morsels and all of it was absolutely delicious. It was so tasty, well balanced and just the right size portions to leave us all happily stuffed ready to catch the boat back to Falmouth. My dad is notoriously picky and even he was thoroughly impressed! Bravo! It was so nice to see a business maintaining such excellent standards during the ongoing covid nightmare, and despite the restaurant being quiet at lunch time the atmosphere was lovely and festive, in no small part thanks to the staff. Can’t wait to return again next year.

What a great evening. The Idle Rocks is a beautiful hotel with cosy but classy decor. We started with beautifully prepared cocktails by the fire in the lounge. Dinner was a really great. The sweetbreads were as good as one had anywhere and the Tournedos Rossini was sensational. The chef Dorian Janmaat has a real flair and understanding of flavours. Big thank you to our delightful Italian waiter Ivan Minervini who made us so welcome, recommended great wines and liked after us so well evening. This restaurant is the jewel in the St Mawes crown. It’s was our first time visiting this beautiful corner of England and we’ll definitely be back soon and our first stop will be the Idle Rocks.

We wanted to celebrate the end of Lockdown2 by indulging in a foodie break. We chose one of our favourite Cornish hotels - the Idle Rocks in beautiful St Mawes. With one of the best hotel outlooks in Cornwall. It overlooks St Mawes harbour.We had two dinners in the restaurant - at all times the staff are very friendly, courteous and helpful and create a relaxed atmosphere.The restaurant (as is the whole hotel) is very tastefully decorated with wonderful views as you enjoy your meal. And the dinners were a foodies delight! Having heard that the new Head Chef, Dorian Janmaat, was formerly one of the main head chefs at Raymond Blanc’s iconic Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons (which we visited earlier this year - to celebrate the end of Lockdown1!) we had high hopes. We were not disappointed - It was certainly a fine dining experience with tremendous flavour, texture and superb presentation. It would not surprise me if at some stage Idle Rocks gain a Michelin star - it certainly deserves to become a renowned foodie destination if it carries on like this!

Not quite sure what has happened here. We had Dinner and then Sunday Lunch whilst staying locally and our friends were residents. Friday dinner was excellent service with really attentive staff and a not quite so enjoyable meal. Sunday lunch was a nice meal with pretty awful service. I felt that the hotel seemed to have taken a step back in terms of quality management.

The bar and dining room are quite stunningly stylish, and the view in the daytime must be lovely. However we felt that style triumphed over substance here. The menu and food were 'chef-y' - quite sophisticated in terms of ingredients and presentation. The amuse bouche was disappointing - a little crab spring roll that didn't taste much of crab. The bream ceviche starter was good, as was the simply grilled (not really charred as described) mackerel. The hake 'curry' was hake on top of delicious Dahl with complex flavourings - no sauce. But - oh dear! - the fish was over-cooked in both our two servings. The puddings were good, and very pretty - not outstanding.The service was a little over-attentive, and the prices steep (£50 for two courses; £60 for three). The restaurant probably appeals more to younger guests. There is no overall rating between average and very good, or I would have rated it 'good'.

It’s like a home from home, Amazing service, cozy New England style surroundings and really lovely staff, attentive without being overly the top, very helpful and always just seem to be that one step ahead, truly relaxing.

Have just enjoyed a wonderful evening meal at Idle Rocks. The restaurant occupies a lovely position overlooking the estuary at St Mawes. The staff were charming and managed to minimise the impact of the Covid restrictions. However the great view was surpassed by the exceptional food. Whist only a two or three course option was available there was plenty selection to satisfy every palate. However it was the food combinations, textures and flavours which will stay with us for a long time. Perhaps to far to drive from my home for a meal but if I am staying in Cornwall will most certainly find an excuse to divert to Idle Rocks.

Fantastic. We have stayed at a lot of the top Cornwall hotels & this one is the best. Can’t fault a thing. We had room 8 & the view was amazing. All the staff are a credit to the hotel. Can’t wait to return.

Great choice of menu offering different taste & texture combinations. Service very good too. Beautiful views from the dining area across the bay.

We had Sunday lunch at Idle Rocks with our eight month old daughter. We were made welcome from the second we arrived by the lovely team at Idle Rocks, who couldn't have looked after us more. The food was great, but it was the warmth and relaxed approach of the staff that made it. We'll be back and cannot recommend it enough if you want to dine somewhere special with a young baby.

