Willow Valley

HOTEL OVERVIEW

You know what? I almost drove right past Willow Valley the first time I visited Bush – it’s tucked away in this quiet corner where you wouldn’t expect to find something this special. The whole area feels properly remote (and I mean that in the best way), with those rolling Cornish hills stretching toward the coast and hardly any traffic once you turn off the main road toward Bude.

The thing about this place is that it doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is – a genuinely thoughtful boutique spot that someone clearly put real care into. There’s no stuffy reception desk or forced smiles; instead, you get the sense that whoever runs this place actually wants you to enjoy your stay. The rooms have this lived-in elegance, if that makes sense – proper comfortable beds, windows that actually open wide (shocking, I know), and little touches like locally-made soaps that smell like the sea air outside. I stayed in October last year and honestly, waking up to those views across the countryside with a proper cup of tea was worth the slightly tricky drive down those narrow lanes. Speaking of which, parking’s straightforward once you’re there, which is more than I can say for most places around Bude town center.

What really gets me about Willow Valley is how it fits into this corner of North Cornwall. You’re close enough to Bude’s beaches – maybe ten minutes if you don’t get stuck behind a tractor – but far enough out that you can actually hear yourself think. The coastal path’s practically on your doorstep, and if you’re into walking, there are routes that’ll take you along the cliffs without bumping into crowds of tourists taking selfies every five minutes. The breakfast (when I was there at least) featured local ingredients that actually tasted like they came from somewhere specific, not just generic hotel fare. I mean, the black pudding was probably the best I’ve had outside of Devon. The whole experience feels authentic in a way that’s getting harder to find – no Instagram walls or manufactured charm, just a place that knows what it is and does it well. That 9.4 rating makes complete sense when you consider you’re getting genuine hospitality rather than corporate hospitality theater.