The Idle Rocks is one of my favourite boutique hotels in the country, it’s location is stunning and it’s long water terrace is my favourite place in Cornwall to pass a lazy afternoon. I’ve experienced the Idle Rock many times over the last 4/5 years, from a large family birthday lunches to intimate cocktails on the terrace. I’ve always found the service courteous and the food delicious. I also love the decor and ambience, a chic but relaxed coast vibe. I like it so much I will be spending my birthday weekend there soon with my family! Very surprised by some recent negative comments, they paint an overly negative view that I’ve never experienced, even when we were there with six children!

I have lived in Cornwall in the past and visit at least once or twice a year.This restaurant is the very best restaurant I have eaten in Cornwall - it's definitely at Michelin star level and I can only highly recommend it. Superb service, too.Outstanding.

We booked for two of us for a birthday cream tea at 1500. When we arrived we were shown to the seating area outside and chose where to sit; it was beautiful outside with comfy seats and the view was stunning. We were given two small drinks menus, and had to ask for the wine list. We weren’t asked if we wanted coffee or tea with our cream tea. A different, younger waiter came and laid the table for 3 people. Another, more senior host came over to take our drinks order and I explained there was only 2 of us, so he took the surplus set up. Our drinks took quite a while to arrive, by another different waiter; a small white wine for £12 and the St Mawes Gin and Tonic for £14, which I personally found had too much Thyme and was quite overpowering. The scones finally arrived on one plate for both of us to share; 4 very small scones and one pot of jam and one pot of clotted cream. We ran out of jam and cream half way through and had to wait to grab somebody’s attention to ask for more, from a fourth member of staff. It arrived quickly and we finished. We sat for quite a while with no interaction from staff, so packed up and headed inside to pay, where all 4 different members of staff who had been serving us were stood by the bar area. We asked to settle up and the bill came to £56. We were both in shock by this and I queried how much the scones were.... the cream teas were £15 each. I explained we hadn’t had tea or coffee, and I was told it was because we didn’t ask for it. To summarise, the hotel was beautiful, with the most stunning outside area and all of the staff were extremely friendly and polite, but the speed, size and cost of the cream tea and drinks were disappointing. This was a birthday treat, and we were prepared to pay that bit extra in St Mawes, but £15 for two small scones and being expected to share jam and cream is extremely poor for a reputable, Cornish Hotel and definitely did not live up to the Cornish Cream Tea standard. Unless you are prepared to pay £56 for 4 small scones, and two drinks then avoid.

Tried to book lunch for our anniversary. Phone just rang and rang. Turned up to try to book. Told, in a very rude and condescending manner - that we could not book as we were not residents. After reading the most recent reviews of the rude staff and average experience, I’m very pleased we didn’t eat here. My advice would be avoid this hotel and to head to Hotel Tresanton!

We chose the Idle Rocks, because my husband's parents had nostalgic memories of staying there some years ago. We were taken, on a bright, warm day to the very end of the lounge in the restaurant and seated next to a fire with a large coffee table, which was cluttered with strange objéct and a huge plant - which the waitress then carried off elsewhere.The terrace outside - which is where we had expected to sit has a glorious view of St Mawes, but in these times of understandably stringent safety measures we didn't like to object. I don't drink tea, so I asked for a flat white coffee - my husband asked if they had Darjeeling, but they had breakfast tea or herbal tea. The pots of tea arrived - all fine. The Flat white was not a flat white & not hot enough, The second coffee was much better - but I was charged £5 extra for it. The scones fine too.One of the oddest things was the number of people who we saw whilst there for an hour and ten minutes - one of whom randomly carried off a half full teapot & plates with it.Even with all these staff there was no continuity of service & we weren't looked after. No one asked if everything was ok, or f we needed anything more. My husband had to go to the bar & ask for another cup of coffee for me. I'm not looking for fawning, service - just pleasant competency.The bill was £65 - £15 each for the CT & second cup of coffee.. We believe we'd been treated as non residents, put in a corner & been pretty much forgotten.We shall not return.

Every time we are in Cornwall, we always have a lunch at this place and usually are able to sit on the terrace overlooking the harbour.Last week was no exception and as usual it was fabulous.Excellent environment, service and food. Great table settings, china, glass and cutlery - Proper 5 star quality!We'll be there again in October!

We had two meals , and one cream tea at the Idle Rocks Restaurant during ourfour day stay, on the night of the second meal, we could not make decision on the menu of the nightso the waiter asked the Chef for alternatives and he cooked us two lovely steaks,They really looked after us, and food was delicious.

... just wanted to totally agree with previous review from ‘Porky1234’ ... we too booked a cream tea today (27/08/20) & he ‘hit the nail on the head’ with his review ... right down to the incorrect charging - prices didn’t match website I did challenge this & they didn’t know why they were unable, as yet to change it, .. 50% increase ... the location, only, brings me back ....

We had a half board deal and so ate in the restaurant twice a day for our three night stay. A definite highlight is the outdoor terrace right on the harbour wall, which we were lucky enough to have warm enough for three breakfasts and two dinners. The food is excellent, well presented and cooked, superb fish not surprisingly, and a good wine list. Staff are helpful and friendly, but a little slow at times. Our only complaint is the need to change the menu a little. A three night break with the same menu each night, especially with only 4-5 choices per course gets a bit monotonous, even changing one or two items each night or alternating menus would give some variety and choice.

Despite a summer thunderstorm, we managed to eat outside on the charming terrace above St Mawes beach while my grandchildren frolicked happily below! All staff encountered were friendly, helpful & highly professional. A real treat thanks to my daughter in law.

Amazing food, service and beautiful food. Such friendly service and so well looked after, would definitely return

As ever, the food and setting of The Idle Rocks was as great as ever - this is now the sixth time we have eaten there. The service was not as great as ever and maybe that is due to the current challenges we are all experiencing. Our booking had been lost, there were no steak knives (three out of four of our party had steak), our drinks were spilt when being served and there was no bread. The main waiter was great and all the other staff were very good, but a lot of new faces and maybe still training. Table, drinks and food were great though and does not put us off going again, just not quite as polished as visits before - very high standard they've set. Would 100% still recommend as somewhere to eat and drink.

Superb food and wine at a reasonable price, we would definitely go again when in the area

Idyllic location with excellent service. We felt the menu was slightly limited, but the food was delicious. 10 out of 10 for decor!

We had two lovely family lunches here- one on the beautiful terrace overlooking St Mawes classic harbour in the sun and then one inside the achingly (my favourite compliment!) stylish restaurant when it was mizzley. The food was spot on, the views perfection and the charming & attentive staff couldn’t have looked after our 4 generations better!!

An outstanding venue for Sunday lunch. Great food, professional and friendly service and superb ambience. Always a good experience.

Perfection. A wonderful weekend in a beautiful hotel, fantastic location with fantastic food. Absolutely wonderful

It was a very quiet evening ,although things did get a bit busier later on. The person on reception was lovely - welcoming, friendly and efficient. Wasn’t so sure about the gentleman who took our drinks order who maybe seemed a little offhand ... We were then served our drinks and meal by someone else who was, if anything, a little too solicitous! We were told that “the chef is ready for you now” and were moved to our table (with our drinks), only to have quite a wait in a very empty dining room before even the amuse-bouche was served. This was a shame as the lounge area had been cosy and comfortable! The smell of lilies near our table was rather overpowering but I really should have mentioned this at the time. All in all, I would return, but would also consider other places as well.

Top quality food and great service in an excellent location at good value for money.

The Idle Rocks hotel and restaurant has just re opened with new chef Dorian Janmaat after a major refurb. We were there for dinner with friends just two days after they re opened and were VERY impressed with everything despite not running a full team in kitchen or out front yet. Really looking forward to coming back, Dorian if you produce delicious food like that when you don’t have a full team we are in for a real treat when you do!

First class in every aspect of the word, I can not emphasise how great our experience was. The food was perfection. The attention to detail on the service was appreciated, serving ladies first. We’re young, but certainly appreciated the traditional approach to service. 5* and would recommend, and will be back in the summer.

Fabulous! What more is there to say? As I find I must write more than 50 characters I would add:- The food is fantastic, the atmosphere lovely and welcoming, and the service from start to finish absolutely first class. It is the best restaurant in St Mawes by a mile.

Amazing food and service again. This was our 4th or 5th visit and each time it gets better.

Excellent service accompanied by outstanding food. The kitchen was very accommodating to my dietary requirements and the staff were very helpful in explaining the menu. We will definitely be returning!

Four of us visited on a cold and windy evening in November. The service and the food were just amazing, we felt incredibly well looked after. Two of us had the raviolo for starter and two the tartare, both were excellent. For mains one of us had the duck, two the catch of the day which was stone bass with black risotto and one the curried hake. All just fantastic, clean plates all round. Then to dessert, I had the baked Alaska and two of the others had the 75% chocolate and tamarind plus one had cheese. All superb - my advice, go the tha Alaska!When you include the to die for pretzel bread and the arancini aperitif plus the gorgeous cocktails, we had a lovely evening. The boys who looked after us couldn't have done more, thank you so much.

Fabulous service, fabulous food, fantastic atmosphere, I would highly recommend Idle Rocks.

Perfect as always. Lovely setting, attentive staff and delicious food. Must give mention to the bread which was divine!

This was a lovely lunch. Good food, excellent service in lovely surroundings. The food was good value, the wine rather overpriced.

Visited this restaurant for the first time on a recent trip to St Mawes. Had eaten at its sister place at the St Mawes Hotel for lunch, which is also very good, so our hopes were high. We were not disappointed. Quality of the food was superb and inventive. The wine list was wide ranging and would meet a lot of tastes and price points. All of this was topped off by fantastic staff who were both knowledgeable and friendly without being over attentive. Thought the bill was very good value for this quality of dining. We would definitely revisit this restaurant and recommend it to anybody. Decor is also very eclectic and individualistic whilst being very comfortable.

We have been here a few times whilst on holiday in the locality. Food is always well presented, service good but not too formal & the room with terrace overlooking the bay is wonderful on a warm summer evening. We will continue to visit

Booked for wife's birthday treat and it was quite a dining experience from the start. Food outstanding in a wonderful environment. Would say we were looked after by a great team from start to finish. Fine dining at it's best. Thank you. We will ensure we will return.

Had lunch here last week, having seated ourselves in the lovely loung we waited a while until we flagged down a waitress to get a menu, the gazpacho we had was nice, a small helping and some bread would have been nice, the soft drink mocktails were better, the fizzy spicy grapefruit especially good, no one offered us a pudding menu and frankly I think all staff would benefit from some serious customer training, shame as a nice spot and lovely furnishings make it a stylish place to lunch or dine,

We were staying in the hotel and dined every night for our four night stay. Having just looked at some of the recent poor reviews, I felt that I must say how very much we enjoyed it. The food was quite outstanding and the service was excellent and always with a smile. From those negative reviews I don't recognise the place and find it puzzling and most disappointing for the super staff and excellent and very friendly General Manager Claire. Here's hoping for some more positive feedback - personally we think they deserve it.

What is it that is so difficult for this lovely hotel to just cater for people's requirements.The strict rules and regulations for eating and drinking there are so far removed from what is required. When the hotel opened after its major refurbishment and new ownership it was brilliant. Easy going with style. A good light lunch and all day style menu. Exactly what hotels all over the world offer. No longer the case over the recent three years. What a waste. Will not go there anymore as do so many others on tripadvisor say on their reviews. What a waste and what a shame!

It is expensive (tea and 2 x coffees £15.00!) and the staff were not polite or welcoming. It seems that unless you are in the elite class f visitor this is not for the "ordinary" visitor. We sat on the etrrace watching the nearby boating activity but when someone came and sat behind us smoking with smoke going all over us, we moved to the other end of the terrace only to be told by a waiter.."You cannot sit there GUYS, I am laying the tablets for lunch. And it was ONLY 11.15hrs. Well any establishment that refers to me as a "GUY" gets a "zero" rating in my book. Not a place I would return to.

Great food, great ambiance, great location, great people

After the ceremonial start with a platter flanked by two other staff the service completely collapsed. The amuse bouche was brought by a girl whose English was so poor that she couldn't explain what it was. The wine was put behind us on an adjoining table and the water placed on that table; for the rest of the meal we were left to get up and serve ourselves!The Entre-Deux-Mers was pallid without fruit or acidity. For £35 it was very poor. Any white wine from the nearby co-op would have been better.The "pea pudding" starter's main ingredients appeared to be a tablespoon of fresh peas soused in a weak consomme.The main course Hake on couscous was better but we couldn't work out why it was described as "curried". Deserts for the four of us were good but the two with the Baked Alaska complained that it was excessively sweet.Idle Rocks: Nil Points! The only part of the meal that came anywhere near the quality expected at the price was

We didn't want to dine here this trip so we opted for afternoon tea. The location is wonderful with views across the bay. The food was excellent, the cheese scones probably the best ever, with plenty of cream cheese and pickle. Lots of cream for the sweet scone as well, not that I could remember which order for jam and cream in Cornwall! Good choice of cakes.Several comments about staff, we had no issues, met our requests to amend the selection of cakes quite happily.All in all a very lovely afternoon tea, and good value

Great food, great service and a wonderful environment.

My boyfriend and I visited the hotel on Sunday evening for a drink on the terrace and to have a look to potentially come back for dinner later this week. The hotel decor is inviting and the receptionist Bianca was very warm and welcoming but unfortunately we did not feel we received the same welcome from her colleagues. On asking for a table on the terrace for a drink the waiter said he would check despite the terrace clearly being less than an a quarter full this felt odd and unnecessary. A gentleman , we presume the maitre d or manager, wearing a navy suit took my order of a glass of wine but when my boyfriend asked if they had any ales he was told rather condescendingly that no, they do not sell beers, he should have a cocktail and that this is a fine dining restaurant. We were then told that they do sell one bottled beer which surely should have been his first response to our query. For an establishment that also serves sandwiches and bar type snacks I think it is rather snobby to query a customer's choice of drink on the basis of their fine dining offer especially when there are many local producers of excellent artisan beers. What a pity the staff in this area of the hotel did not offer a better level of customer service, we felt rather looked down upon and it spoilt the experience which could have been very different simply for a more friendly and accommodating response. On the back of this we have chosen to visit Hotel Tresanton for a special meal in a couple of days. A pity the service isn’t better as the wine was good and the setting is lovely. Based on previous reviews it seems we're not the only ones to receive very similar poor service and the hotel is missing out on repeat custom.

My boyfriend and I visited the hotel on Sunday evening for a drink on the terrace and to have a look to potentially come back for dinner later this week. The hotel decor is inviting and the receptionist Bianca was very warm and welcoming but unfortunately we did not feel we received the same welcome from her colleagues. On asking for a table on the terrace for a drink the waiter said he would check despite the terrace clearly being less than an a quarter full this felt odd and unnecessary. A gentleman , we presume the maitre d' or manager, wearing a navy suit took my order of a glass of wine but when my boyfriend asked if they had any ales he was told rather condescendingly that no, they do not sell beers, he should have a cocktail and that this is a fine dining restaurant. We were then told that they do sell one bottled beer which surely should have been his first response to our query. For an establishment that also serves sandwiches and bar type snacks I think it is rather snobby to query a customers choice of drink on the basis of their fine dining offer especially when there are many local producers of excellent artisan beers. What a pity the staff in this area of the hotel did not offer a better level of customer service, we felt rather looked down upon and it spoilt the experience which could have been very different simply for a more friendly and accommodating response. On the back of this we have chosen to visit Hotel Tresanton for a special meal in a couple of days. A pity the service isn’t better as the wine was good and the setting is lovely. I wonder if this is the same staff member mentioned in the previous review?

Following our boat trip we decided to end our lovely day with a drink. The view from the Idle Rocks terrace was very appealing. We were dressed in shorts as it had been a lovely sunny day. We were greeted at reception by a friendly lady who went off to see if our request for "Just a drink" was possible. We were offered a table, but were informed we must vacate by 6.30 , we presumed they were fully booked at that time. We were shown to a table on the fairly empty terrace and, given we had half an hour, quickly decided on our drinks . We waited and waited despite our apparent time limit for a member of staff to take our order, several walked straight past us completely ignoring us. Finally our order was taken. At 6.30 the terrace was empty apart from us. Not sure why we were given a limited time. Excellent bottle of wine. ..Bar staff were very aloof to the point we felt very unwelcome and for this reason we would not return even despite the good wine and fab view. Plenty of friendly places to spend our money in St Mawes.

We went to the Idle Rocks for a drink and to take a look at the menu with a view to booking a table. Service was appalling. The drinks menu states that the cider is sold in half pints (presumably as it comes in 500ml bottles). One of our party asked if they could have a pint. The correct response would have been "Certainly sir, but as it comes in 500ml bottles it will mean two bottles in a pint glass, is that OK?". The response we got was 'No, we only serve 1/2pints, we dont do pints"...no apology or inclination to keep the customer happy. One of our party had a flat white coffee. By the time he actually got sugar it was cold. The waiter was asked twice, with no result, and so he went in to the bar to ask for some only to be told that it would be brought out to him. If you pay £4 for a flat white, you want it hot and you want sugar if you take it. I was furious and embarrassed; needless to say we didnt book a table for dinner.

A great place that puts the word special in special occasion

We asked a friend to join us for dinner who lived in Truro.we were so embarrassed as the dinner was not good we waited an hour for main course and our guest sent hers back and my dinner cold .really not good for what we paid not worth the price we did complain to a lovely receptionist to no avail.we have travelled the world and stayed at many Relais chateaux hotel and never had a bad meal .We will not return or recommend The Idle Rocks

Went in here for a cup of tea and piece of cake. It’s a great place to sit and watch the world go by overlooking the harbour. The Staff were really good and very smart in ther uniforms. I would highly recommend this to anyone.

The post-resoration interior is ultra chic and stunning. We only entered to try the place for future reference, but noted that it is practically impossible to get served. We would be worried about returning.

This was our first visit this year. We have Been here a few times and have always gone always very happy. we had dinner here with friends. The terrace drinks service is always a little slow. Put you in a terrace seat, come back with drinks menus, then come back to takes your order and finally drinks arrive. Probably a ten to fifteen minute process even when it’s not busy. (Management speed it up)

Arrived for lunch and sat on the terrace outside, welcomed by Simone from the hotel who was lovely but unfortunately the restaurant staff who waited on us were not up to par. The music volume jumped up as we sat down and was playing a range of house music, firstly too loud and more akin to an Ibiza bar at sunset than a relaxed up market restaurant in st mawes, so I politely asked for it to be turned down to which the manager gasped and seemed pretty miffed. Maybe he was reminiscing his youth on the white isle. In any case it was turned down thankfully and we then had to wait for menus, then the napkins with starters we had to ask twice for, then the cocktail drinks weren’t cleared until after lunch... it just all seemed a bit laboured and like we a hassle to the staff. Maybe the end of season blues were setting in... but the food was great albeit slightly small portions, the setting is lovey and the view fantastic. One waiter we had for a short while was good, engaging and seemed to care but unfortunately some were not. Overall It was a good experience that was applied by a few instances, it has the potential to be fantastic is they can tighten up the service.

Have eaten in idle Rocks a number of times always superb until change of staff some months ago. The last two visits the food has been totally unacceptable, staff helpful when we complained but sadly won’t be returning until another change of chef

This is the fourth time we have eaten at Idle Rocks whilst staying locally and the food is truly superb. The biggest improvement has been the staff, when the hotel first opened the staff were quite stand offish - not anymore! Such a great visit and can’t wait to return

Stunning food and brilliant service. We were away on our honeymoon and received a voucher for here as a wedding present. We enjoyed it so much that we rebooked for our final night! The food was delicious, fantastic flavours and well executed. We particularly enjoyed the pretzel bread and were gifted some to take home with us. Thank you so much for such a lovely end to our holiday!

We visited the idle rocks for a Sunday lunch following glowing reviews from my parents, and while it was certainly nice, I don’t think it was worth the hefty price tag.

We visited here to have cocktails on the balcony overlooking the harbour which was lovely. Staff were very attentive and drinks were nice. Particularly pricey though for what you get. e.g vodka and orange £10

In my previous review I had nothing but praise for The Idle Rocks but having booked to go back on a weekday, it was apparent that the excellent Sunday veggie roast was not matched by good everyday vegetarian choices and so we went elsewhere. We did, however, book to go back on a Sunday for a special family occasion and whilst the vegetarian roast was, once more, very good, nothing else about the experience justified the high prices and we left feeling disappointed and pretty ripped off.

Felt the service was very slow and the food not as nice as it used to be. Staff in the restaurant need to be re-educated on what service means.